Why do I get a black screen on my computer after a while?

There are many things to look at, and look for.

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It's probably obvious to you already, but I'll say it anyway, it could just
be a screen saver. If you wiggle the mouse or hit a key on the keyboard and
your screen comes back, that's it. You can adjust the screen saver behavior in
the Display portion of Control Panel.

If you have a laptop, it's possible that the computer has gone into standby
or hibernate. If you simply push the power button and it comes back up to where
you were (possibly after a few seconds), that's probably it. Normally a
computer should only go into standby if you're not actively using it, but if
your battery is very low, it my force standby in order to avoid losing what
you're doing.

Those are both normal, and expected behaviors. What's left is typically an
indication of a problem. In my best guess "order of likelihood":

It could be your computer. The most common abnormal reason for a black
screen is probably a computer crash. Given that it's consistently 5 to 15
minutes after boot up, I'd be looking at possible overheating, or
perhaps a power supply that's going out. One simple way to determine if it's
just the monitor going out or the computer crashing is to play some audio on
your computer. Perhaps load up a longish mp3 play list, for example. If the
monitor goes black, but the music continues to play, you know that the computer
is running, and that the problem is either the video card, video drivers, the
monitor or the cables in between.

"The most common abnormal reason for a black screen is
probably a computer crash."

It could be a virus, or your computer's other software or drivers.
Unfortunately bad drivers for any hardware on your system can cause the machine
to crash or go to a black screen without warning. I've also heard of this as a
symptom of a virus (though typically a poorly written one). It's more common
that you'll actually get a message, or the dreaded "blue screen of death", but
nonetheless, it's still possible that bad software, particularly hardware
drivers, could cause it. As always, make sure your computer is up to date on
Windows, and of course anti-spyware and anti-virus software as well.

It could be your video drivers. Even though I've already mentioned drivers
in general, the video drivers are worth a closer look. The software used to
control the video card, which can often be quite complex, can also fail, have a
bug, or crash in such a way that the screen goes black. Most commonly this'll
crash the computer with some kind of visible message as above, but it's also
possible that the video card drivers or software could fail, and the computer
keep running. Certainly making sure you have the latest drivers always makes
sense.

It could be the video card in your PC. It could, for example, be
overheating, and as a result cut out after 5 to 15 minutes. Turn it off, it
cools down, and you get another 5 to 15 minutes of use.

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It could be your monitor or display. Monitors and LCD displays can break,
and one way they can break is to go completely black. And yes, sometimes
they'll even come back on for a while, though it's typically not as consistent
as you've outlined in this particular question. The best way to test this, of
course, is to try a different monitor for a while.

It could be your CRT's circuitry. Many CRT monitors often have their own
standby circuit - if they notice that the signal has gone, they also
power-down. If that standby logic fails, they could possibly go into their own
standby state improperly. Usually there's a standby switch that, if you push
it, causes the monitor to spring back to life.

It could be cable between your monitor and computer. Again, this typically
isn't as consistent with respect to time as you describe, but a failing monitor
cable can definitely cause an intermittent display, or cause it to go to
black.

So as you can see, it's not a simple process to diagnose. Some steps, like
trying another monitor or cable, are pretty easy for you to take yourself. But
if you're not comfortable diagnosing system crashes or hardware problems like
potential overheating, it might be time to take the computer in to a local
technician for a hands-on diagnosis.

Removing the “Done, but with errors on the page” message in IE

When you visit certain Web sites, you often get the error message of “Done, but with errors on page.” What does that mean and is there anything to do to fix it?

This error usually only shows up in Internet Explorer and it mainly has to do with JavaScript. If the Web site you’re trying to view uses JavaScript, you may run into a script related error, which triggers the “Done, but with errors on page” message. It is usually generated by an error in the site’s code. Only the developers of the site can get in and fix it.
In can be eliminated easily by Clicking: Menu: Tools – Internet Options – Advanced tab. Check “Disable script debugging” Uncheck “Display a notification about every script error” Unless you are the developer of the web site, you may not want this notification. And like magic; problem solved!

Why is My PC Crashing?

Nothing can put a damper on productivity quite like a computer that crashes on a regular basis. Sometimes, a crash is preceded by the dreaded “blue screen of death” or another warning; other times, a computer simply shuts off without any warning at all. In either case, the end result is a whole lot of frustration, aggravation and lost work. If your computer has been crashing frequently, you’d probably like to put an end to it. Unfortunately, getting to the bottom of things if often easier said than done. The following tips about improving your computer’s performance, though, are excellent places to begin.

Possibility #1: Corrupted System Registry Files

Every Windows-based PC has something called a Windows registry. The registry contains several files that are integral to the performance and operation of your computer. Over time, some of those files can become corrupted, be misplaced or get lost altogether. When that happens, the system registry becomes compromised – and frequent crashes are all-too-common symptoms. The best way to rule this possibility in or out is by running a Windows registry cleaning program. Such programs scan your Windows registry for problems then automatically make repairs. If you run a registry cleaner and the crashes persist, they are probably being caused by a different issue.

Possibility #2: Disorganized Files

Windows operating systems handle file organization in a way that isn’t very intuitive. Basically, they break files up and fit them into gaps in the computer’s memory. As time goes by, these disorganized files can prompt frequent crashes. Luckily, a great optimization solution is built right into Windows-based PCs: the disk defragmentation utility. Although its location on a computer varies, you can generally locate it within the System and Security section inside the Control Panel. By running a defrag once every few months, you may be able to keep those pesky computer crashes at bay.

Possibility #3: Malicious Software

Malicious software can take many different forms. Sometimes, it’s a virus that is accidentally unleashed after opening a strange email; other times, its adware that tags along with other information that is automatically downloaded from a website. Whatever type it is, there’s no question that malicious software can wreak havoc on a computer’s performance. Happily, there are many topnotch programs out there that regularly scan your computer for the presence of such problems – and that help guard against them, too. Buy one, install it and use it regularly; your crash issues may come to an end.

Possibility #4: Too Little Available Memory

When you buy a new computer, it feels like there’s no end to the amount of memory that it has. Of course, this isn’t true at all. As never-ending as the available memory on your PC may initially seem, the fact is that it can be depleted with incredible speed. You can find out for sure by checking the information within “My Computer.” If it appears that your available memory is low, you can use a PC cleanup program to remove unnecessary files; such programs remove things like temporary Internet files and other file debris that can suck away much-needed memory.

Possibility #5: Overheating

If you’ve run through all of the preceding possibilities and continue experiencing frequent crashes, a hardware issue could be to blame. An easy one to rule out is overheating. A computer’s CPU, or central processing unit, includes a fan that is designed to keep it running cool. Sometimes, the fan wears down and doesn’t work as efficiently; other times, it’s just not able to handle the work that your computer has to do. In either case, buying a bigger, better fan isn’t very expensive. If it puts an end to your PC crashing problem, it will have been more than worth it.

Don’t Put Up with Frequent Crashes!

As discussed, frequent computer crashes can be triggered by a wide variety of issues. Luckily, many of these issues are relatively easy to remedy. Work your way through the preceding list; chances are, you’ll be able to pinpoint the problem and put an effective cure to work. Nine times out of ten, a computer simply needs a little bit of routine maintenance to get it back on track again. In the future, keep these points in mind. Any time you buy a new computer, keep up with its basic maintenance right from the get-go. By doing that, you could avoid “blue screen of death” and crashing problems altogether – and that’s something that you’re bound to appreciate!