First Computer Build Blackscreen with Audio Running while Gaming

Mattben26

Commendable
Aug 1, 2016
6
0
1,520
So this is the first computer I have ever built. Do keep in mind that I may not have too much experience with building computers and their components, so bear with me. Here are my specs:

Intel Core i5-6400 CPU
ASUS H110m-A Motherboard
Single Monitor Display - HP Pavilion 22cwa Monitor
HDMI Connection from monitor to GTX 970
1920x1080 resolution
60Hertz Refresh Rate
EVGA 500 watt Psu
16.00 GB RAM G-skill Ripjaws

I built this computer specifically as a gaming computer, mostly to welcome the arrival of my consumer version one (CV1) Oculus Rift in the mail. Set up worked out fine, and running the oculus demo caused no issues, even now, however, whenever I attempt to play an Oculus game, I experience a blackscreen within 10 minutes, although usually it doesn't even last that long. I receive a black monitor that soon turns into no hdmi connection running into the monitor, and the sound of the game i was playing loops in the Oculus Rift headset. I experience this with all games on the computer, although Oculus games (likely because they are very high performance games) cause this to happen the fastest. I have contacted Nvidia customer support and have tried so many different drivers and reinstallations without success. The last email they have sent they haven't replied to in quite a while despite me answering them simply tells me to either reinstall windows (which I see as unnecessary) or to return my Oculus for a new unit, even though it obviously cant be the problem. I once used task manager to close the oculus software as soon as it said not responding and was about to blackscreen, and that preventing the blackscreen but instead gave me a BSOD video_scheduler_internal_error.
Anyways, any help would be greatly appreciated. All I can currently run is the Oculus Dreamdeck demo which is great and all, but I spent a huge sum of money on both my computer set up and the Oculus Rift to have it not work. Thanks.
 
Solution
Here's what you need to do, test, and then move on to the next if it doesn't work:
1) Fully uninstall and reinstall drivers
1a) Check with the game developer to see if there are open issues
2) Check temperatures, underclock the GPU to ~80% (even if it means terrible FPS)
3) Check voltages (if the motherboard related software supports voltage logging, not many cheap ass H110 boards are good at it though)
4) Reseat all your major components (and re apply thermal paste to the CPU)
5) Reinstall windows
6) Spend more than ~50 on a decent PSU, EVGA G2 or Corsair RMx line are good starting points
7) return the rift
Here's what you need to do, test, and then move on to the next if it doesn't work:
1) Fully uninstall and reinstall drivers
1a) Check with the game developer to see if there are open issues
2) Check temperatures, underclock the GPU to ~80% (even if it means terrible FPS)
3) Check voltages (if the motherboard related software supports voltage logging, not many cheap ass H110 boards are good at it though)
4) Reseat all your major components (and re apply thermal paste to the CPU)
5) Reinstall windows
6) Spend more than ~50 on a decent PSU, EVGA G2 or Corsair RMx line are good starting points
7) return the rift
 
Solution

Mattben26

Commendable
Aug 1, 2016
6
0
1,520
If my card were not seated properly could that cause the issues I have described? The card wiggles slightly in the slot, and may not be in all the way because of the wiggling. Also, how would I go about underclocking my cpu?
 

Mattben26

Commendable
Aug 1, 2016
6
0
1,520


So I have been testing and the more I lower the power percentage and memory among other setting in my graphics card controller, the longer my computer can go before blackscreening. Is this a sign of my power supply being bad?
 


Usually it's a sign of PSU issues, but could also be bad VRAM (not replaceable) in the GPU.
 

Mattben26

Commendable
Aug 1, 2016
6
0
1,520
FINALLY I got this to work!!! It was a simple power supply problem (something I suspected early on but didn't feel like buying a new one) I bought a EVGA G2 750w power supply and now I can confirm all games including oculus reift run PERFECTLY! Thanks to everyone that helped.