Laptop - Screen sometimes stays black after "display off"

Question

My laptop is currently set to never go to sleep (on either battery or plugged in) but I do have it power off the display after 10 minutes(battery) or 20 minutes(plugged in)

Most of the time, it works just fine, the display will power off, and when I shake my mouse or hit a keyboard key it will turn on again. Unfortunately, between 1-2 times a day the screen will stay black (powered off) when trying to revive it.

The computer is actually running and accepting input like normal while the screen is off, it definitely hasn't crashed or gone to sleep, it's been possible a few times for me to recover the screen by using the Function Keys Project option, but it only works maybe 5% of the time, and each time it works the accessibility narrator starts talking. I just googled the shortcut for narrator, it's Win+Enter, I didn't think I had been hitting that but maybe I have.

Regardless, any ideas on fixes?

Answer 1

It may be an 'imaginary' second monitor (probably due to the previously connected second monitor). I just had a similar problem. My problem seemed to be related to the combination of a reboot by Windows Update and the Fast Startup setting (see 'Solutions' below).

Before I found out, I had already gathered some symptoms, work arounds, solutions and causes/explanations. Underneath is what I had already found. You can also check this Microsoft-forum-thread, and DriveTheLife for (many?) more options (that's where I found most of these).

Symptoms

• you have a black screen (the logon screen is on the imaginary monitor)
• you may see the mouse cursor (when you move the mouse far enough, it may be on the imaginary monitor),
• if you wait long enough you may also see the logon screen saver/wallpaper (you waited 'too long' with logging in)
• nothing shows up when pressing certain key combinations, like Ctrl-Alt-Delete and Ctrl-Tab (their windows are also displayed on the imaginary monitor.)

Work arounds

Several work arounds, to get your display visible again, so you can fix things using the possible solutions underneath (if it happens repeatedly):

• login blindly, after giving your password box focus:
  • press the Esc-key several times, to escape possible other windows on your 'imaginary' second monitor
  • press the Ctrl-key once (to place the cursor in the password box that you’re currently not able to see)
  • type your password (blindly) and press Enter
  • you should now be logged in, and Windows will (hopefully) correct itself and show up
• press Windows Key + P + ↓ to change the way to handle your 'imaginary' second monitor
• attach second monitor to other port (e.g. VGA and/or HDMI)
• reboot in safe mode (compatibility mode)

Solutions

• update display driver:
  • through Windows Updates
  • through Device Manager
  • by removing the present one, so rebooting installs another (better?) one
• update drivers for (other) external devices
• restore old (display) drivers
• use another display port
• change Display Settings to show only one (correct) display (esp. X51)
• change Display Settings to duplicate display
• disable Fast Startup via Control Panel | Power | "Choose what the power button does"| "Change settings that are currently unavailable" | Uncheck "Turn on fast startup".

Causes

• multiple monitor outputs
• previously connected second monitor
• on board graphics controller and on graphics card
• driver problems (possibly by Windows Update)
• problem in Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 10061 (KB3055414)
• Fast Startup (I guess it stores the wrong display settings?)