Laptop screen gone blank.

[SOD'EM]

My sister in laws laptop screen went blank while she was using it. I have it now and have rebooted. Everything starts (including the fan) and all lights come on. Unfortunately, the screen is just black. Have tried pressing F8 on boot up but still stays black.

 

Any ideas?

[locutus]

Is their a button to switch to an external monitor? fn button and an F number key? Thats one possibility.

 

If that is all OK, my initial thaught is maybe the back light has gone on the screen... Hard to see but is there an image there only in black? Hold the lapyop at diferent angles to a light and maybe you'll see what appears to be a ghost of an image...

[silverfox1961]

Morning,

I had a monitor that did that and it was the light source that went.

If the laptop has a VGA connector, can you try and plug in an external monitor to see if it works that way

[SOD'EM]

Thanks guys.

 

Have just tried using a VGA cable to connect it to my TV. The TV says 'No signal through PC'. I have repeatedly pressed fn + f3 (which is the screen transfer thing), but it's still blank. I have held it to the light, but I'm afraid it's black. There are no shadows or anything. The screen actually went off as it was being used yesterday.

[locutus]

It sounds..... expensive

 

How old is the laptop?

[SOD'EM]

It's about 2 years old. It hasn't really been looked after properly and some of the casing is loose due to screws falling out, and getting lost.

 

I don't think the warranty rule under SOGA would be a very good idea. There is obvious abuse to the laptop.

[dx100uk]

take the memory out sod...

then try.

 

sound like its not booting at all nothing to do with the screen.

 

could be heat related fried the CPU.

 

if you ID the HDD LED, does it flicker as if the HHD is being accessed or do nothing or stay on?

 

dx

[SOD'EM]

Took out the memory and had a look around the workings. Can't see anything that looks wrong. Started it again and as before, everything lights up and the fan starts but the screen stays dead (as if it was switched off). The CD drive however, seems to be making a weird clicking noise. The powe/charger light comes on and the wireless LAN light, but nothing else.

[dx100uk]

then its either the CPU fried [i've have 17 this last 10days on lappys]

or its the internal PSU/volts regs

eitherway not the screen.

 

its not even booting

 

dx

[SOD'EM]

She has decided to give up and get a new one. I can't veleive she paid £500 for this. It is a High-Grade single core laptop with only 1GB of RAM:eek:. She can get one that's 20 times better than that for the same price.

 

 

Thanks for all your help anyway.

[locutus]

One easily recyclable bit is the hard drive. You can get a case for this for around a fiver and it becomes a USB storage device! Well worth the money.

[SOD'EM]

Any links for cases would be appreciated.

 

Is it an easy operation?

[kiptower]

http://www.ledshoppe.com/storage.htm

 

in hong kong but we have had lots of bits off them, well cheap take 5 - 10 days and most stuff post free

 

here you go this is the SATA on , check what the drive is before you order SATA or PATA , the rest is easy plug onto end of drive , close case and 2 small screws

 

tiny screwdriver supplied and screws

 

pic for ya

 

Edited July 7, 2010 by kiptower

[locutus]

this is a SATA drive

 

the connection is like 2 little L shapes with gold strips on it for connecting.

 

 

 

 

This is a PATA

 

Pata has gold pins.

 

 

Once you know what you have, just search the amazon link (hover mouse over the word amazon, then click the image that appears) for "2.5 sata/pata external usb" and you'll find them.

[kiptower]

thanks Locu was just about to post similar

 

the Led Shoppe ones are about the cheapest I have found as free postage ( got 5 here lol ) they do come with a decent usb lead with the 2 plugs @ one end to connect tho the PC , to over come the power problem with some USB ports etc

[locutus]

Yeah, CAG will get a little commision on the amazon ones tho

 

mine go out as fast as they come in... linking them to a wii makes that console 100x better