When you encounter a black screen while attempting to switch to desktop mode on your Steam Deck, it can be a frustrating experience. However, there's a straightforward solution that can help resolve this issue. Here's a step-by-step guide to fixing the problem:

Solution

Switching Accounts:
- Start by logging into a new Steam account through the game interface.
- Switch to desktop mode using this new account.
- If the switch is successful, proceed to delete all files (excluding folders) located in Home/.local/share/kscreen and Home/.local/share/kscreen/outputs.
- For safety, instead of deleting, you may choose to cut and backup these files elsewhere before removing them from the original location.
- After backing up, switch back to the game mode, log into the original account that was experiencing issues, and try switching to desktop mode again. The problem should now be resolved.
For Users with Decky Extension Framework Installed:
- Ensure that you have the Decky Extension Framework installed and have set up a root password beforehand.
- Install the Decky Terminal extension.
- Execute sudo -i to log in as root, then run the following commands:
```
cd /home/deck/.local/share/kscreen
rm *
cd /home/deck/.local/share/kscreen/outputs
rm *
exit
```
- After executing these commands, close the Terminal and attempt to enter desktop mode again; the issue should be fixed.
- It's recommended to create a script file named fix.sh containing the above commands and store it in /home/deck/. Remember to make the script executable with the command sudo chmod +x /home/deck/fix.sh.

By following these steps, you should be able to overcome the black screen issue on your Steam Deck and enjoy a seamless gaming experience.

The Windows version in the showcase video is Windows 11, but this techniq is not limited to Windows 11

If you frequently need to connect to remote desktops using VncViewer or TeamViewer, you may want to create shortcuts that can launch these connections with one click. You can also pin these shortcuts to your Windows Start Menu for easy access. In this blog post, I will show you how to do that using command line parameters and connection files.

VNC Viewer

VNC Viewer is a software that allows you to remotely control another computer using the Virtual Network Computing (VNC) protocol. To create a shortcut that can launch a VncViewer connection, you need to have a connection file that contains the information of the remote device, such as its IP address, port number, encryption mode, and password. You can create a connection file by saving the settings of an existing connection in VncViewer.

To create a shortcut that can launch a VncViewer connection, follow these steps:

Right-click on an empty space on your desktop and select New > Shortcut.
In the Create Shortcut window, type the following command in the location field:
Follow one approach guide list below

Approach 1: load from a connection file

"C:\Program Files\RealVNC\VNC Viewer\vncviewer.exe" "path-to-your-vnc-file.vnc"

Replace "path-to-your-vnc-file.vnc" with the path to your connection file. You can use quotation marks if the path contains spaces.

Approach 2: store destination address in the shortcut

Let's say if you want to access remote PC without creating a connection file, you can also type the following command instead:
"C:\Program Files\RealVNC\VNC Viewer\vncviewer.exe" 192.168.1.123:7777
The pro is you don't have to create a connection file apparently; the con is you have to type the password each time you try to connect to the remote PC.

Click Next and give a name to your shortcut, such as "VncViewer Remote Desktop".
Click Finish and you will see the shortcut on your desktop.
To pin the shortcut to your Windows Start Menu, right-click on it and select Pin to Start.

Now you can launch the VNC cViewer connection by clicking on the shortcut or selecting it from the Start Menu.

TeamViewer

TeamViewer is another software that allows you to remotely control another computer using a secure connection. To create a shortcut that can launch a TeamViewer connection, you need to have a control file that contains the information of the remote device, such as its ID, password, and connection mode. You can create a control file by saving the settings of an existing connection in TeamViewer.

To create a shortcut that can launch a TeamViewer connection, follow these steps:

Right-click on an empty space on your desktop and select New > Shortcut.
In the Create Shortcut window, type the following command in the location field:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\TeamViewer\TeamViewer.exe" -i 192.168.1.123 --Password 123456789

Replace "192.168.1.123" with the ip address (domain name also work) of the remote PC, and replace "123456789" with the TeamViewer quick access password of the remote PC.

Please estimate the risk of storing visible password in a .lnk file, this may make your remote PC vulnerable.*

Click Next and give a name to your shortcut, such as "TeamViewer Remote Desktop".
Click Finish and you will see the shortcut on your desktop.
To pin the shortcut to your Windows Start Menu, right-click on it and select Pin to Start.

Now you can launch the TeamViewer connection by clicking on the shortcut or selecting it from the Start Menu.

Conclusion

In this blog post, I have shown you how to create shortcuts that can execute commands to connect to remote desktops using VNC Viewer or TeamViewer. You can also pin these shortcuts to your Windows Start Menu for easy access. This way, you can save time and effort when you need to remotely control another computer.

Monthly Archives: October 2019

Resolving the Black Screen Issue When Switching to Desktop Mode on Steam Deck