Skip to main content
theisaiahcc
Inspiring
April 24, 2021
Solved

Black Screen when using Virtual Desktop in Oculus PC App

UPDATE: Solution found by Hansaplastique! THANK YOU!

 

It seems this method forces Intel(R) UHD Graphics to render for OVRServer_x64.exe. At least, that's what's selected under "Power Saving" for my PC. My games still run fine using this method, since they still use the GPU. The dashboard/OVRServer doesn't utilize the GPU while in use. Changing the preferred processor in Nvidia Control panel for OVRServer_x64.exe does NOT solve the issue, although I thought it would effectively accomplish the same thing. 

 

Many thanks to Hansaplastique. You're a real gamer. I made a video tutorial for the solution for anyone confused.

 

https://youtu.be/H_WbAHVV7o4

__________________

Original Post Below

--------------------

 

Oculus app isn't showing desktop, just black screen. Though, I can still control the cursor with my controller. I have a Rift S and a Quest 2 and both have the issue. So far, I've restarted, repaired install, and installed latest graphics card drivers but have had no success. I also completely uninstalled and re-installed and am still having the issue. Currently blaming the recent update. My Quest 2 is running on v. 27, because v. 28 is not yet available to me. But I doubt that's issue because my Rift S also has the problem. 

 

OLD 4/25/21: I've been working with Oculus Support, but so far no amount of troubleshooting has solved the issue. My working theories are:

 

1. Nvidia Optimus laptops

2. The new update just glitched out the integrated Virtual Desktop in the Oculus PC application.

 

This issue is not present on my Desktop computer. I run VR on a MSI GL75 Leopard 10SFK-029. I'm still able to play games, and the black screen is my only symptom. 

 

CPU: i7-10750H

GPU: 2070 (mobile)

RAM: 32gb at 2933 MHz

    Answer
    April 27, 2021

    Go it to work properly now without the need for an external monitor:

     

    Go to Windows Settings -> System -> Display -> Graphics Settings (way at the bottom).


    Under "Graphics performance preference" -> "Choose an app to set preference" -> "Desktop app".

     

    Click "Browse" and select: C:\Program Files\Oculus\Support\oculus-runtime\OVRServer_x64.exe

    Click "Add".


    Select "Options" and set it to "Power saving", and click "Save".

    Restart the Oculus software and Virtual Desktop now works properly.

     

    This worked for me on an 2020 AsusROG with an nVidia 2070.

    View in thread

    33 replies

    theisaiahccAuthor
    Inspiring
    April 24, 2021

    HealthyWaffle
    Participant
    April 25, 2021

    Having the same exact problem

      Coolcatintown
      Inspiring
      April 25, 2021

      Having the same exact problem😭

        daveymonkey
        New Participant
        April 25, 2021

        Yup, exact same problem here and I also suspect the recent Oculus update as the culprit. Happening on both my Rift CV1 and Quest 2 (also v27). On my CV1, the windowed black screen (instead of my desktop) is accompanied by stutter. I thought it might be some kind of conflict with the paid version of Virtual Desktop that I installed about the same time as the latest Oculus software update, but uninstalling Virtual Desktop made no difference. Are other people experiencing this issue also using two headsets connecting to the same machine I wonder?

          theisaiahccAuthor
          Inspiring
          April 25, 2021

          I’ve been working with Oculus support to troubleshoot it but no amount of uninstalling and reinstalling of the program, drivers, etc. has resolved the issue. An interesting development, my Desktop computer doesn’t have this issue, only my laptop. I wonder if Nvidia Optimus could be a part of the problem. I think the integrated graphics automatically kick in when rendering the desktop. I’m not super familiar with Optimus. Are any of you experiencing this on a Desktop?

          HealthyWaffle
          Participant
          April 25, 2021

          I also believe it is a gaming laptop issue with the dedicated graphics card and Nvidia card. I had the same exact problem on my index and fixed it by creating permissions which forced steamvr to launch with my Nvidia card but that solution did not work for my Q2.

            HealthyWaffle
            Participant
            April 25, 2021

            I believe it has something to do with your desktop display running off your integrated graphics card, which is why you are still able to run apps in another window and see them since they are launched from your Nvidia graphics card instead. It would also explain why you can see the mouse and click things, but the display is black because it cannot communicate to your desktop display through the integrated graphics card. Steamvr and other Q2 users had very similar problems and all had very similar solutions with getting steamvr/oculus to run specifically through the nvidia graphics card

              theisaiahccAuthor
              Inspiring
              April 25, 2021

              Is there a way to force the gpu to render the desktop? Also, I wonder why did this only recently become an issue.

              Anonymous
              April 26, 2021

              I had the same problem on my AsusROG laptop.

              I managed to get the Virtual Desktop to work by attaching an external monitor.

                theisaiahccAuthor
                Inspiring
                April 26, 2021

                I’m gonna give this a go when I get home. Thanks for the tip.

                SharpTenor
                New Participant
                April 26, 2021

                I'm guessing we all have gaming laptops? I had the same problem but solved it. On my Zephyrus Duo I opened armoury crate and changed my GPU mode to Discrete from Optimus. 

                I think we could also fix it by disabling the built-in graphics chip, and forcing the monitors to use the GPU but haven't tested that yet.

                  theisaiahccAuthor
                  Inspiring
                  April 26, 2021

                  Not sure all laptops have the option of disabling Optimus. And it used to work fine so something changed with the software update.

                  SharpTenor
                  New Participant
                  April 27, 2021

                  Yeah, even a user with the new version of my laptop (the user has a Zephyrus Duo 2nd edition) doesn't have the ability to switch between Optimus and discrete in armoury crate. I hope this is a software issue they fix quickly.

                  MasterXehanort358
                  New Participant
                  May 22, 2021

                  still didn't work for me

                  jamesfloyd9279
                  Inspiring
                  May 22, 2021

                  Remove the Oculus software using control panel then remove the Oculus folders in the following locations...

                   

                  • C:\Users\YourUserProfile\AppData
                  • C:\Users\YourUserProfile\AppData\Local
                  • C:\Users\YourUserProfile\AppData\LocalLow
                  • C:\Users\YourUserProfile\AppData\Roaming
                  • C:\OculusSetup-DownloadCache

                  Then download the Oculus software and do a clean install.

                  i7 3770K, 32GB 1600mhz ,RTX 2070 OC 8GB, GA-Z68XP-UD3, Inateck KU5211 3.2USB Adapter, 1TB MX 500, (x3) Mushkin RAW SSDs, Antec 650w PSU Quest 2, X56 HOTAS, TrackIR 5 Pro, Win 10 Pro 20H2 19043.906
                  PikaMemez
                  New Participant
                  June 3, 2021

                  I'm having a similar problem where virtual desktop won't open. I am using the oculus quest 2 and the oculus app. I was attempting to play Blade and sorcery earlier with steamVR and it worked just fine but I stuck in the loading screen. I then restarted my game but my virtual desktop app stopped working. It will black out the screen for a quick second while showing the 3 white dots then returning me back to the oculus app menu. I tried many things like restarting my computer and headset, updating drivers and the apps, and even uninstalling virtual desktop and reinstalling it. can anyone help? it doesn't seem like anyone has this problem besides me when I searched this  

                  Show more replies
                  Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement