Desktop screen always goes black...

[Movieguy]

This has been a problem ever since I first got this tower. It's an HP pavillion, less than a year old, with a Pentium 4 processor, Windows Xp, and runs on integrated graphics.

Whenever I leave an application, like a game, that runs in full screen mode, the desktop always goes completely black, except for the mouse cursor. I found that I can make the desktop come back by hitting the sleep button, and making the computer go to standby, then turning it back on...but, there's another problem...when I do that, within a few minutes of coming out of standby, my wireless adapter (A Netgear MA111) will suddenly lose my connection, thus forcing me to reboot in order to get it back.

I'm not sure what to do, short of getting a new video card, which I'd have no idea how to install...I hear there's a program out there that makes everything run in a window, but I've yet to find such a thing.

Could anyone give me some advice?

 

[jac006]

Very interesting.... first, installing a video card is as easy as opening the case, putting the video card into the right slot, turning the comp on, and going from there. You might have to disable the inegrated graphics in BIOS, but it's not that likely for today's cards. Scan for viruses I say, and then do spyware, etc. When you play a game, the screen goes black for me too. Does the screen stay black or does it go into the application? Well, when you go into sleep mode, I guess the connection is lost. My only hypothesis to why it's happening. A program that makes everything run in a window? What do you mean? A little confused. Like tile or cascade windows? Is that it? Please clear up some things... and post your specs to your comp too.

 

[slick user]

Ok Have U Tryed Crt Alt Delete But Anyways Wats Happening Is That Your Computer Is Low On Virtual Memory Used To Happen To Me All The Time Must Be A Big Game What Is It Anyways I Suggest Getting More Ram Sticks For Your Computer There Way Easy To Install And If U Need Any Help Im Sure They Come With Directions

 

[Movieguy]

I don't know what the name of the program is, all I heard was that it makes every game run in a window as opposed to full screen...and as for specs, people tell me to put up specs all the time, and I NEVER know what they exactly mean by that. All I know is that it's an HP Pavillion a805n with an intel pentium 4 processor and Windows XP...sorry if I can't more specific than that...I know virtually zilch when it comes to computer hardware.

Also...the ctrl+alt+delete thing never works for me.