Monitor way dark

Yesterday I found some malware on my computer so I was cleaning it up with the guidelines found on here. I got halfway through and it was getting late so I turned off my computer. I turn it on today and the screen is black. It takes me about an hour to figure out that it's not that the screens not working, it's just that it's so dark you can only see it's on if you look at it from the right angle. I tried adjusting the brightness but it's not that.

Can somebody please help?!

 

Laptop manufacturer and model number would be helpfull.

 

It's a Dell Inspiron 6400=]

 

Have you followed Chaslang's advice in the Malware thread?

 

Yea, I was following the Malware Removal Guide, the one that says READ ME & RUN ME FIRST. I got about halfway through, turned off my computer for the night and go to turn it on the next day and its like that.

 

I was referring to his last post in this thread, http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=153081.

 

It sounds like the backlight or the LCD power inverter have gone out. The symptoms you describe are consistent with a backlight or inverter problem. If you're good with tools and have a stong mechanical/electronic aptitude, you can replace either of these two parts yourself, at home, using nothing but a couple of small screwdrivers. BUT- this job is not for the timid and you may be more comfortable having a shop do the fix. The parts aren't really that expensive, they are under $75 each usually; it depends on brand and availability. If you have a shop fix it, the cost will be from labor as it takes a couple of hours to take apart the LCD assembly and to put it back together perfectly. You may be able to buy the part(s) yourself online, but be sure you get a warranty/guarantee. At this point it's hard to say if the problem is the backlight, the inverter, or both, so a PC repair shop is probably the way to go. DO NOT go to a big chain store as they will say that you need an entire LCD and will charge over $300 for it. A good friend of mine owns a small independent PC store and does these types of repairs all the time. He typically charges $150-$200 for parts and labor for this type of repair.

 

I tried booting it in safe mode with the same results, i could see that it was booting but the screen was still very dark.

Ok well after all this i was getting my dad to look at it. I unplugged it took it downstairs and turned it on. Bam, works fine like nothing happened. I have no idea what that was all about but thanks for all of your guys advice!!

 

:highfive Cool. Strange, but I'm glad it's working now. I think that physically moving the PC and the fact that the display is OK now points to a loose connection or a failing part, probably one of the parts I mentioned earlier. I hope I'm wrong. You never mentioned if you were running on the battery at any point, or if the laptop was plugged in, and this could make a difference because a faulty battery can wreck havoc on a laptop's display.

 

yea the whole time it was plugged in the screen was dark but as soon as I unplugged it and turned it on it was fine. :confused
Oh well, Hopefully it's all better now and not something serious like you mentioned before.