You have probably heard of the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), a prevalent error message displayed on the Windows screen whenever there is a system fault.
However, it isn’t in every case that the letter B in BSOD represents the color blue. There are times when it means Black.
Unlike the blue screen of death, the black screen of death may be more challenging to fix as it usually doesn’t display any error message.
It’s an empty black screen, generally with a movable mouse pointer and nothing else.
This article features some of the common causes of a black screen and quick fixes that you will find useful.
What Causes a Black Screen on a Computer?
Various issues may lead to a black screen on your laptop or computer. Read further for solutions to the most common causes:
- Windows Update
- Incomplete Windows 10 installation
- Software and driver errors
- Display issues
- Power supply problems
- Overheating
All of the above can cause a black screen on your Windows laptop or computer.
The upside, however, is that almost all black screen-of-death issues can be solved.
If you are to install Windows 10, whether on a formatted hard drive or from a previous version to a new one, errors may occur.
Amongst the errors is the so-called Windows 10 Black screen of death, which can happen in this case if:
- Setup is stuck: If this has occurred and there is no HDD activity, power off the device by pressing down the power button for five seconds. Make sure to disconnect any non-vital peripherals, then start up the computer again. The setup will restart; if it does not restart and you are trying to update from an old to a new Windows version, try to install it using the media creation tool.
- A device driver has failed: In such a case, kindly reboot the laptop or computer into safe mode.
- The setup is still in progress. You must check if the hard drive LED blinks. The setup is most likely running again, but it is running slowly, which might be due to the age of your computer. In most cases, Windows 10 should be installed in a couple of hours.
When installing Windows 10 and you hit a black screen, it might not be encouraging and cause you to give up.
In such a case, you may use old hardware and need to consider an alternative operating system.
Windows 10 Update: Black Screen of Death Issue
On the Windows 10 systems, an unfinished Windows update may cause a black screen of death.
Typically, the system restarts during the system update process, and you are given a login screen.
Nevertheless, after you type in your password, Windows 10 starts to hang with a black screen after the login.
The mouse will be responsive, and you will likely see a few desktop icons, but there is no taskbar. In fact, Windows 10 is completely stuck with a black screen of death.
To fix the problem, all you have to do is hold down the power button on your computer or on your laptop to turn off the computer.
The system should boot correctly with a cold start. If none of these work, we will share other tips.
Software Error Causes Windows Black Screen
Usually, a black screen error is caused by a simple software glitch. Such will most likely occur when you are dealing with a program that will overtake your whole screen.
Media players running in full-screen mode or PC games are the most typical culprits of the black screen of death.
In an instance like this, the computer should appear to function well, and a diagnosis should be easy to reproduce.
Launch the program for a media player or a game, then view only in full-screen mode.
However, solving this issue can be challenging, especially if the bug is in the software; there may be no way to fix the problem.
You can attempt to fix it by running the program using a different resolution.
You can also try running the software as an administrator. If the issue persists, it means the program is ancient; try enabling Windows compatibility mode.
Faulty Connection or Display Error
Another prevalent cause of a black screen is a video error. No video output equals a black screen, regardless of the specific problem.
Windows may even show a Blue screen of death, but you may never see it.
Before you get too worried, check your video connection. Ensure that both ends of your NDMI, DVI, or DisplayPort cable are seated firmly and that the cord is not damaged.
Did You Upgrade Your Monitor?
If you have just upgraded your monitor, ensure your connection can handle the resolution.
Some HDMI and DVI versions cannot handle resolutions of more than 1080p.
If these easy solutions do not work, you may face video adapter problems.
If your video card is discrete, remove it and connect it to your motherboard’s integrated video.
Does Your Monitor Work?
If your monitor works, then the problem is your video card. Try updating to the latest driver version.
If you only updated the driver version recently, try to revert to the old driver.
Also, thoroughly inspect the video card for any visible signs of defect, such as charred electronics or a broken cooling fan.
If the monitor does not work when connected to integrated graphics, you may have a monitor issue. You can check it by connecting it to a different computer.
If your monitor doesn’t work on another PC or yours, then you are most likely looking at a hardware issue somewhere else that affects the ability of the video card to work. The likely candidates include the power supply, the motherboard, and the hard drive.
Overheating Can Cause Windows to Black Screen
All computers naturally generate heat. You have to remove this heat to keep the system running; components can become damaged or locked up due to overheating.
Thankfully, all computers are created to shut down before that happens.
This will often lead to a featureless black screen, which sometimes will be followed by a restart, and other times will not.
In many cases, an overheating incident may be caused by the processor or the video card.
As discussed earlier, it should suspect your video card to be the problem if you have a black screen when the computer seems to be working (the hard drive light is active, and the fans are on).
If the processor gets overheated, the black screen will often prompt a reboot or an automatic computer shutdown.
Overheating can often be solved by opening your PC and removing the cobwebs.
Suck up every noticeable dust using a vacuum but do well to avoid the internal cables and dislodge all stubborn dirt with compressed air.
Also, ensure that all fans are in working condition and replace any that do not work.
If the issue persists after all these steps, you may have a flawed processor, video card, or cooler.
Repair a Black Screen of Death in Safe Mode
Driver and hardware issues leading to a black screen of death issues can be fixed in safe mode.
If your computer hangs with a black screen, restart it and hold down F8 or Shift and F8. This should be able to boot the PC into safe mode.
Are you unable to reach safe mode in any way? You can try turning off the PC and turning it back on during the Windows splash screen.
The PC will automatically boot itself into safe mode on the third trial.
While the safe mode is running, click on the advanced options button, and then you can Troubleshoot> Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
On the subsequent screen, select option 4, enable safe mode, and wait for Windows Safe mode to begin.
While the safe mode is running, click on the advanced options button and troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings> Restart, When the subsequent screen shows up, select the fourth option, and enable safe mode, and wait as the windows safe mode start.
Once the screen boots, press Windows+X to access the quick link menu, then select Device Manager.
When you get here, expand Display Adapters, right-click the device, and choose Disable.
Restart your computer and restart the Windows 10 installation. If the installation is successful, you need to run a Windows update to download the most recent device drivers and fix the black screen of the death problem.
Dealing With a Black Screen? You May Need to Check the PSU
If you have been managing a faulty power supply unit, it may cause your PC to have a Black screen of death problem.
It can be challenging to diagnose a PSU problem, and you will likely come to it through the elimination process.
If you have checked all other hardware and none is overheating, the power supply is most likely the culprit.
The only way to know for sure is to replace the PSU. However, as this is the last resort, you must try the other methods first.
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