Pi 4b black screen issues

luisdent

Pi Model or other hardware: pi 4b
Power Supply used: Official pi usb-c supply
RetroPie Version Used: 4.7.1
Built From: (Pre made SD Image "raspberry pi OS (32-bit)" 2021-05-07 using Raspberry Pi imager 1.6.2)
USB Devices connected: basic hp keyboard and mouse
Controller used: ps4 stock controller
Error messages received: none
Verbose log (if relevant): ?
Guide used: (followed raspberry pie OS setup and then retropie install guide from official sites)
File: ?
Emulator: Retroarch/emulationstation
Attachment of config files: can't get them

How to replicate the problem: boot into emulationstation and try to quit, escape, or edit any configs or anything that leaves the main program screen

I don't believe this is a hardware or SD card issue. I first used the retropie ready SD image that boots directly into emulationstation. It worked fine, but i'm learning and getting files loaded was a pain via usb. I tried escaping emulationstation to be able to access a terminal or config or anything to install the desktop environment, but anytime i tried i ended up at a blank screen with no cursor and nothing ever happens.

I decided to erase the SD card and build everything manually. I used the pi imager and used the image listed above to setup the rasperry pi os. I then updated everything using the apt update command in the documentation. I then followed the retro pie install guide and installed it on the system. Everything seemed to work perfectly. I enabled and then loaded some games via ssh. Played them with no problems. However, I decided to try and configure the system to boot automatically into emulationstation now that everything was working.

Even in the desktop environment, when it tried to quit to switch to the config editing, it sometimes gets a black screen with no cursor. However, I found that i am able to do a REISB to get back to the desktop and the second time it will sometimes get to the config editor and allow changes. It seems that escaping emulationstation causes an issue.

Once i set the auotboot into emulationstation, i'm back with the original problem of the first time i imaged everything. If i try to do anything at all that leaves the emulationstation screen, i end up at a black screen with no cursor or prompt and it is apparently frozen forever. Solid red light on the pi.

I can't change anything to get it back to the desktop, and without the desktop it happens everytime, so there is no way to try again, i have to force reboot. REISB doesn't do anything, ctr-alt-del doesn't do anything. It is fully unresponsive. I can't switch to any terminal using alt-f4 or ctr-alt-f4 or any other numbers or keybaord shortcuts.

So it doesn't appear to be the image, as it happened with both. Nor corruption, as the system was never improperly booted or even run very long before the first occurrence each time.

My only theory would be that i have a 1440p monitor. I'm using a mini hdmi to hdmi cable. Maybe it is an issue with the monitor? But it works at any resolution in the desktop environment (i tested many for performance testing and they all seem supported from 320px up to 1440). but maybe it is causing an issue switching resolutions or something? i don't have another monitor to test. but it seems odd that everything works with no issue except this specific thing. Now i'm not sure how to break the boot process to restore desktop booting. I'm at a loss as to how to proceed...

UPDATE: i take that back. i just was able to use REISB to have it relaunch the emulation station. but i'm still unable to get it to do anything past that.

dankcushions

@luisdent said in Pi 4b black screen issues:

I don't believe this is a hardware or SD card issue. I first used the retropie ready SD image that boots directly into emulationstation. It worked fine, but i'm learning and getting files loaded was a pain via usb. I tried escaping emulationstation to be able to access a terminal or config or anything to install the desktop environment, but anytime i tried i ended up at a blank screen with no cursor and nothing ever happens.

fyi https://retropie.org.uk/docs/FAQ/#where-did-the-desktop-go

luisdent

@dankcushions I've already read through and tried all of that, but I'm not sure what part specifically you are referring to? If you are referring to the desktop not being included please reread my post. That is not the issue. :-) And even if it weren't there I couldn't install it if I wanted, because there is no terminal or command line with my issue... :-o

I did find an old 1080p monitor in my attic I thought I had got rid of. I hooked it up and everything works every time. So it does appear to be some sort of display issue. I'm guessing it doesn't like high res monitors or the way the monitor handles switching?

