Black Screen during usage!

[Helopoh]

I installed Mint probably about 3-4 days ago. I am completely new to this and haven't used any kind of Linux since probably 1999 so I am literally learning to read at this point. When I boot in Mint I get this black screen from time to time that seems like it has something to do with the graphics. I started with going in and turning off the screensaver which took me ages and I had to do it very quickly since as soon as I would load it my monitor would go black and blink from a black screen to no image on my monitor. I also notice it will immediatly go black anytime I put that ANT saver on. I also unchecked both tick boxes under. (and I don't know what they said as I booted into windows to type this) I would need to reset and go in again. Once I turned off the screen saver and made sure it wasn't crashing I now boot and kill the screensaver process. This has helped some unless I decide I want to surf the web. I needed to look for a photo of a cake yesterday and Googled images and again I got the crash which led me to believe it has something to do with the graphics. I have loaded the Belarc of my PC below so that maybe someone would be able to see something I don't and say YES! and help me fix this. I know my PC is a dinosaur but at this point I just don't have the funds to upgrade or purchase a new PC until sometime in March. Forgive me if I ask for more detailed explanation or literally say HUH? cause sometimes I do that. Thanks in advance!

Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 (build 2600)
Install Language: English (United States)
System Locale: English (United States) Hewlett-Packard HP d220 MT (DG266A)
System Serial Number: MXD3360LB1
Enclosure Type: Desktop
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
2.40 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
8 kilobyte primary memory cache
512 kilobyte secondary memory cache
Not hyper-threaded Board: Lite-On Tech. 0888h
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 1.14 04/14/2005
Drives Memory Modules c,d
372.98 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
282.19 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space
LITEON CD-ROM LTN486S
OBUXUP GHEROT6Z05 SCSI CdRom Device [CD-ROM drive]
3.5" format removeable media [Floppy drive]
Maxtor 6Y120P0 [Hard drive] (122.94 GB) -- drive 0, s/n Y36YZZBE, rev YAR41BW0, SMART Status: Healthy
WDC WD2500BB-55GUA0 [Hard drive] (250.06 GB) -- drive 1, s/n WD-WMAL72723374, rev 08.02D08, SMART Status: Healthy 1016 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory
Slot '0' has 512 MB
Slot '1' has 512 MB
Local Drive Volumes
c: (NTFS on drive 0) 122.93 GB 51.03 GB free
f: (NTFS on drive 1) 250.05 GB 231.16 GB free
Controllers Display
Standard floppy disk controller
Intel(R) 82801DB Ultra ATA Storage Controller - 24CB
Primary IDE Channel [Controller]
Secondary IDE Channel [Controller] Intel(R) 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller [Display adapter]
Acer H235H [Monitor] (21.7"vis, s/n LHF080044201, May 2009)

[dawgdoc]

If the problem were always at boot, I would think that it is the known issue with kernel modesetting causing the problem. It's not too difficult to check that anyhow.

In another thread I posted this

It sounds like you may have stumbled into the Kernel Modesetting (KMS) issue. It can manifest in several ways. Check this post. First try the nomodeset boot parameter outlined in the post and its links before trying the commands for specific hardware.

The nomodeset issue is valid for Ubuntu, Mint9, Fedora, and Debian Squeeze. You didn't say which version and edition of Mint you installed, but this could apply.

If that does not work, in searching for your graphics chipset, I found where I had posted THIS previously

There was a regression in the intel drivers used in the kernels for Mint 7 and 8. Many of the issues were worked out for Mint 8, but not all. Here are links to three posts which may offer some insight.
Link 1: viewtopic.php?f=46&t=36622&p=220783&hilit=82845#p210673
Link 2: viewtopic.php?f=90&t=44859&p=258538&hilit=intel+regression#p258538
Link 3: viewtopic.php?f=46&t=38828&p=222542&hilit=intel+regression#p222514

[ur=http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... G#p305840l]THIS[/url] thread relates specifically to your graphics chip and nomodeset issues. Read the linked post and the one below it.

THIS Ubuntu forums post relates graphics issues with your chipset occurring other than at boot being related to the KMS problem. I have not read the whole thread.

[Helopoh]

I installed the latest Linuxmint Isadora. I knew I forgot something. The black screen isn't at boot always but it seems to be when anything high graphic or even 3D comes up. The one screen saver Ant something (I would get the name but I will crash in the process.) will immediately cause me to see the black screen.

[dawgdoc]

Frequently people have had graphics issues with LM Isadora that were related to the Kernel Modesetting problem. There is a generic fix, and at least two intel specific fixes in the links above. The link the the quote box at the top of my first box tells how to use the fix at boot, if necessary and then goes on to link to a page which tells how to make the fix permanent. The same procedure would apply to the intel specific fixes.

If none of the nomodeset options work, other things you could try, since you are frequently able to boot into LM9, would be to check the output from the terminal command of dmest after rebooting from a crash. You could also make sure you have the latest graphics driver for your card, one of the above links tells you how. If the problem persists you should try disabling visual affects, if any are enabled.

Start trying the different fixes detailed above, if you do not understand them post back, telling us what you have done up to that point.