SOLVED: Remote Desktop Shows Black Screen in Windows 7 and 8

If you RDP (remote desktop) to a Windows 7 or 8 PC and see only a black screen the computers involved appear to be arguing over screen resolution.  The easy way to resolve it is to:

  1. Click on the black RDP windows (to select it) and press CTRL-ALT-END to bring up the Windows Security screen and select LOG OFF, then log back in
  2. Start a new RDP client on your desktop but BEFORE you click CONNECT, click the SHOW OPTIONS link, click the DISPLAY tab and set the DISPLAY CONFIGURATION to a low resolution like 640×480

To actually solve the problem in the future:

  1. Disable BitMap Caching in your RDP client (on the EXPERIENCE tab).
  2. You can use THIS process to reduce the RDP compression to none.

For more details see, THIS Microsoft KBase article or THIS blog.

For the record, I like the phrase BLACK SCREEN OF DOOM that has been coined by others.

 

View Comments

  • Remove kb2830477 update in All programs-Installed updates
    and no more black screen.

  • So, what do you do if you can't get physical access to the machine you're trying to RDP into? :-/

    Thanks!

    • I am big fan of panicking. Ok... well, if cannot RDP or get physical access, I would try connecting via SERVICES; start SERVICES.MSC, click SERVICES (LOCAL) on the left, click ACTION, CONNECT TO ANOTHER COMPUTER, enter the host name or IP of the PC in question, sort by STATUS and see what you can turn on or off to fix your issues.

  • When I get a black screen using remote desktop connection, the Ctrl-Alt-End does not do anything. Maybe you mean when I back at the Host computer. Then, I will check that out too. Please suggest.

    • Yes, try CNTL ALT DEL on physically on the PC you are trying to remote to. If you are out of the office, perhaps you can have someone that is in the office walk over and connect.

  • Thanks a lot. I had this problem randomly since several months ago, I no one knew what happenned. The workaround was ask to someone at the office for deirectly logging on to the machine and then I was able to log on remotely. This way is much better, specially during the weekend.

  • Trying this fix as I am having the black RDP screen but can't figure out how to get ctrl-alt-end to work. On all my keyboards the End button is a function on the right arrow. I've also tried ctrl-alt-fn-end but nothing. The only fix I've been able to do is cold boot the remote PC...only when I can get to it though.

    • Well, you do this once to 'fix' the issue and then you log out/in with a larger setting. It's analogous to how booting a problem PC into Safe Mode often resolves issues.

Published by
Ian Matthews

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