Black screen for 2 seconds - Every so often

Rocky-Roader

Rocky-Roader

Rocky-Roader

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17 May 2025
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United Kingdom
Hi Again.

Since building the PC a few months ago, to my knowledge this problem has only started in the past week.

The issue is that every so often - I get a blank black screen for about 2 seconds - and then everything is normal.


I first noticed it when I lent over the monitor to plug my printer into the USB port, however because I was behind the monitor and not expecting it to go off - I don't know if it went off when I plugged the printer in to the USB port - or because I lent over it - or if it was a coincidence and windows just happened to cause it.

I gave the monitor a little wobble, checked the cables - to rule out a loose connection inside etc - but still I still couldn't replicate the problem.
I then unplugged the printer and plugging it back in a few times - still couldn't replicate it.

I came to the conclusion that perhaps Windows was doing an update in the background or something.


2 days later - I was on eBay and moving photos from my phone to my PC and out of the blue - blank screen for 2 seconds and then back to normal.

This time I was thinking perhaps it is something to do with the USB - but my printer goes in the port at the back of the motherboard and my phone was in the one at the front - so it can't be a specific USB port causing it... tried unplugging the phone and plugging it in several times but still couldn't replicate it.


Everything seemed fine again until late last night, I was watching NCIS on the Channel 5 website with headphones in, when the episode finished I unplugged the headphones from the audio jack - black screen for 2 seconds again... tried plugging them back in again and unplugging them again but still can't replicate it.



What has changed to the PC in the past 2 weeks...

1) I started using a new monitor - my MSI b850 Gaming Plus Wi-Fi motherboard does not have a HDMI port so it was originally connected by a DP to HDMI adaptor and a HDMI cable. (the problem didn't happen with that cable setup - but I only used it a couple of times so that may just be a coincidence)
2) I've updated the bios.
3) I purchased a DP cable with gold connections to eliminate the need for a DP to HDMI adaptor.
4) I've replaced all 6 case fans which were originally on full power all the time as they were powered by the PSU - and replaced them with fans that connect to the motherboard so don't run as fast.

I'm assuming the possible causes are...

1) - Problem with the new DP cable.
2) - Problem with the DP port on the monitor.
3) - Bios problem.
4) - Some sort of driver problem caused by changing the monitor cable - but with my motherboard not having a HDMI port the DP port is used regardless of the cable.
5) - A motherboard or CPU issue that has only started developing recently and may get worse.

I'm still using the stock cooler and my Ryzen 7600 CPU has graphics built in so I don't have a separate GPU.


Not being able to replicate it makes it harder to try and nail down the specific cause.


Could it just be a coincidence that it happened when I unplugged the headphones?

Thought I would ask if anyone else has encountered a similar problem?
 
Strange innit

I've just stuck on another NCIS episode and realised that when I unplug the headphones - the video freezes (just like if you'd unplugged the wi-fi) then starts playing again when I plug them back in - so the Channel 5 player must somehow know I'm disconnecting the headphones.

Just tried BBC iPlayer and that does not freeze when I unplug the headphones.


I've just gone onto the MSi website and downloaded the driver for the monitor - however it's a November 2024 driver so is fairly old - so I'm not sure if that'll do much.
 
Have you looked at the event viewer entries for the time of the black screens?

Rocky-Roader said:
1) I started using a new monitor - my MSI b850 Gaming Plus Wi-Fi motherboard does not have a HDMI port so it was originally connected by a DP to HDMI adaptor and a HDMI cable. (the problem didn't happen with that cable setup - but I only used it a couple of times so that may just be a coincidence)
Click to expand...
Can you try that again?
 
Tetras said:
Have you looked at the event viewer entries for the time of the black screens?
Click to expand...

Good thinking!
Around that time I see some 'windows update process' logs - so it does look like it could be update related... Next time it happens I'll check the logs first,

There does seem to be a few critical and errors in the log from other times it looks like most of them are to do with fast start or shutting down - does everyone get these?


Firegod said:
If you drop refresh rate to 60Hz, does it do it?
Click to expand...

There hasn't been another black screen yet since installing the driver but if it does I'll also give this a try
 
Rocky-Roader said:
There does seem to be a few critical and errors in the log from other times it looks like most of them are to do with fast start or shutting down - does everyone get these?
Click to expand...
I do when I forget to get rid of that option (fast start in Windows) :D
 
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Tetras said:
I do when I forget to get rid of that option (fast start in Windows) :D
Click to expand...

The fast start option on my PC is checked - but greyed out - I can't uncheck it

Edit ^^^ just realised it says "change settings that are currently unavailable" - I've now unchecked it, but I don't know why it was unavailable.


Well... it seems like there may be 2 problems.

It's only happened two or three times when I've been actually sat down using the PC - as in not touching anything near the tower - just using the keyboard and mouse. (that problem may just be updates)


Every other time it seems to be when I'm either leaning over to plug something in to the USB... and there appears to be the main problem.

I've been using my keyboard on my old PC too so I can sort what I want to transfer over and what I want to scrap... I've just come in and booted up the new PC... went to connect the keyboard and hey ho blank screen.

Investigated by unplugging and plugging back in - no black screen for unplugging - if I plug it in quickly no blank screen either.

But if I carefully plug it in as in making sure I'm not forcing it and its going in straight - as the USB connector touches the USB port - the screen goes blank.

It appears that if the metal frame of the keyboard USB connector touches the metal on the outside of the USB port - the screen goes blank.

