If all that greets you when you try to run the game is a black screen, then likelihood is you are encountering a problem with the skin or the skin caching feature. There are various things you can do to fix this.

1. Reset the skin to default

Please refer to "how to change the skin back to the default" for instructions.

2. Delete the cache folder

You can try to delete the cache folder to see if it helps.

• Click the "Start" menu
• Go to "Programs"
• Then "Accessories"
• Choose "Windows Explorer"
• Prior to v6.0.2: Windows: Go C:\Program Files\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2006\ (or where FM is installed). Mac: Go to Applications/Football Manager 2006. Then go into the "Data" folder.
• From 6.0.2 onwards: Go to your documents folder (Windows: C:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\My Documents\, Mac: <Your Home Folder>/Documents/), then go into the "Sports Interactive" folder and then "Football Manager 2006" folder.
• Right click the folder name "Cache"
• Choose "Delete" (Mac: "Move to trash").

Try to run the game.

3. Turn off the cache option

If for subsequent launches of the game problem resurfaces, you may want to turn off the cache option altogether. Please note that doing so will increase the startup/launch time (the time from you click the shortcut or executable until the game is up and running) quite considerably.

The best place to do so is in the game itself - go to the "Options" menu, choose "Preferences" and in the "Display" section untick "Use Skin Cache" and click "Confirm".

You can also do so by providing a command line option to the game - please refer to "FM2006 Command Line Options" for details about command line options in general and the --cache_skin options in particular.

4. Check your hard disk for errrors

It is possible that errors on your hard disk may cause the caching to not work properly or optimally. It is recommended you try to check your hard disk for errors.

5. Re-install the game

If all else fails, try to do complete and clean re-install of the game.

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