[RESOLVED] Computer hangs and screen blacks out

[Ifikratis]

Hi,

Lately I face a very weird problem with my Prepar3D v4.3 installation. Every time I load the simulator, while on splash screen loading, the mouse cursor will freeze for many seconds, some of the times the whole screen of my monitor will turn black and restart after a few seconds. Some times it takes long time I have to reset my computer. There is obviously something going very wrong behind the scenes. However, when the simulator loads and I get the scenario screen everything continues normally. But I am very worried about this problem and its obviously not normal to happpen. The first thing I suspected was maybe my OC was the reason, so I reset my BIOS to default. However it still happens. I also unisntalled my display drivers using DDU uninstaller and installed the latest drivers for my GPU (GTX 1070). Still same problem.

Any idea why this is happening and how I can solve it except doing a full format?

[downscc]

Follow the troubleshooting guide LM has pinned to the top of this forum.

In my experience, the most common problem with hung or failed P3D starts are addons. Things such as multiple or incorrect addon entries in the add-on.cfg or add-on.xml are common problems.

[Martyson]

Hi,

Lately I face a very weird problem with my Prepar3D v4.3 installation. Every time I load the simulator, while on splash screen loading, the mouse cursor will freeze for many seconds, some of the times the whole screen of my monitor will turn black and restart after a few seconds. Some times it takes long time I have to reset my computer. There is obviously something going very wrong behind the scenes. However, when the simulator loads and I get the scenario screen everything continues normally. But I am very worried about this problem and its obviously not normal to happpen. The first thing I suspected was maybe my OC was the reason, so I reset my BIOS to default. However it still happens. I also unisntalled my display drivers using DDU uninstaller and installed the latest drivers for my GPU (GTX 1070). Still same problem.

Any idea why this is happening and how I can solve it except doing a full format?

Just to verify.
What you are reporting.

Does the same thing happen, same sequence of events each for the same length of time, every time you start P3D?

How old is you PC?

Did you have previous versions of P3D?

Do you have FSX installed?

[Ifikratis]

Thank you for the replies.

Martyson, yes I experience this every single time I start P3D. My computer is relativly new:

i7 7700K, GTX1070, 16GB 3600Mhz Ram, 1TB Samsung SSD

I do not have previous version of P3D installed or FSX.

downscc, I will try removing all add-ons and see what happens. Just trying to not mess things up if the solution to this is known.

[Martyson]

Thank you for the replies.

Martyson, yes I experience this every single time I start P3D. My computer is relativly new:

i7 7700K, GTX1070, 16GB 3600Mhz Ram, 1TB Samsung SSD

I do not have previous version of P3D installed or FSX.

downscc, I will try removing all add-ons and see what happens. Just trying to not mess things up if the solution to this is known.

When I start P3Dv4.3 I see the P3D startup screen for 55 seconds.
Then I am prompted if I want to load an optional from my exe.dll (I answer No or yes)
Then 15 seconds later I get the P3D screen to select an aircraft.
My mouse cursor never locked up on this test.
I use some Orbx scenery.

Is your default flight the P3D F22 at KVPS?

This is the part I am wondering about:
"Lately I face a very weird problem with my Prepar3D v4.3 installation."

Edit: I look back at your problems for the past year.
You had a few bad ones.
Where they all experienced with your current PC and OS?

[Ifikratis]

When I start P3Dv4.3 I see the P3D startup screen for 55 seconds.
Then I am prompted if I want to load an optional from my exe.dll (I answer No or yes)
Then 15 seconds later I get the P3D screen to select an aircraft.
My mouse cursor never locked up on this test.
I use some Orbx scenery.

Is your default flight the P3D F22 at KVPS?

This is the part I am wondering about:
"Lately I face a very weird problem with my Prepar3D v4.3 installation."

Edit: I look back at your problems for the past year.
You had a few bad ones.
Where they all experienced with your current PC and OS?

Thanks for the answer. I just timed my Prepar3D start to compare with yours. So for me it took around 3 minutes and 10 seconds to load. I have to note that I have nearly all ORBX products and the ORBX folder is linked to a HDD drive due to size. So this could explain the long loading time, but I also have a lot of add-on sceneries.

I am not sure which problems you are reffering to. Some was due to bad add-ons installations (not supported to P3Dv4).

[Martyson]

When I start P3Dv4.3 I see the P3D startup screen for 55 seconds.
Then I am prompted if I want to load an optional from my exe.dll (I answer No or yes)
Then 15 seconds later I get the P3D screen to select an aircraft.
My mouse cursor never locked up on this test.
I use some Orbx scenery.

