The Black Hole: TV goes blank in middle of game

[mnel22]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I have solved the problem. Seems there was a tracker that got through anti virus. When it activated for some reason the game I was playing would minimize behind the hide os application. Tracker was removed and so far no problem.

[Chris_Williams]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I have solved the problem. Seems there was a tracker that got through anti virus. When it activated for some reason the game I was playing would minimize behind the hide os application. Tracker was removed and so far no problem.

I am having the same problem, what is a "tracker" and how do I get rid of it?

[Quixote Quest]

I am having the same problem, what is a "tracker" and how do I get rid of it?

To join in: I'm still having the same problem, too, though we've got used to this frequent problem and can exit it pretty quickly. I've been travelling a lot lately so I admit I haven't made much time to get bothered and, as result, still try to troubleshoot. Would also like to understand better what this "tracker" issue is that was reported. Or the so-called "power saving" interfering and causing the minimization.

Thanks for any help!

[Brian Hoffman]

Bummer. . . I am getting the "Black Hole" problem still even after making the changes to the IPac --to make sure TAB cannot be launched via the CP-- and changing what key launches the Panel Viewer. (I did re-enable the Panel View feature after disabling it failed to eliminate the problem.). I still cannot duplicate the issue when running directly in MAME32, so it seems related to GameEx. I couldn't say that for sure, just that it seems so since it only has appeared when running MAME via GameEx.

Any thoughts on what to test next?

It seems that a button combo is changing the focuse of the program. What are the IPAC keys configured to now? Also I have an I pac and will lookint exactly how to change the MACRO's.

As far as the TAB goes in MAME you need to set the config menu option to whatever key/keys you want it to open. maybe p2 start and p1 coin or somthing.

As far as the tracker goes it's a cookie it logs what sites you vist in order to spam the heck out of you. Run ADAWARE

[fattmarrell]

I'm having a very similar problem, began ~ 2-3 weeks ago. Sorry Tom I'm not sure if it was right after an update..

Here's what mine does:

A) After a random span of time, could be 2 minutes or 2 hours, my crt monitor trips to standby mode. (I have set windows power options to always on, never shut off monitor/disks/etc)

B ) All sound is off, almost as if the power on the pc has been shut down. PC drives and fans are still spinning but no access, cannot ctrl-alt-del, alt-tab, alt-f4, ctrl-x (matrix spoof lol), or anything.

C) Need to restart pc to bring it back to life, and unfortunately no logs are up todate becuase it was hard-booted.

I've also disabled windows screensaver, however not the attract screensaver because im constantly manuvering around gameex. I've replaced video card, ram, and even reinstalled windows (yes, lol) .

This doesn't just happen to me while playing games in gameex, also around the gameex menu's it will do this to me.

-Matt

[iano]

I'm having a very similar problem, began ~ 2-3 weeks ago. Sorry Tom I'm not sure if it was right after an update..

Here's what mine does:

A) After a random span of time, could be 2 minutes or 2 hours, my crt monitor trips to standby mode. (I have set windows power options to always on, never shut off monitor/disks/etc)

B ) All sound is off, almost as if the power on the pc has been shut down. PC drives and fans are still spinning but no access, cannot ctrl-alt-del, alt-tab, alt-f4, ctrl-x (matrix spoof lol), or anything.

C) Need to restart pc to bring it back to life, and unfortunately no logs are up todate becuase it was hard-booted.

I've also disabled windows screensaver, however not the attract screensaver because im constantly manuvering around gameex. I've replaced video card, ram, and even reinstalled windows (yes, lol) .

This doesn't just happen to me while playing games in gameex, also around the gameex menu's it will do this to me.

-Matt

This happens me too (but very rarely). I may have a post earlier in this thread i think but i've had this problem a good while now.

[Chris_Williams]

This happens me too (but very rarely). I may have a post earlier in this thread i think but i've had this problem a good while now.

Pretty sure this is only when running a MAME game on mine. I am running the controls through an ultimarc keyboard encoder and and ultimarc gamepad encoder. The last time it happened I pluged a keyboard into the encoder and flipped the switch, used Alt/tab and was able to get back into the game my son was playing. Did a little looking around and found that P1 button 2 is left alt. I am not sure if there is a series of button presses that is causing this but I will continue to search and maybe reconfigure the controls. Altough there is a part of me that doesn't think this is the case since it has happened while playing GT which doesn't use any of the P1 or P2 buttons. I feel your pain on rebuilding your machine I replaced everything and did a fresh install on a brand new HDD to try to get rid of this. I also installed some serious cooling fans 2-120mm 120vac industrial fans really loud and pushes alot of air, thinking that maybe my video card was getting too hot. Anyway I as well have the power saver set to always on and widows screen saver disabled. I have never noticed it going black when it was not running mame through Gameex.

[fattmarrell]

I also thought it was just mame in gameex, but i noticed it also happen when browsing through my rom list. As of now I also updated my video drivers, sound drivers, and chipset drivers. Still same problem

[fattmarrell]

Update: I have had gameex running for over 8 hours now while I was at work, no problems. The only difference this time is I did not have LAN cable connected and no ipac control panel connected, just standard keyboard. Maybe we should get a tally of how many people with this issue have an ipac?

-Matt

[iano]

Update: I have had gameex running for over 8 hours now while I was at work, no problems. The only difference this time is I did not have LAN cable connected and no ipac control panel connected, just standard keyboard. Maybe we should get a tally of how many people with this issue have an ipac?