It's weird that isn't completely consistent. Is there something I can do to get my 1440p monitor working well? I've tried setting it to 1080p in the config, but that doesn't seem to help, and game performance suffers badly.

mitu

@luisdent said in Pi 4b black screen issues:

And even if it weren't there I couldn't install it if I wanted, because there is no terminal or command line with my issue... :-o

I think @dankcushions was referring to the fact that you can install the desktop from the RetroPie menu, without resorting to the command line.

I did find an old 1080p monitor in my attic I thought I had got rid of. I hooked it up and everything works every time. So it does appear to be some sort of display issue. I'm guessing it doesn't like high res monitors or the way the monitor handles switching?

We've had reports of (4k mostly) displays not showing correctly the RetroPie menu or the terminal command line. Force a 1080p resolution through config.txt and see if this solves your issue.

dankcushions

@luisdent i don't fully understand why being in the command line should change display mode - it should be the same display mode throughout retropie, unless you change it via runcommand (which presumably you can never see, since that shows via command line) can you show us your /boot/config.txt when you try setting 1080p mode? are you in game/PC mode on your monitor? you should also tell us the make and model of your monitor.

luisdent

@dankcushions I really have no clue what it's doing. :-o I could record a video I suppose. I have a gigabyte AORUS FI27Q-P 27".

I am not using any weird modes. I have it calibrated and use it in windows for gaming with no issues. I'd have to look later to be more specific. All I can say is how I end up with the issue.

For instance... I plug the pi 4b into power, it starts booting, shows a few boot related screens, and then reteopie logo. It boots into the emulationstation and I see the game console ui to load games. If I do any of the following, (try to choose retropi config, rasp-config, or any option that leaves the ui screen) the screen switches to a solid black screen with no mouse or cursor or prompt and no apparent way out except occasionally using the REISB method to have emulationstation reload and then I'm back where I started. But I'm unable to access any terminal shortcuts or even type blind assuming it might be there but not visible. Nope.

In the desktop environment everything seems to work at any resolution until I load emulationstation. It will load, but if I try to access the config or anything that jumps you out of the program, I get a blank screen. My luck escaping back to the desktop using the REISB method is much greater. If I repeat all of these thing on the 1080p monitor it always seems to work. The only exception is if I hard set the resolution of the system to 640x480 everything works except emulationstation loads as a black screen. But I'm always able to f4 out with no issues in that case. And setting the resolution to anything else fixes it. So I assume maybe the ui just doesn't support low res. So I simply set the resolution in retropi options or rom options instead. But that seems to be a separate issue.

It's bizarre. I'm not sure if it's freezing somehow or actually a display issue, but the system is completely unresponsive once it happens and only on that monitor.

dankcushions

@luisdent like i said, show us your config file and we can diagnose. there's an extra few lines that helps on some monitors:

hdmi_max_pixel_freq:0=200000000
hdmi_max_pixel_freq:1=200000000

in addition to a working 1080p mode, which for you may be

hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=82

ps, can you not SSH in to diagnose via another PC on the network?

luisdent

@dankcushions I will post it tonight. I am not at home. And when the issue was happening before I tried the other monitor there was no way to check it with the issue as I couldn't get to the config. I tried to ssh, but I didn't know the IP and the host name wasn't working. I noticed in the desktop mode when experiencing the issue the wifi seems to disconnect and then show adapter unavailable. I have to use the rasp-config via terminal to get it back working. I haven't looked into that much so not sure what it means, but that may be why I can't ssh when it happens.

I'll check the config tonight and do more testing. Thanks.

luisdent

@mitu will do. thanks.

luisdent

@dankcushions said in Pi 4b black screen issues:

@luisdent like i said, show us your config file and we can diagnose. there's an extra few lines that helps on some monitors:
hdmi_max_pixel_freq:0=200000000
hdmi_max_pixel_freq:1=200000000
in addition to a working 1080p mode, which for you may be
hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=82
ps, can you not SSH in to diagnose via another PC on the network?

Not sure which fixed it, but this made it work properly. It flickers a screen with the terminal/command cursor a few times quickly but i see it and then it displays the appropriate screen following that. So far i've gone in and out of config screens and reboots and it appears to be working now.

Thanks!!!

Now to fix the performance issues ;-) or i should say optimize. it runs fairly well. :)