Is your default flight the P3D F22 at KVPS?

This is the part I am wondering about:
"Lately I face a very weird problem with my Prepar3D v4.3 installation."

Edit: I look back at your problems for the past year.
You had a few bad ones.
Where they all experienced with your current PC and OS?

Thanks for the answer. I just timed my Prepar3D start to compare with yours. So for me it took around 3 minutes and 10 seconds to load. I have to note that I have nearly all ORBX products and the ORBX folder is linked to a HDD drive due to size. So this could explain the long loading time, but I also have a lot of add-on sceneries.

I am not sure which problems you are reffering to. Some was due to bad add-ons installations (not supported to P3Dv4).

Look at you first post.
To the right you will see your On-Line status and to the left of that your will see "Posts"
Left mouse click on the number of post and you will get a listing of the problems / posts you are linked to.

I think some mentioned you had to re-format / re-install ?

Unless you get an error I would assume what tou see is ok for your setup.

Seeing the problem only started "Lately" I would assume something currently different in your seup is responsible.

"Some was due to bad add-ons installations (not supported to P3Dv4)."
That may be causing your current situation ?

(edit) :You can always try a Repair of P3D, go thru the debugging steps, or uninstall/reinstall P3D.
viewtopic.php?f=6312&t=123246

[Ifikratis]

Regarding my previous problems, my PC has been formated and installed latest Prepar3D v4.3 on the 30 of August. So this is not related to previous posts of mine.

I disabled my add-ons but the problem is still there. I want to emphasize something that is important to locate the problem and maybe I didn't emphasize enough:

When I say that my screen blacks out, this is not the screen of the Prepar3D window. Its before the scenario screen appears. What is more important is that the whole monitor disconnects. The signal of the monitor to the computer/graphics card is lost. I get a completely black screen with the ''No signal'' hovering text and then after a few or several seconds it comes back again. Could this mean that it's hardware related? However it only happens when I launch Prepar3D. I also have X-Plane 11 and DCS World installed on my PC and this doesn't happen when I load those.

[Martyson]

"Could this mean that it's hardware related? However it only happens when I launch Prepar3D. I also have X-Plane 11 and DCS World installed on my PC and this doesn't happen when I load those."

It could be a hardware problem.

But, if you suspect P3D you could:
Try a Repair of P3D, go thru the debugging steps, or uninstall/reinstall P3D.
viewtopic.php?f=6312&t=123246

Edit:
Is your default flight the P3D F22 at KVPS?

[Ifikratis]

Hello again Vaughan and really thank you for taking the time to try to help me. I appreciate it very much.

Yes, its the default flight.

I will consider the debugging steps but I believe it has something to do with the hardware or drivers somehow. The whole screen blacks out an disconnects and I hear a sound from my computer, not sure what is it. It could be the HDD or a sudden start/stop of a fan.

[Martyson]

Hello again Vaughan and really thank you for taking the time to try to help me. I appreciate it very much.

Yes, its the default flight.

I will consider the debugging steps but I believe it has something to do with the hardware or drivers somehow. The whole screen blacks out an disconnects and I hear a sound from my computer, not sure what is it. It could be the HDD or a sudden start/stop of a fan.

The debugging steps would help to eliminate P3D.

Only you would know the hardware history.

Is the PC still under warranty?

[Ifikratis]

The debugging steps would help to eliminate P3D.

Only you would know the hardware history.

Is the PC still under warranty?

I'm afraid not as I have bought the components myself and built it. I fail to understand though how it only happens with Prepar3D and not any other application. I guess the only certain way if the debugging steps succed will be a format. In that case I would rather wait for the next version of Prepar3D and live with the freezes until then.

Until then any i deas of what this problem is would be very appreciated.

[Martyson]

"I'm afraid not as I have bought the components myself and built it. "

I cannot help on that but sometimes the hardware provider could offer some technical follow up for you on your home built PC.

[Ifikratis]

However, how to report that there is a hardware problem with the CPU or GPU when this happens only when I try to load Prepar3D? Its not a general PC problem it seems. Its related with something going behind P3D. Also, regarding the debugging steps, I am kind of afraid. The steps indicate to completely delete these folders:

%PROGRAMDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4
%APPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4

How I can be sure that I am not risking losing any or many of my so many add-on installations? Not an easy decision.

[Martyson]

"How I can be sure that I am not risking losing any or many of my so many add-on installations? Not an easy decision.
Top"

This is the information from step 5 in Debugging Steps:

Delete the following generated folders/files. This will result in any add-ons being removed/disabled.