-Matt

Hi. I have an ipac. Now that you mention it when i was trying to remap it sometimes the graphics on the pc game (mdk) i was trying to play (remap it for) would screw up.

[headkaze]

It could be the alt key on the IPAC (or a combination of alt/ctrl and some other key) causing the emu to minimize. Screen going black in the middle of the game is probably just it minimized to the taskbar.

[fattmarrell]

It could be the alt key on the IPAC (or a combination of alt/ctrl and some other key) causing the emu to minimize. Screen going black in the middle of the game is probably just it minimized to the taskbar.

Possibly but the thing that makes me think otherwise is that the sound also cuts out, and the monitor goes into standbye mode. Also cntrl-alt-delete or another alt-tab doesn't bring it back. I have to hardboot the thing. I'll keep testing.

-Matt

[headkaze]

I've also disabled windows screensaver, however not the attract screensaver because im constantly manuvering around gameex. I've replaced video card, ram, and even reinstalled windows (yes, lol) .

Power supply?

[katuuuz]

i had this problem once, thought it was anti virus so i got rid of norton all together. the problem occurred once more and i shut off sticky keys, etc in the accesibility options. happened again, so i took those god damn shift, ctrls, and alts out of every emulator control interface, and havn't had the problem since.

this was on an earlier version of gameex anywhere from 6-10 months ago, but i have everything configured as i did then (before the format) so if i see this problem again i will report it, but don't think i'm going to. i would think using a shortcut key as an input button for an emulator which you press quite often in concession would eventually put gameex to the back. (alt+F opens the file option in notepad for instance). this way you can forget sticky keys all together, and things in my case anyways, run a lot smoother.

could be wrong though.

[bkenobi]

Just curious if it is possible to get the default keys changed in GameEx so that they don't include Alt or Ctl? I know I can change them to a custom keyboard, but that doesn't work with my mouse -> scroll list script for some reason. I know that the start button is mapped to both Enter and 1, so perhaps other keys could be done the same way? For example, Ctl + A, Alt + B, Enter + C, Backspace + D, ... Just a thought since I've had ctl and alt combination problems in the past.

[Chris_Williams]

Just curious if it is possible to get the default keys changed in GameEx so that they don't include Alt or Ctl? I know I can change them to a custom keyboard, but that doesn't work with my mouse -> scroll list script for some reason. I know that the start button is mapped to both Enter and 1, so perhaps other keys could be done the same way? For example, Ctl + A, Alt + B, Enter + C, Backspace + D, ... Just a thought since I've had ctl and alt combination problems in the past.

Well it's been running with a MAME game paused (no keystrokes) for 2 days with no black hole. I am really starting to believe it's got something to do with the alt key.

[bkenobi]

Alternately, does anyone know if/how to disable Alt and Ctl hot key combinations in windows? If all combinations were disabled for a Gamer account, then this might be a non-issue. The only problem would be that if you did have to Alt-Tab, you wouldn't have that ability any more.

IMHO, it seems really stupid to be using these two keys for mapping knowing that Windows uses them as hotkeys. In DOS this wasn't a problem, but noone has used DOS for a MAME OS in years! We really should move on and use something that makes sense. But of course, this is the wrong forum for that

[fattmarrell]

As an Ipac user, I'm thinking of making alt one of the shifted keys. This way the only to use alt will be to physically hold down another key that you chose as shift while pressing it. This way its still available and will not interrupt normal usage

Hopefully this will fix my issue, and maybe other users

[Chris_Williams]

Alternately, does anyone know if/how to disable Alt and Ctl hot key combinations in windows? If all combinations were disabled for a Gamer account, then this might be a non-issue. The only problem would be that if you did have to Alt-Tab, you wouldn't have that ability any more.

IMHO, it seems really stupid to be using these two keys for mapping knowing that Windows uses them as hotkeys. In DOS this wasn't a problem, but noone has used DOS for a MAME OS in years! We really should move on and use something that makes sense. But of course, this is the wrong forum for that

When I wired up the encoder and set all the keys it ran with no problems. I think the problems mainly occur for me because my 4 year old (well 5 today) has to sit on a stool in order to play. With the coin up buttons on the back of the control panel (for cleaner look) it may be possible that while he is leaning over the panel he is accidentally hitting a bad button combo that is causing this. The more I thought about this I realized that it has only happened when he is playing. Anyway long and short of it is alt is getting moved to a different button and we will see if that doesn't solve this issue.

[fattmarrell]

Sorry to bring this back from the dead but I've just experienced the black hole again, let me explain:

After updating gameex I was scrolling through the MAME romlist for about 15 seconds, then my monitor switched to standby mode and no keyboard inputs would bring it back out. I do not have the Ipac attached, standard ps2 keyboard and mouse only. My temps are not hot at all, 39c.

I don't have time to troubleshoot right now, but when I get back I might try re-installing .net. We'll see.

-Matt

update: It just did it when scrolling through my snes rom list as well

[fattmarrell]

I think I might have figured out my problem, non software related! I was taking a longshot and looked into my motherboard and saw some other users posting issues with multiple sticks of pc3200 ram. What crap that is. So I pulled one out, now at 512 and have not had one hitch yet while scrolling through my rom lists! Sucks, I'd like to use 1gig