Black screen when turning on a computer or laptop – what to do and how to fix it?

A black screen is one of the most common problems when using the Windows operating system. Fortunately, there are quite a few ways to resolve the situation. In this guide, we’ll look at the main causes of a black screen, as well as the main ways to “cure”.

Black screen when starting the computer. Possible causes and solutions

Often, users encounter a black screen when starting up a computer or laptop. The causes of the problem can be very different – from a mechanical failure to a virus infection. In general, all situations are divided into two large groups:

• Technical issues – faulty cables, monitor, system unit components;
• Software problems – operating system malfunctions, incorrect driver installation, virus infection.

Correcting violations of the first group is obviously much easier. Although disassembling the system unit is not an easy and risky affair. At the same time, the problems of the second group will not require you to replace parts and spend additional money.

Windows does not start. Black screen due to broken cable contacts

One of the simplest causes of a black screen is problems connecting the monitor to the computer. Cables may be loose or faulty, preventing Windows from starting. This is easy to check – connect the monitor to another machine (if equipped) or run the screen separately from the system unit.

There is no image on the monitor. Find and repair other mechanical damage?

It is better to entrust complex diagnostics to specialists, but some problems that can indirectly affect the black screen are quite easy to identify yourself.

To fix a blank monitor, you can do the following:

1. Disconnect the computer from the network, remove the system unit cover, and inspect the components.
2. If all parts are of normal size, there are no strange smells or traces of short circuits, it is worth examining the motherboard and wires.
3. If there are no obvious violations, just clean the computer with a clean cloth or brush.

It will not be superfluous to inspect the RAM modules. Sometimes just cleaning them from dust is enough to solve the black screen problem.

Dirt can also stick to the video card. To eliminate it, it is enough to use an ordinary cloth with alcohol. It is important to be careful to avoid other damage.

Black screen on two monitors. How to repair?

Using two monitors can cause various interferences that ultimately affect the appearance of the “screen of death”. Open the display mode selection menu (win+p) and click “computer screen only” or “second screen only”.

Also try turning off everything except the main monitor. In the “Device Manager” section, you can remove unnecessary hardware.

Black screen on PC startup due to operating system errors

System errors can also occur through no fault of the user. This can happen, for example, due to a power failure or incorrect installation of the program. If the computer does not start, try forcibly restarting it by holding down the power button. Sometimes this is enough to restore normal system operation. Often times, Windows will start fixing errors on its own, so if you get a black screen after a reboot, wait a while.

If simple methods don’t work, you should start the system in safe mode. Immediately after turning on the computer, press F8 several times – this will give you access to additional Windows boot options.

Safe mode is a limited version of the operating system. If the cause of the black screen is a glitch, booting from safe mode will allow you to remove unnecessary programs and fix the problem.

Don’t forget the options to reinstall or restore the operating system. Reinstallation is done through safe mode or BIOS. To recover, open “Start” and type “Recovery” in the search query. Open the section to see all available actions.

Black screen on discrete graphics card. How to reinstall drivers

The reason for the black screen can also be errors in the discrete graphics card. If your CPU has a graphics core, you can check its performance. Just disconnect the video card and swap the output device cable. In this case, the system should start without the driver. If this happens, the problem is with the discrete graphics card.

Sometimes video card drivers also affect the normal operation of the display. You can also reinstall them if something goes wrong. Enable Safe Mode and then open Device Manager. Select “Display Adapters” and remove the device. After the reboot, reinstall the drivers.

How to recover damaged files

If none of the methods helped you and the black screen continues to appear, start safe mode and then run the command line as administrator (Task Manager – File – Run a new task – command cmd, then check the box “Create a task with administrator rights”). Enter command sfc /scannow If the check shows errors and can’t fix them, run the command: DISM.exe /Online /Cleaning-image /Restorehealth

How to protect your computer from viruses

Some malware can seriously affect the operation of your computer, including interfering with normal startup. Use a proven antivirus system and perform extensive scans on a regular basis. If the virus still got on the computer, try to access it via safe mode. Otherwise, you will have to take more drastic measures (reinstall the operating system).

How to fix a black screen on the desktop

Sometimes the computer boots normally, but the desktop is completely blank. Dealing with this problem can be tricky as access to the settings is also missing.

Open Task Manager. Combinations may be different, use the one that was used before. In the window that appears, click on “Applications” – “New Task”. Enter command regedit Navigate to the registry folder along the path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/WindowsNT/CurrentVersion/Winlogn

Locate the shell file. It can only have one value: explorer.exe Remove other designations.

How to fix black screen on desktop without task manager

If your options are even more limited and the Task Manager doesn’t open, use Sticky Keys. Click several times on Shift, after which a beep sounds and a window appears with information about pasting. Follow the available link and enter “System” – “System Security” in the search menu. It remains only to restore by restoring Windows to its last normal state.

It is important that this feature is turned off by default. To configure system rollback, access Configure from the System Protection menu and activate restore. You can also create a restore point yourself by giving it a name.

Disable auto-launch apps

The black screen is sometimes affected by the automatic loading of some programs and hibernation. We have already written a guide on how to optimize PC performance, in which we described in detail how to cancel the automatic loading of all unnecessary applications and programs. There is also information on how to disable “sleep” mode.

Change or decrease the screen resolution

Decreasing the screen resolution is another way to deal with the sudden black screen. This must be done through safe mode. When the computer boots up, change the resolution to the usual one. If the problem persists, it’s worth self-diagnosing the power supply and video card.

Note the supported “hertz” of your monitor. For example, if the screen only supports 75 Hz and you set it to 60 Hz, a black screen may appear. You can configure this setting in the dedicated Nvidia or AMD control panel.