Monitor screen goes black when playing any game

[miller1234]

hey guys can yall help me out on this?

My monitor screen goes black while playing games, i can hear the in-game music still playing and my computer is still on.

I currently have this in my comp. :

Windows XP (not sure if it's professional)
Nvidia 9400
2+ gbs of ram
500+ gbs of hard drive

currently i have done this to try to fix the problem (and have not yet figured out whats wrong):
-got a new monitor
-new 80mm fan
-updated all drivers
-messed with monitor settings
-cleaned inside of the tower with compressed air
-opened up tower when playing to get more airflow
-new heat sync for fan

Can anyone tell me what i have to do? i have spent $200+ trying to fix this and nothing works. I have tried to play other games such as Minecraft, DC universe online, WoW, and maplestory. I dont know if i need a new graphics card or its as simple as taking out and putting the graphics card back in. PLEASE HELP!

 

[Ritwik7]

i have spent $200+ trying to fix this and nothing works.

What have you spent so much on? In all probability it's the GPU or the PSU causing the issue.

 

[mike1959]

If you can hear the in-game music playing still, then it points to graphic card, ( the card or the connection to to the motherboard), the cable to the monitor, or the monitor. I have to assume you have the correct graphic card drivers, sounds as if you have been through that.
Can you remove the graphic card, and refit it, because that will have the effect of cleaning the gold contacts slightly. (Examine the contacts with mag glass, don't touch the contacts though, clean with a pencil eraser.) Can you try the monitor cable and monitor on a different pc? Try the VGA output of a laptop to give a picture on your monitor. Can you borrow a known good monitor and cable? It could be as simple as a faulty connection on a monitor cable, you need to prove by swapping in known good components, (obviously).

 

[miller1234]

i have tried taking the graphics card out and putting it back in but never thought of cleaning it, and i have switched monitors with my other monitor and the problem stil persists

 

[mike1959]

If your display is ok when you are using undemanding software, eg, office, browser or Windows explorer, but only goes to black when in games, it would still point to the graphic drivers, or a setting connected with it. Just possible too, that when pushed the graphic card is getting too hot.
I have had good results with finding the right driver info by using the free program at; www.drivereasy.com But note that, if you use it, it's very slow to download drivers, but the information seems to be accurate. Compare to what you have installed now, but if you want to download a driver, go to the makers site as usual.
A heat problem would be more obvious by how long the pc has been switched on.
Something like, if you never have any trouble for 30 mins, then faults begin, I would be looking at the fan on the graphic card and the other boards around it. If you can improve the airflow, maybe add another fan on the back vents behind the graphic card?

 

[tweakboy]

I smell RMA