Some applications does not show content (white window) Windows 10 host

Hi,

I'm running Teamviewer 12 on a Windows host - checking for updates it says I'm running the latest version.

My problem is that some programs (Handbrake, NordVPN for example) only comes up with a white window when launching them. You can see the Title on top of the window and you have the "X" to the top right to close the program, but that's it.

Funny thing is that when I launch the program in front of the host and then later connect remotely the program does display everything correctly. Same thing if I reboot the computer and launch the program remotely.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

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Julia

Dear all,

Thank you for your contribution here.

Typically, monitors or notebooks display shall report their data (such as what resolution they support) to the graphic card once they are connected.
The monitor itself does not need any power, as the HDMI / DVI / VGA cable itself provides enough power.
Unfortunately, there are some monitors that will only pass their data to the graphic card when they are turned on/have power.
In this case, the graphic driver shall decide what it wants to do when the monitor is not detected. There have been 3 cases detected thus far:

1) Everything works as before, but with minor restrictions on the available resolutions.
2) Window contents that are drawn hardware-accelerated (e.g. browser content or 3D applications / games) are no longer drawn (you cannot see the application).
3) Nothing is drawn anymore (screen is black).

TeamViewer grabs the screen as it is currently displayed.
In other words, if Windows did not draw anything, TeamViewer cannot grab the screen, so you will only see a black screen. Unfortunately, we cannot do anything against that.

The only workable solution here is to prevent the monitor from being not detected.
This can be achieved either by the fact that the monitor is always on or by using a monitor that is recognized by Windows even when it’s turned off.
It may also help to connect the monitor in another way (e.g. via DVI instead of HDMI, or with another adapter, if one was used).
Alternatively, a dummyplug can also help.
In theory, it may also help to use a different version of the graphic card drivers or a fixed-resolution monitor driver to solve the black screen problem or the problem with the hardware acceleration. Other graphic card driver settings could help, but we do not know what settings that could be exactly. But it would most likely have something to do with the energy-saving mode.

Cheers,

Julia

AdrianoZanetti

Not sure what just happened, it was working just fine and suddenly applications just start showing completely white?? Just like that. No changes of drivers, applications, configuration, absolute nothing different than an hour ago... and bam, Teamviewer completely useless. How is that possible?

raymar8

For me, I get black windows! I am remoting into a laptop media server, which used to work fine. However, as of a couple of days ago, I am starting to see black windows for VLC (I hear audio but see no video), Next PVR, and even Firefox and Edge browsers. It's the same whether I use TeamViewer or *bleep*. However, following the comments above, I have just realized that if I open the laptop lid, all the windows display correctly. If I close it again, they go black. So, yes, it's definitely a rendering issue. I wonder if there was something contained in a recent Microsoft update that caused this behavior?

ashimet

@Julia if you have a laptop that the lid is closed, you will face the exact same problem since there will not be any power directed to the LCD panel. If you open the lid everything will work.

AdrianoZanetti

In our case the issue was known to be related to a defectuous display emulator, it had to be replaced. Everything worked just fine since.

Cheers,

A.

cher90

This solution worked for me (usbmmidd_v2)

You need to add an virtual screen to enable full GPU usage :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybHKFZjSkVY

Paul_Janssen1235

Did someone solved this?

PsyManTrash

Get one of these ghost adapters, really cheap.

I had someone on site insert one of these and its fixed the white window issue. Very cheap solution, only seemed to happen on one of our Mac Mini's the others are all fine headless.

buzz339

When I open Internet Explorer Edge remotely with Teamviewer (latest release), it shows the start page fine. However if I go to any other page it shows a blank. If I grab on the edge of the window and drag it to make it larger, the page goes from blank to displaying the content, but only while dragging. As soon as I release my finger from the mouse button, the page goes blank again, How to fix this?

coolstar2002

I have the same issue, I see this issue with *bleep* as well.

I have Intel HD Graphics 3000 , not sure if there is a setting that can fix this.

If I create a vm on the host and run the same application inside the VM I can see the screen for the same application just fine.

tangootnok

I have the same problem. I cannot immagine that it is the monitor, since only one application shows a white window, but not the others. How could the monitor know? What else could cause this issue?

kai696

This sounds like a rendering issue, if minizmied and restored does this fix the issue?

Do you use an integrated graphics chip or are you using stand-alone? (or both running?)

Have you updated your graphics drivers regardless of your chip? Does this only happen on Teamveiwer? Have you installed the Monitor Driver for the software, if so was that successful?

Please let me know at your earliest convenience.

why-eng

This sounds like my exact issue, but the remote machine is a Mac.

The remote machine is mac mini that does not have a monitor attached at all. It is headless.

The issue only started after upgrading the remote host to Mac OS Mojave.

I have used Team Viewer without issues on this host for around 6-12 months, without a monitor attached.

Please note, **Third Party Product** is working perfectly fine and it's the only reason I can continue to work remotely on this machine.

With an external monitor plugged into the mac mini, the problem is solved. You can then unplug the monitor and the remote session continues to work.

After a reboot, the problem returns, unless a physical monitor is present.

I'm going to try the dummyplug, that could be a cheap solution. They are under $10 online.

chrispearson

Hey I have exactly the same problem and a Samsung monitor. When you say 'connecting a HDMI cable to the mb port to monitor' ... what do you mean by mb port to monitor? Just trying to resolve this issue so I can actually use TeamViewer? Thanks

fasihurrehman

Have the latest version of Teamviewer. Whenever I try to access remote desktop through teamviewer on host computer the white screen appears.

