Running TDM Results in Black Screen and Frozen Computer

[pbhallam 0]

I am unable to get TDM to run. I installed TDM using The Dark Mod Updater v0.66 into the C:\darkmod directory. When executing the TheDarkMod.exe application, the screen goes black, my monitor indicates that there is a 'HDMI' cable connection and then briefly brings up the monitor menu buttons overlay for a few seconds. After which, the screen is completely black. At this point, neither Control-Alt-Delete nor Alt-Control-Tilde work, the computer is frozen, and the computer requires a hard power down and reboot. A second reinstall of TDM shows the same results and behavior.

 

I have attached a .txt file of the TDM Update Log Window.

 

My system configuration is:

 

ASUS Desktop PC CM6850 Series

Intel Core i7-2600 CPU, 3.4 GHz

8 GB RAM

Windows 10 Home, 64 Bit

 

NVIDIA GeForce GT 530 (Driver Date:5/17/2017)

6134 MB Total Available Graphics Memory

 

Any help on getting TDM running would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

TDM Update Log Window.txt

[nbohr1more 2171]

Change:

 

seta r_fullscreen "0"

 

in your Darkmod.cfg

 

and then see if you get further.

[freyk 476]

That above to run TDM in a window, instead of a full screen.

 

Thanks for the update log, but that is for the updater and not for the darkmod executable.

Are there any darkmod.log-files in the folder?

If not, here is a manual to create them.

 

And use the command to create a appropriate log for us: thedarkmod.exe +gfxinfo +condump pbhallamlog.txt +quit

(this will automatically launch TDM, generate a log and close tdm)

Edited May 29, 2017 by freyk

[pbhallam 0]

Hey! Thanks for the great help! I was able to get it running in windowed mode.

 

There wasn't an existing darkmod.cfg file, so I created one with the seta r_fullscreen "0" command as the only line in the file. This allowed TDM to run successfully in a small window, from which I was able to adjust the video settings to run in a larger window. The game is now playable and runs great even at a 'Very High' LOD. (And, it is a spectacular and very worthy continuation of the Thief series!)

 

Prior to getting TDM running in windowed mode, I did not see a darkmod.log file (that doesn't mean there wasn't one). I re-edited the darkmod.cfg file to contain the seta r_fullscreen "1" command, which does still cause the black screen/frozen computer issue if TDM is run normally. Then, I ran the command you posted to this thread and in the 'Debugging TDM systemerrors' online manual: thedarkmod.exe +gfxinfo +condump mylog.txt +quit. The resulting file, pbhallamlog.txt is attached to this reply.

 

Any thoughts on how to get TDM running in fullscreen mode?

 

Thanks again!

pbhallamlog.txt

[nbohr1more 2171]

Nothing explicit there but Windows 10 has problems with DPI scaling. Try the workarounds here:

 

http://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=FAQ#Does_TDM_support_widescreen_resolutions.3F

 

also, it's worth creating an autoexec.cfg with seta r_displayRefresh "60" (or whatever your screen refresh is) to

ensure that your video driver recognizes the correct refresh rate.

[teh_saccade 233]

then press alt+enter when it's in windowed mode.

[freyk 476]

I dont see any this-problemrelated-errors in the log.

 

Could you create another log using full screen?

Set r_fullscreen from 0 to 1 in darkmod.cfg

Then run tdm with arguments: thedarkmod.exe +condump pbhallamlog2.txt +quit

upload the new log

 

To solve this screen problem, i think you have to change the screenresolution(s) of the game to lower settings.

But first you have to detect the screenresolution that works.

• First set a small screensize in darkmod.cfg
• Change to following values in darkmod.cfg:

  seta r_customHeight "600"

  seta r_customWidth "800"

  seta r_fullscreen "1"

• If this works without any problems, then go the videosettings of the game and change them.
• To play it safe, start first with a low screenresolution, test it. If it works set a higher screenresolution.
• (to reset the settings, delete darkmod.cfg)

Edited May 29, 2017 by freyk

[teh_saccade 233]

Did windows 10 have the new public update this week, freyk?
Also new nvidia drivers this morning?

 

It is strange that the software will run in windowed mode but not switch to fullscreen without the machine thinking it needs to switch to hdmi...

To save some hassle, there's a useful bit of kit called hotkey resolution changer that means it's possible to check res issues on the fly:

https://funk.eu/hrc/

 

Maybe there's something like evga precision running since the cards a few years back and wanting to squeeze it. I'd ditch that and check if any updates have happened since the game was last opened, as well as what the others have suggested.

 

It might sound dumb, but sometimes windows decides after an update to mess with its display settings and resolution scaling so... settings>display, make sure it's at 100%, not 125% (creative bull update set mine to 125%).
Then check nvidia control panel to make sure it checks out.

Failing that - try it as non-steam game, if you have it.

Else... well - I run it in windowed mode, but I play minesweeper while waiting for guards to walk past...

[freyk 476]

About those updates,

How should i know? I dont follow the latest windows/nvidia update news.

 

But if i had read the startpost a bit more, i would also advised a driver update. instead of changing the game-screenresolution.

Edited May 30, 2017 by freyk

[teh_saccade 233]

In microsoftdovia, update follows you.

You are lucky to be a free citizen.

 

Win 10 and AMD m-series driver update incompatibility screwed my laptop for about 2 months last year... Was relegated to adobe CS3 until realising that turning the machine autistic by "disallowing updates when on metered wifi" meant it was possible to roll back to a stable build without it auto-updating to broken every time.

It was the universe's way of stopping me and small a wing of interceptors from reaching Barnard's Star before the Elite: Dangerous cross-galaxy expedition got there (just as well, probably... might've been banned from the game for trolling a big event - ED's servers are practically impenetrable. TDM's better since moving to OVH, despite consolodation of assets [forum/downloads/etc...] to single server. Before this, a simple syn-flood took it down for hours - I just now updated SEO and DNS for thedarkmod.com).

[stumpy 242]

windows 10 updates on the first tuesday of a month, or depending where you are in the world, wednesday, or thursday.

last major update was the Creators update that's supposed to give more control back to the user, but it seems it was a lie, and they took more control away, and hid the rest in strange locations.

[teh_saccade 233]

Creator update appears nothing more than a bunch of intrusions packaged in a socially engineer shiny box, to gather user-specific targetted advertisment and demographic/useage data. It's screwed my laptop's battery life and decides to hibernate while I've processes running.

I don't like the way the [online] world is headed, but hate the powerlessness to do a damn thing about it.