Black Screen/Game Hang On Startup: SOLVED

[US103_Baer]

Brief Description of Issue:

When using Fullscreen mode at non-native screen resolutions, IL-2 would black screen and hang after pressing PLAY on the launcher or when starting using the game exe. This was intermittent over last 6 months but became persistent after v4.704.

I had to use Task Manager to 'end' IL-2

 

Detailed Description and Conditions:

- When using Fullscreen mode instead of windowed. Windowed would start fine every time.

- When using LOWER resolutions (eg 1080p) than my monitor's native (1440p). When using Fullscreen at 1440p the game would start. Changing to 1080p fullscreen and it would blackscreen every time. Spotting of mid-distance targets was difficult at 1440p and the game seemed more natural at 1080p hence my preference.

- DCS did not have the issue and ran at 1080p fullscreen ok.

- Running Administrator mode on/off made no difference.

- Changing the load order of various ancillary flight sim programs made no difference (ie TrackIR, OBS, Afterburner, TM Target)

- A secondary install on separate HD had same issue.

- Win10, Ryzen 2600, GTX-1080, ROG Strix X470-F Gaming MB, 16GB GSkill ram

 

Solution

I began to close background system programs one by one and attempt starting the game.

After closing Corsair LINK the game started. With Corsair LINK re-enabled IL-2 wouldn't start. 

I use the latest version and have no idea why Corsair LINK clashes with IL-2 in this simple respect, but it clearly does on my machine!

 

I've left the program as is and simply close it when I want to run IL-2. This allows the cooling profiles to setup and run. Game and system have run perfectly fine since doing this.

 

Corsair LINK is a program that comes with Corsair cooling products and by default loads on system startup, managing fans, cooling profiles and temp monitoring. Typically it will sit minimised in 'Hidden Icons' on taskbar.

 

Hope this helps anyone else suffering something similar. Those background programs may seem to have nothing to do with other issues experienced, but it may well be worth turning them off when troubleshooting.

 

Edited May 21, 2022 by US103_Baer