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Computer geek anywhere?
- Thread starter Nebbiolo
- Start date
- Status
Two things can cause black screens
1. a faulty screen
2. Video drivers not working properly
Does it come on at all? or the minute you switch on the power it stays black?
If it does come on how far does it go?
you can test an external monitor if you have one or if you know anyone who has one to see if that works
1. a faulty screen
2. Video drivers not working properly
Does it come on at all? or the minute you switch on the power it stays black?
If it does come on how far does it go?
you can test an external monitor if you have one or if you know anyone who has one to see if that works
T
TsarDiniyar
Guest
Does anyone know what the following problem is:
My wife's laptop was working fine and then without warning the picture went. That is, the screen is completely black, as in no picture whatsoever.
But the laptop switches on, just no damned picture on the screen.
its not an advent laptop by any chance is it? mine used to d othat
GhostOfDixie
Player Valuation: £70m
Simple fix, but admittedly its going to cost:
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air?mco=MTE4MTY
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air?mco=MTE4MTY
Nebbiolo
Valuation: £108 million
It doesn't come on at all, the screen that is. The computer switches on, the fan pumps up a bit, then goes a bit wild. But nothing on the screen at all. You have to switch the damned thing off manually.
And it's a Toshiba Satellite
Cheers for the link, Ghost. I love macs and personally have been using an ibook for about 7 years now (the same one). The wife is onto her second PC in that time, and now that one has broken.
And it's a Toshiba Satellite
Cheers for the link, Ghost. I love macs and personally have been using an ibook for about 7 years now (the same one). The wife is onto her second PC in that time, and now that one has broken.
The Esk
Player Valuation: £70m
Sounds like a video driver problem - I had a similar experience with a Toshiba Satellite.
Their support forum is pretty good, lots of helpful people on there
http://forums.computers.toshiba-europe.com/forums/category.jspa?categoryID=8
Their support forum is pretty good, lots of helpful people on there
http://forums.computers.toshiba-europe.com/forums/category.jspa?categoryID=8
Nebbiolo
Valuation: £108 million
Thanks for that, mate. We'll get it repaired but I would like to go in there talking about stuff that makes me sound like I know what I'm talking about.
that happened to me (advent laptop). after 2 hours of brain rattling i took the battery out, put it back in andhey presto, 1 working laptop. but i'm sure you've already tried this?!!
Chris
a whole wheel of cheese?
Press the function button(probably next to the left alt key) and the monitor/tv out button together (which is probably on one of the function keys) whilst the laptop is on. Taking the battery will clear the cmos which will have the same effect.
If neither of those fix it then its possibly a hardware failure.
Check the ram is seated in the slot properly (metal flap on bottom of laptop with one or two small screws in. Take them out and make sure the ram hasn't popped out).
If its seated ok but still not coming on, take it out and try to start it up again. If it comes on the ram is faulty (get on ebay and get more
).
If none of that fixes it. But the hard disk and power light and fan turn on like normal then the video chip may have overheated or failed, the convertor in the panel may have burnt out (they get very very hot but are cheap to replace) or the panel may have become disconnected. Either way its a case of get it in to a shop. I hate fixing laptops, they are quite a pain in the arse. Especially taking them to bits!
Good luck.
If neither of those fix it then its possibly a hardware failure.
Check the ram is seated in the slot properly (metal flap on bottom of laptop with one or two small screws in. Take them out and make sure the ram hasn't popped out).
If its seated ok but still not coming on, take it out and try to start it up again. If it comes on the ram is faulty (get on ebay and get more
).If none of that fixes it. But the hard disk and power light and fan turn on like normal then the video chip may have overheated or failed, the convertor in the panel may have burnt out (they get very very hot but are cheap to replace) or the panel may have become disconnected. Either way its a case of get it in to a shop. I hate fixing laptops, they are quite a pain in the arse. Especially taking them to bits!
Good luck.
Chris
a whole wheel of cheese?
For the record. If you are not even getting past the basic post screen (which is a logo when you first turn on your pc/laptop or a screen showing how much ram etc you have) then its nothing to do with the operating system or drivers (which are used by the operating system). The machine has to get past the post before it can read the bootstrap of the operating system which in turn starts to load in the device drivers (like your graphics card etc).
Of course if it does get past post and the OS boot screen doesn't show but the post screen did, then you are possibly looking at a driver problem (or a virus, or a corrupt OS install etc etc). People wheel out 'driver problem' too quickly on forums, it bugs me
Of course if it does get past post and the OS boot screen doesn't show but the post screen did, then you are possibly looking at a driver problem (or a virus, or a corrupt OS install etc etc). People wheel out 'driver problem' too quickly on forums, it bugs me
SuitsBlue
Player Valuation: £50m
does it have external picture output?
its not a driver issue, the bios has a universal basic vga driver that enables the system to boot up and allow you to tamper with settings to cmos and bios.
sounds to me like a PSU problem. or possibly (and its a long shot) a disconnection somewhere.
is your system bleeping when it is started? do you know the bleep sequences and their meanings?
more info needed to properly diagnose.
its not a driver issue, the bios has a universal basic vga driver that enables the system to boot up and allow you to tamper with settings to cmos and bios.
sounds to me like a PSU problem. or possibly (and its a long shot) a disconnection somewhere.
is your system bleeping when it is started? do you know the bleep sequences and their meanings?
more info needed to properly diagnose.
Nebbiolo
Valuation: £108 million
Cheers for the help. I've taken the battery out and put it back in and it is still the same.
Essentially, when you switch it on, the light on the switch comes on and the computer appears to begin to start up. The fan whizzes a bit, and then goes silent. After a while, though, the fan switches on for a prolonged period.
However, no picture whatsoever appears, not the writing at the bottom or the Windows XP stuff that usually appears before it boots up fully. Nor do I hear any bleeps or sound when it starts up.
It's just a black screen without a hint of anything.
I tried putting in a DVD and you can hear the disc whizzing about, so the computer is switched on. Plus, if you start it from the battery eventually the computer beeps to warn that the battery is nearly flat.
It does my head in because the wife has got a lot important data on it as well as work in progress for some freelance work that she's doing.
Essentially, when you switch it on, the light on the switch comes on and the computer appears to begin to start up. The fan whizzes a bit, and then goes silent. After a while, though, the fan switches on for a prolonged period.
However, no picture whatsoever appears, not the writing at the bottom or the Windows XP stuff that usually appears before it boots up fully. Nor do I hear any bleeps or sound when it starts up.
It's just a black screen without a hint of anything.
I tried putting in a DVD and you can hear the disc whizzing about, so the computer is switched on. Plus, if you start it from the battery eventually the computer beeps to warn that the battery is nearly flat.
It does my head in because the wife has got a lot important data on it as well as work in progress for some freelance work that she's doing.
SuitsBlue
Player Valuation: £50m
the information hasnt necessarily disappeared, you might need to remove the hdd and transfer it onto your system if time is a factor.
no bleeps on startup suggest to me that there is a big problem - processor could have popped, or the mobo could have. no bleeps in my experience = something is dead.
no bleeps on startup suggest to me that there is a big problem - processor could have popped, or the mobo could have. no bleeps in my experience = something is dead.
Nebbiolo
Valuation: £108 million
Err, so we're talking big bucks to get it fixed, Suits?
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