Black Screen of Death is much vulnerable than Blue Screen of Death as at times it doesn’t even tell you what’s wrong or what is the error code for the specific issue. Though Windows 10 is a very stable operating system, Windows black screen issue is reported by a lot of random users while installation, upgrading OS, or while installing the latest Windows Updates.
It may leave you with an empty black screen or with a mouse and keyboard access but not the Windows desktop environment. Before fixing a black screen error, let’s understand the primary causes of the Windows black screen.
Table of Contents
Ongoing Setup
If you are migrating from an old version of windows to the latest version, it may take a lot of time in migrating your data depending on the data you have on your old version of Windows. If the setup is going through with the process, the LED (Processor) light will be turned ON and you should realize that things are moving.
You should wait for a minimum of 7 hours and if nothing happens, that means its stuck and time to restart the computer. Hard press the power button until it goes off. Press the power button again to restart the device.
Device Driver or a Hardware Issue
Mostly, Windows 10 Black Screen errors are due to hardware failure or faulty device drivers. This may be due to unstable Windows Updates or installing device drivers from untrusted websites. There can be any hardware issue while using the device roughly for so long.
If you are seeing a Windows black screen due to any of these reasons, you will need to get your computer in safe mode with networking and diagnose the issue. You may also try Last Known Good Configuration (LKGC) to boot the system back to normal mode.
You will need to get your system in recovery mode. Restart your system while holding down the Shift key. Click on the ‘Troubleshoot’ option and then select the ‘Advanced Options’. Click on the ‘Startup Settings’ option in the ‘Advanced Options’ menu. On the restart, it will give you a list of options where you need to select 5 or hit the F5 key on the top to get the system into Safe Mode with Networking. If it doesn’t work, you may also keep on tapping the F8 or F10 key after your press the power button to restart the computer. (Function keys work differently according to the model of the BIOS and motherboard.)
Loose Connection with Your Monitor
A connection problem with your monitor or screen may also cause Windows 10 Black Screen error. If it’s a Desktop PC, you can try reseating the cable connection that connects your desktop tower and the monitor. In the case of a laptop, you can try closing and reopening the flap and see if all other power lights and processing lights are there on the laptop. Keep the Power Adaptor connected while troubleshooting the issue to diagnose it further. At times, a simple restart can also fix the problem.
An Issue with Display Adaptor Drivers
Generally, when the display adaptor drivers are faulty, you get Windows 10 Black Screen error. It tries to come up to the screen however due to faulty drivers or corrupt adaptors, it doesn’t go to the windows environment. You will need to narrow down the problem by searching for the right solution. If the Windows black screen error occurs before signing in to Windows 10 or after signing into Windows 10.
Display Not Detected
If you regularly connect your laptop with dual display settings on a TV or a projector, there might be a display detection issue resulting in a Windows black screen. If the connection with the setup display is lost, it may show you a black screen. You can try using the Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B key combination to restart the video driver. If you hear a Beep sound while pressing this key combination, that means Windows responded to your commands and it’s re-establishing the connection settings. This will refresh the link and settings and your system should come back to the normal display.
Clean Boot
You may also try to disconnect all the connected peripherals and just try to restart the device with a mouse and a keyboard. This will eliminate the possibility of errors due to faulty hardware. This process is used to identify and eliminate the fault in the devices. You can also disconnect the power cable, remove the laptop battery, and press and hold the power button for 10 seconds to release extra charge from the laptop. Connect the battery and AC adaptor and try to get it back ON.
Screen Flickering on Windows 10
If you face the screen flickering on Windows 10, there much be a problem with the display drivers or an incompatible app/game that requires high resolution that is not compatible with your version of drivers. The best way is to uninstall the app/game and restart the computer again. If it works fine, you get certain that the problem is with the display drivers or the resolution settings. You can try Advanced Driver Updater to check for the best compatible drivers and install them on the device.
Summing Up
The above troubleshooting steps for Windows 10 Black Screen are the major steps that you can try whenever you see a Windows 10 Black Screen. In nutshell, the major reasons responsible for a Windows black screen are either faulty hardware, outdated device drivers, Display drivers, or loose connection. If these steps don’t fix your issue, you’ll need to call for a technician. Always check for the warranty status before calling a technician.
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