Black screens and freezes, can't close certain games

[misha]

Alright so I'm stuck. TL;DR: certain Steam games launch but go right to a black screen or otherwise freeze immediately, and when I use task manager to close them or 'stop' them on Steam, they don't actually close, show as 'stopping' with green overlay on Steam, and freeze task manager endlessly, necessitating a manual full restart and power shut-off for my computer.

I've tried everything I can think of: full game reinstall, full Steam reinstall, reinstalling graphics software, verifying drivers and Windows are fully updated, making sure the correct graphics card is being used, etc. I selected some random games to launch and found the following:

• FALLOUT: launches fine
  
• CS Source: launches fine
  
• HL2: launches fine
  
• Victoria II: launches fine
  
• Battlefront II (2005): doesn't launch but it's always been finnicky; no Steam suspended state
  
• State of Decay 2: launches fine
  
• Aliens: Dark Descent: launches, Steam reads green and running, black screen only; 'stop' button leads to endless 'stopping' Steam status, freezes task manager, manual restart necessary
  
• Starship Troopers Terran Command: launcher opens, freezes on load screen in-game, not black screen, but with the initial Federation logo on it; 'stop' button leads to endless 'stopping' Steam status, freezes task manager, manual restart necessary
  
• Six Days in Fallujah: launches, black screen, minor light audio in background; 'stop' button leads to endless 'stopping' Steam status, freezes task manager, manual restart necessary
  
• POSTAL 2: launches fine
  
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat: launches fine

Curiously Intel Command Center and AMD Adrenalin also refuse to open during the Steam freezing / task manager not responding issue. They open FINE otherwise.

PC specs:

• Windows 11 64-bit
  
• Intel i5-12400 2.5 GHz
  
• 16 GB RAM
  
• Integrated GPU: Intel 730 (not used obviously)
  
• Dedicated GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT
  
• About 500 GB integrated memory free

Steam is installed outside Program Files in a dedicated folder. Steam and Steam games are allowed through the firewall.

I can provide my full DxDiag log via PM. I'm really at a loss and would sincerely appreciate any help!

[Uncle Jon]

I have a very similar issue happening to me as well right now. This I think happened right after I upgraded to Windows 11 and downloaded the game Marvel Rivals. Marvel Rivals would not load for me and would eventually crash on the black loading screen. I then tried two other games and they also would not load and when I tried to close them Steam would not close them. I tried turning off my computer and turning it back on and every time I relaunched Steam it kept relaunching those two games in the background. I could not play those two games and I could not close them down so I uninstalled Steam. But now I can't reinstall Steam because my computer won't remove the files for the games I tried playing which is super weird.

[misha]

Oh wow, that's a similar issue but for me the games don't automatically relaunch after the manual restart. I haven't ever downloaded Marvel Rivals either.

[Uncle Jon]

Originally posted by GEN McChrystal:

Oh wow, that's a similar issue but for me the games don't automatically relaunch after the manual restart. I haven't ever downloaded Marvel Rivals either.

Did you upgrade your computer to Win11?

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

I can't help with Win11 issues except know that update 24H2 is a mess.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24h2

Seemingly, I find that the majority that have issues are also using Intel CPU's.

[misha]

I'm not yet on 24H2 but yes I've read other people with Intel CPUs had issues similar to mine.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Originally posted by GEN McChrystal:

I'm not yet on 24H2 but yes I've read other people with Intel CPUs had issues similar to mine.

Maybe Intel and Win11 are not playing nice together.

[Uncle Jon]

Originally posted by GEN McChrystal:

I'm not yet on 24H2 but yes I've read other people with Intel CPUs had issues similar to mine.

Speaking of Intel, Windows has a really annoying habit of uninstalling my AMD drivers with intel ones. My graphics card is a AMD but sometimes during Windows updates they uninstall my AMD driver with Intel and I have to reinstall AMD

[misha]

OK, I've done some more looking into this. All the games I'm having this problem with are Unreal Engine games. Two of them show up as 'BoostrapPackagedGame', and I think there is an issue with *that* .exe not closing when the game proper is closed... but I haven't figured out the solution yet.

[e_lover]

I have the exact same issue as you misha, did you find a solution ? i have updated my bios, installed all the updates i could, of my intels, my radeon, i have checked my rams, now i'm going to reinstall windows

[e_lover]

if it doesn't work, i'm going to try turn my windows 11 into a windows 10.

[Iceira]

Is BIOS and chipset Driver even update. ( this is common pc and steam user problem )

I and other will not keep ask such things, its has been mention in every board manual in over 40+ years or online PDF file. ( its one of them things that fall under PC own resposibility to know and have done )


And also do this then our pc do not seem to work correctly.
( google how to do if needed ) and what they are doing.

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth
SFC /Scannow
chkdsk c:
chkdsk d:
chkdsk e:

This is know as thirpart app ,( not part of MS OS, a none gaming pc do not need them other app might but ppl should know this )
Last things is use MS own VC++ page and update all them VC++ to all games if need to a older game.

Today its so rare a game do not work, unless AV app block it. also part of Security has change over the many years, and ppl notice old game work fine backthen and now they do not.


gl with it.

ps.
learn to use windows event viewer, and gl with ID why a game do not work, if you can or post here and maybe someone know what could be wrong.

[misha]

Originally posted by e_lover:

I have the exact same issue as you misha, did you find a solution ? i have updated my bios, installed all the updates i could, of my intels, my radeon, i have checked my rams, now i'm going to reinstall windows

I did! I had my monitor's HDMI cable plugged into my motherboard, rather than my graphics card, so my GPU was literally never being used... I was trying to run Six Days (and many other games) on just an integrated CPU, and you can imagine how poorly that went. It's worked fine ever since I fixed the cable a few days ago. I did also do the DISM and SFC scan checks mentioned by Iceira and a few corrupted files were found, but it was the cable fix that solved my problem. I hope this helps you!