Further... the screen goes blank every time if I...
  • Touch the metal on the outside of any of the USB ports with the keyboard connector.
  • Touch any of the case fan screws or rivets on the back of the PC with the keyboard connector.
  • Touch any of the PSU screws with the keyboard connector.
  • Touch the gold metal on-board Wi-Fi connectors with the keyboard connector.
  • Touch the 4 thumb screws that secure the glass side panel with the keyboard connector.

Just done the same tests with my mouse - the exact same thing happens.

Keyboard = Microsoft 600 Wired.
Mouse = Microsoft basics.

Just tried a HP mouse - screen went blank once - can't replicate it again.

Back to the Microsoft mouse - blank screen, a couple of times it felt like the screen went blank before I'd actually touched the port.

The screen on my old PC never goes blank when I plug the MS keyboard or Mouse in or touch any of the screws with it.

I think... I may have an earth problem?
 
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Nitefly said:
What resolution and refresh rate is your new monitor? Is display stream compression enabled?
Click to expand...

My monitor is an MSi MP272L - it says the refresh rate is 100 Hz and the resolution is 1920 x 1080.

But in Windows, the refresh rate seems to be set at 59.94 Hz - by default
 
Tetras said:
Does sound like it. This is not something I know much about how to troubleshoot.
Click to expand...

Turns out that either the DP port on my new monitor is iffy or the cheap DP cable causes the issue.

The DP cable I have is this one and only £6 I'm going to look for a £10+ one to try to see if it still happens.


If touching a screw on your case with a USB cable or plugging a USB cable in makes your screen go blank for a second - would you guys say that is an issue? or am I just being fussy?
 
Stuff to consider:

Did you build the PC yourself?
If you did what is the case and did it have some mounting screws in place already? (slim chance one may have been misaligned)
Look at your motherboard mounting and make sure it's secure and that it doesn't slide.
Also, are there any screws loose or conversely are any way too tight (motherboard fixings) - go around the board and test.
Check that no backplates are fitted incorrectly and making contact with top of motherboard (same for nic cards etc)

If you had the time I would recommend a running a skeleton setup. Basically, running the MB, CPU and memory outside of the case, on a piece of cardboard, and then adding components until it buckled (black screen). If it didn't black out then you you would be giving the case a long hard stare.

Additional: are you using an extension lead (as @Tetras alluded to)? If you are try a plugging directly into the mains - or if mot possible a proven/quality extension.
 
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Rocky-Roader said:
If touching a screw on your case with a USB cable or plugging a USB cable in makes your screen go blank for a second - would you guys say that is an issue? or am I just being fussy?
Click to expand...
Can you confirm that this does not happen, if the cheap DP cable is not used?

Can you confirm that too:
Tetras said:
Do you have any euro plugs (or otherwise), like with the monitor?
Click to expand...
If you're connecting the plug through an adapter it might not be grounding the monitor properly and that's leaking through the DP cable?
 
Plec said:
If you did what is the case and did it have some mounting screws in place already? (slim chance one may have been misaligned)
Click to expand...

It's a Jedel Trooper SX81, around £40 so its only a cheapy, it didn't have any mounting screws already fitted,

I do remember reading some reviews for other cheap cases at the time on Amazon and I'm sure I read one which mentioned 'grounding' and how someone had made an adjustment to theirs but I don't know if it was the same one - so trying the mobo outside the case may be a good shout.

Although my motherboard only has a DP port, no HDMI and this only happens when using a proper DP cable - not if I use a DP to HDMI adaptor or a DP to DVi cable.

Should I strip it down and try it outside the case first? or buy a better quality cable to try?
 
Rocky-Roader said:
Although my motherboard only has a DP port, no HDMI and this only happens when using a proper DP cable - not if I use a DP to HDMI adaptor or a DP to DVi cable.

Should I strip it down and try it outside the case first? or buy a better quality cable to try?
Click to expand...

From the above for the sake of £6 i would try the cable first

Stripping down is a lot of effort. But, if the cable doesn't yield results you're edging towards a skeleton setup, unfortunately.
 
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Tetras said:
If you're connecting the plug through an adapter it might not be grounding the monitor properly and that's leaking through the DP cable?
Click to expand...

I don't have any euro plugs, I'm using a 4 way extension but I have also tried plugging the monitor and tower directly into the mains sockets and still get the same problem.

Sorry for any confusion... my motherboard only has a DP port - no HDMI port

I originally used a cheap DP to DVi cable with my old monitor - this problem doesn't happen with that.

Then I got a new monitor but it came with a HDMI cable so I used a cheap DP to HDMI adaptor - this problem doesn't happen with that.


The problem only seems to happen when a proper DP cable - I don't have a better one to try it with yet


If it was a problem with the tower, would I not still get black screens when using the DP to HDMi adaptor? (as its still using the DP port on the motherboard - this is why I was leaning towards the cheap cable being the problem)


BTW, thank you to you and everyone else for the helpful suggestions in trying to solve this
 
Rocky-Roader said:
The problem only seems to happen when a proper DP cable - I don't have a better one to try it with yet

If it was a problem with the tower, would I not still get black screens when using the DP to HDMi adaptor? (as its still using the DP port on the motherboard - this is why I was leaning towards the cheap cable being the problem)
Click to expand...
I think we'd have to say through a process of elimination, that the cable is the issue (or at least, something outside of the computer).

If you get the same problem with a different DP cable then yeah, that's something to investigate.
 
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