Black screen issues while gaming on Windows 10

Been poking around online, tried everything and still nothing... Here’s the deal: I install a game, the splash screen pops up, then it just goes to a black screen and the fans start screaming—probably the CPU—so loud that I have to hard shut down the PC by holding the power button since the keyboard won't respond...
Specs (Speccy):
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
CPU: Intel Core i3 8300 @ 3.70 GHz Coffee lak 14
RAM: 16.0GB single-channel DDR4 @ 1198MHz (15-17-17-36)
Motherboard: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. PRIME H310M-K (LGA1151)
Graphics: Dell P2417H (1920x1080@60Hz)
Panasonic-TV (1920x1080@60Hz)
2047MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB (MSI) (drivers are always up to date)
Storage: 223GB KINGSTON SA400S37240G (SATA-2 (SSD))
7452GB Western Digital WDC WD80EFAX-68KNBN0 (SATA)
PSU: Fractal Design semi-modular, 450W
Optical drives and audio don't matter.
Before gaming, I turn off the Dell monitor so the image only shows on the Panasonic. Older games used to run fine without any issues or virtual memory tweaks...
So, I set the virtual memory to an initial size of 6144 and a max of 18432, but that did nothing, and trying to launch the game with Run as administrator didn't help either...
Games that are being a pain (all newer titles):
Atomic Heart Far Cry 6 Red Dead Redemption 2 The Callisto Protocol The Last of Us Part I

😠 🙂

The only new game that isn't acting up (so far) is Hogwarts Legacy... 😍🙂🙂🙂

It goes without saying that the culprit here is the graphics card—since that fan is physically attached to it anyway—though, quite frankly, I can't say for certain why. I dealt with a nearly identical situation once, and simply swapping in a different GPU model fixed everything instantly.

It isn’t exactly a definitive solution, but it might be easier than wasting your time trying to troubleshoot an unsolvable puzzle.

PS: Regarding NVIDIA chipsets, experience has shown that driver updates pushed through Windows 10 frequently trigger these exact types of issues. It would be far more practical to manually install the initial driver version for that specific card; if everything runs smoothly, you can then monitor whether future Windows 10 updates end up compromising the stability.

Got any links for this? How'd you figure out a different GPU was the fix? Is there some kind of blacklist for cards that suck with this, or should I just grab whatever driver first came out for my card? 🤔
What kind of bullshit is this, just trying to play a game on a decent rig... 🙄
Seriously, screw Microsoft and NVIDIA. You grind away saving up for a high-end gaming PC and then... 🙂
Think the geniuses over at Microsoft and NVIDIA are gonna fix this anytime soon? Doubt they even realize what a mess they made. 🤷
So basically, all those random internet tips I tried to fix this were a complete waste of time... 👎

To start things off—should I just reinstall Windows?

electricdriver33 said:Do you have a link for that? How exactly did you determine that swapping out the graphics card was the definitive fix here? Is there some sort of definitive list of problematic GPUs known to cause this specific issue, and regarding drivers, should I be looking for a specific version, or is the very first driver released for my particular card the only one worth considering? 🤔

I had a completely different graphics card in this rig previously, and everything was running flawlessly. Then, I decided to swap it out for a high-end NVIDIA card. At first, things seemed fine, but then Windows 10 decided to run an automatic driver update that absolutely trashed the stability. It became a chaotic cycle where some parts worked while others failed miserably; I would revert to my old drivers to fix the mess, only for Windows to break everything all over again. This entire ordeal drove me to the brink of insanity until I finally swapped in an AMD card, which instantly resolved every single issue.

You even run into those bizarre scenarios with newer cards where an NVIDIA GPU will just kill the entire system the second you pass the boot screen and Windows starts loading. Is it the power supply? Don't make me laugh; it's the graphics card, plain and simple. But honestly, in my experience, these kinds of hardware anomalies in the PC industry have become nothing short of standard procedure. If I’m forced to deal with it, I’m swapping out the hardware—specifically the GPU—99% of the time. It’s the path of least resistance.

Whether the driver issue actually lies on your end is nothing more than a hypothesis, though I suppose it is an avenue you could pursue if you must. The fact that you poured a small fortune into this setup doesn't change the reality of the situation. So, there you have it: your hardware is perfectly functional, yet it refuses to play nice with Windows, and why exactly that is happening remains anyone's guess.

You should be able to find that link directly on the manufacturer's official website, though honestly, it's even better to just grab it from the disc included in the box with the card.

:

Are the gentlemen over at Microsoft and NVIDIA actually planning on fixing this anytime soon? I find it hard to believe they aren't already fully aware of what a complete disaster this situation is. 🤷
Let me be perfectly clear: every single bit of advice floating around the internet regarding the issue I’ve been tracking is absolute garbage. 👎

I honestly don't even know where to begin. It is an open secret in this industry that swapping out hardware is often the most logical move when a game releases a broken update, and frankly, that is a reality I have learned through sheer, hands-on experience dealing with these kinds of systemic issues on Windows. Replacing components is simply easier, faster, and far more effective than chasing ghosts in the software.

fadedorca66 said:First step—reinstalling Windows?

