Black screen on Windows 10

I have a computer with Wndows 10 upgrade from Windows 7 installed.
Ever since the upgrade, we've had trouble with the graphics.
Now on the 4th graphics card which is an ASUS Nvidia GT-710-SL and supposedly well qualified to work with Windows 10.
The computer is an ASUS P5N-d with 8GB RAM, Intel Core 2 E6700 2.66GHz CPU, Phonix BIOS Rev 1401 6/21/2010.

The RAM tests good.
The HD tests good.
The computer boots normally but for the last few days has been "black screening" with no reponse.
I can PING it but not much else.
I have run Knoppix on it and didn't get any black screens - so I really dont' suspect hardware.

Windows restore points won't restore - with complaints about "maybe an AV program running" - which I have disable during those events.
No parasites are evident.
My next step will be to reinstall the OS from within Windows, keeping the files, etc. and hope for the best.
I have no idea what keeps running and what is failing when this black screen happens.
CTRL-ALT-DEL does nothing.

Telnet doesn't respond and I *think* it's enabled.

Any command-line things I might try?

I can always reboot and run for a while that way but it's short-lived: maybe hours, maybe not.

LVL 27

Fred MarshallPrincipalAsked: 2016-07-19

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LVL 94

nobusCommented: 2016-07-19

try rolling it back to windows 7
then redo the upgrade with the media creation tool:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

LVL 88

rindiCommented: 2016-07-20

Maybe you are using a powersupply that is at it's limits. get a higher wattage PSU.

LVL 27

Fred MarshallPrincipalAuthor Commented: 2016-07-20

I did install a new power supply some weeks ago. I can't figure out what's in there that would take a lot of power. And, the black screen problem has just been happening for a few days now. Earlier, we had video tdr failures but those seem to be past now. The new video card is air cooled.

I just ran DDU to remove the video driver and remnants and reinstalled the latest driver. No change it appears.

As I mentioned earlier:
I have run Knoppix on it and didn't get any black screens - so I really don't suspect hardware.

I'm thinking about running "Reset this PC". Alternately, I could do the same from the latest DVD from within Windows I suppose.

LVL 88

rindiCommented: 2016-07-20

Knoppix would use a basic driver that doesn't use all the functions the card has available, so it is expected that it would have less issues.

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LVL 94

nobusCommented: 2016-07-20

did you try the rollback as i said?

LVL 27

Fred MarshallPrincipalAuthor Commented: 2016-07-20

I didn't do a rollback to Windows 7. Is there a reason that this would be better than moving forward?

LVL 94

nobusCommented: 2016-07-20

reason : getting it to work
here the driver for the asus card - 32 bit - are you running a 32 bit OS ?
https://www.asus.com/Graphics-Cards/710-1-SL/HelpDesk_Download/
what AV is installed + other malware programs? you can uninstall one for testing

LVL 27

Fred MarshallPrincipalAuthor Commented: 2016-07-24

In the end I discovered that the CPU heatsink hold-down pins must have been coming loose. At least that's the current hypothesis because it flat fell off whereupon the computer stopped working altogether. :-(
Re-mounting the heatsink did no good.

So, I'm planning to replace the CPU and see if that doesn't fix things. That will entail replacing the large after-market CPU cooler with a standard Intel cooler and, of course, with new hold-down pins.