MONSTaR

It's not a Microsoft update causing; all or my machines have group policy restriction on updates yet still black screen certain apps.

Not exclusive of teamviewer either. Happens with *bleep* as well

tangootnok

Hi,
Do you use an integrated graphics chip or are you using stand-alone? --> I use a GTX1080Ti with the newest driver.
Does this only happen on Teamveiwer? --> It only happend with Teamviewer. At the PC the software works without any problems. I did not use any other remote viewing software.
Have you installed the Monitor Driver for the software, if so was that successful? --> No, how to install a monitor driver for a specific software, this is new to me.

The software is made by a smaller software company. It does not offer the feature of minimizing and restoring.

Any idea how to fix the problem?

Glassdub

I've since found that connecting a HDMI cable to the mb port to monitor seems to fix this, I can still default to using the add on video card to monitor by DP cable when at home but somehow having that second connection resolved this issue.

Glassdub

Yeah, I got this problem now that I've installed SAMSUNG U28E590D 4K monitor, connected by DP cable, Firefox would whitescreen, I was able to fix this by disabling graphic acceleration but Windows Live Mail still only displays part of the screen, I may have to unplug the cable when I get home to see if it resolves this as I've been at this all night remotely, getting nothing done, I never thought switching a monitor would be such a pain. :-/

Gadgetgeek2000

I tested this last night. If my monitor is turned on, the application shows just fine. If I turn the monitor off, the application shows white. The graphic rendering engine must be making a decision to render the window or not. The thought is probably “why waste the resources to draw this window if the user can’t see it?” Unfortunately for us, it does not take into account remote control scenarios.

AdrianoZanetti

I think someone must have shut down the display/monitor connected to it by accident. It has a DVI input but dunno for sure what type of monitor is connected. Probably a cheap screen though since it's mostly used remotely. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I guess i'll stop trying to troubleshoot that remotely. I've reinstalled drivers, applications, installed chrome remote deskptop to try an other remote desktop application, same **bleep**. It's too frustrating, i'll wait a few hours until someone's physically in that room and turns the darn monitor on again. SMH.

Cheers.

YUNSONG

@Pade

what do you mean for this:

I change picture source to something else than DP.

Could I understand it as you use a different input wire to connect the monitor, while the monitor is power on. And at this setting, the problem is solved?

Frank_2020

I discovered a workaround that works well for our workstations that have NVIDIA Quadro graphic cards. It's basically a software-emulated ghost display by way of cloning a monitor's EDID. This way you don't need a hardware adapter.

You can do that in the NVIDIA Control Panel (v 411.95 here) at the System Topology level. When you click on any of the underlined EDID links in your row of available Display Ports, it opens an assistant where you can export the EDID of a given monitor to a text file. You then load this text file to an unused Display Port (it might also work if you load it into the original port, sparing you the hassle below, but I haven't tried that and take no responsibility for what could happen if you do, particularly if you at some point later decide to switch monitors).

You now basically created and enforced a virtual monitor clone that is recognized by Windows. In my setup, additional monitors go to extend the desktop, meaning that beyond the two screens I already had, it extended to a nonexistant third one where my cursor would go and hide (and I suppose eventually some windows would have found their way there, too). To prevent this, I went to the Windows Display Settings and arranged it so that one of the real monitors would get duplicated to the emulated one, as in: [1/3] [2]

That's basically all. The important part is that the virtual monitor works as an always-on PnP monitor that keeps the graphics card from suspending.

No additional cost, just some hat tricks in the config. Good luck!

bob44

I managed to solve my problem simply by deactivating my graphics card when I am in remote screen

Indizo

It's been an ongoing issue for a while. Teamviewer finally fixed the "Show black screen" without having to install a monitor driver on the remote system that would constantly fail installing... but the white screen of windows of apps like Firefox, etc. still continue... it happens mainly when a laptop screen is closed for me most of the time in my over 200 systems i remote into. Maybe once in a while with a desktop, but mainly always laptop.

Alkindi

Finally someone who knows what they are talking about

1 million KUDOS to you Julia !!!

garrysailor

Absolutely all my programs on my laptop (Win10 x64) display correctly when I connect to it via mobile phone (Android 10).
Except Viber.
I see white screen only and "close" button in upper right corner of screen (((

Maybe who's know how to fix it?

Thanks in advance!

Jay_Of_Krypton

Hey,
What sort of monitor and resolution is the device you are remoting onto using?

Mine always has white boxes on applications when I remote in, the device I'm connecting too has a TV as the monitor as I use it for a server.

However.. When the TV of the device I am remoting onto is switched on, then I have no issues with the white boxes - it's so strange.

I've fiddled with the resolution settings etc but it only works fine when the device's monitor is switched on *shrug*

gadgetgeek

I wonder if the programs are using the graphic card or something advanced to display their window. I get this error with Handbrake, and the Plex client from the Windows store.

It is super annoying, for sure!

egorks

i am pretty sure its an issue with teamviewer. remote desktop works fine in same circumstances.

also looking for a solution since this is very annoying, also i cannot recall such an issue in an earlier TV version. will downgrade to TV v11 in the mean time.