No way... Windows runs like a dream...☕

I dealt with a nearly identical headache a few months back, and I handled it using the simplest—and cheapest—method available. I just paused my Windows updates and sat on it for at least a week before letting the installation run. That gives you enough breathing room to see if the update is actually stable or if it starts throwing a tantrum. Honestly, I haven't had a single issue with my rig in months since I started doing that.

electricdriver33 said:No way. Windows runs like a dream. ☕

If they actually ran perfectly, you wouldn't be hanging out on this sub 🤣

let's look in event viewer and see if there's an actual error.

fadedorca66 said:If they actually ran like a Swiss watch, you wouldn't be hanging out in this corner of the internet... 🤣

let's look in event viewer and see if anything pops up...

Look, Windows is working fine. No blue screens, no black screens. All my motherboard and GPU drivers are current, BIOS is updated too, and I run a malware scan once a month just to be safe... It’s just certain games that act up... 🤷

Jeremy Lopez57 said:I went through something pretty much identical a few months back and just handled it the easiest—and cheapest—way possible. I basically just paused my Windows updates and waited at least a week before hitting install. That gives me enough breathing room to see if the update is actually solid or if it’s going to wreck everything... Honestly, I haven't had a single issue with my rig for months now.

My PC is running fine though. It's just a few games acting up... 🤷

Check those temps

Are all these games legit and paid for?

Alexander Diaz4 said:Check those temps

Temps are fine...

Richard Lee47 said:are all the games legit and paid for?

Oh, so we're talking about pirated games. Well, now you know why it isn't working.

So you steal the game and then expect everything to run perfectly? That's hilarious.

Run a stress test

And honestly, if the older titles run fine but the newer ones are choking, it’s pretty damn obvious where the bottleneck is...

electricdriver33 said:Windows is running fine. No blue screens or black screens. All my motherboard and GPU drivers are up to date, plus the BIOS too. I run an antivirus scan once a month to check for malware... It's just some games that act up. 🤷

Whether they're pirated or not, they should be working if they work for everyone else. Maybe let's look in event viewer?

Those pirated games are usually just the day-one versions anyway—no updates, no patches, and God knows what kind of buggy mess they actually are. It’s no wonder they aren't working.

Just buy the damn games; they’re usually dirt cheap on sale.

What's the equivalent for a GTX 1060 6GB? Google gave me this first answer:
The 6GB version is on par with cards like the RX 580 and GTX 980. The RTX 1650 super and RX 5500xt can also compete with the 6GB GTX 1060. Aside from the 8GB RX 580, the 6GB GTX 1060 has an advantage thanks to it having more VRAM. The 8GB RX 580 is probably the closest card to the 6GB GTX 1060.
But...
I fired up Hogwarts Legacy and got that black screen again, though the fans aren't even spinning up. I manually shut it down, wait a bit, try again, and still nothing. Luckily my CPU has integrated graphics so I'm using that while I type this out. The GTX 1060 6GB isn't even showing up in Device Manager. So, did the card just kick the bucket and I need something else, or is there a better explanation? 🤔
I'll just stick with the integrated graphics for now. I'm not exactly a hardcore gamer... 🙂
It says here that the minimum PSU for an RX 580 is 500W, but mine is only 450W. Is that enough for some 1080p gaming?
Maybe the RX6500XT is a better bet...

darkcyclist92 said:I had a different card in the build before. Everything was fine. Then I popped in a beefy Nvidia card, and at first, it was all good until Windows 10 decided to run an update on the drivers. After that, it worked sometimes and sometimes didn't, so I kept rolling back to the old drivers and it would be okay again, then Windows messes it up once more... it drove me crazy until I swapped in an ATI card and the problems just vanished.

You even get those weird scenarios with newer motherboards where an Nvidia card just kills the PC right after booting when Windows starts loading... PSU? Nah man, it's definitely the GPU... but honestly, these kinds of tech glitches are pretty much my "normal" at this point. If I'm being real, I'll swap out hardware 99% of the time—usually just the GPU. It's the easiest way...

Saying it's a driver issue is just a hypothesis, though it's worth a shot. Paying top dollar for everything doesn't change the outcome. You're stuck with functional parts that just won't play nice with Windows, and who knows why...

You should be able to find a link on the manufacturer's official site, or better yet, on the disc included in the box with the card.

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I don't even know what to tell you. But based on my experience dealing with Windows issues, swapping hardware is often the secret fix when a game update goes south... it's faster, easier, and actually works.

I always manually update my GPU through Nvidia's own site. Which exact card was giving you grief, and which one did you swap in? Also, is there actually a noticeable difference between 4GB DDR6 VRAM and 6GB DDR5 VRAM?

That black screen might be a symptom of an underpowered GPU, because I find it hard to believe you're struggling with the basic installation of a cracked game. Given your specs, you should be able to run everything listed here, with the exception of The Last of Us.
A 450W power supply is sufficient, though it’s cutting it pretty close.