Laptop screen goes blank before window loads

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Tray-C, Jan 8, 2009.

  1. Tray-C

    Tray-C Private E-2

    I can know that windows has loaded because I can hear it shut down when i use the keyboard to do a shut down in Safe Mode.
    The problem is that when I turn on the laptop, it gets as far as the windows logo with the blue scrolling bar saying it's loading...but all of a sudden the screen goes blank. I can see the LDC lights active as it loads.
    Can't do a complete loading of windows because I get to the log in screen because of 2 users.

    Forgot t mention that I can only get into Safe Mode once in a great while. This blank screen happens even if I try to go to the BIOS Setup.

    Working on a Dell Inspiron 1300
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2009
  2. holiday

    holiday Private E-2

    Sounds like it could be a backlight display, inverter problem. I am currently looking into replacing one on an Acer laptop.
     
  3. dlb

    dlb MajorGeek

    The next time you can get to the desktop in safe mode, go to the Device Manager (right click My Computer > Properties > Hardware > Device Manager) and click the little plus sign next to Display Adapters. Right click the display adapter listed and select Uninstall. Close the Device Manager and reboot. Hopefully this will allow the PC to reload in safe made. What may have happened is that the display settings may have been somehow set too high for the display. Theoretically, this shouldn't be possible, but I've seen it happen. Somehow somebody (or a program) changes the display settings to a resolution or refresh rate too high for the LCD to display. So it runs OK until the next restart, where the picture then cuts out because the settings are too high. Removing the display drivers in safe mode, and rebooting in normal mode will usually fix the problem. If it's not software problem -meaning that the actual display itself or one of it's components (like the backlight) or the video chip have failed- then you'll need to look into what the exact problem is. But since it does work in safe mode, I don't think it's the hardware, but I could be wrong, I'm hoping (for your sake) that I'm not. ;)

    (I'm assuming you're using WinXP; if using Vista, the steps will be similar to access the Device Manager, but not exactly the same)
     
  4. Tray-C

    Tray-C Private E-2

    I've tried numerous times to get the computer to come on...it just won't show.
    Every time I turn it on, I DO get the Dell logo and the option to press F2 and F12. The F2 will get me into the BIOS...but shortly after that, the screen goes blank.
    Once I actually tilted the laptop backwards (lifting up the bottom of the laptop and tilting it back about 45 degrees. I could get into the BIOS, and thinking I was on...set it back down. Once I set it down, the screen went blank.
    Does this sound more like a backlight problem?

    Tracy
     
  5. holiday

    holiday Private E-2

    Power issues?

    Have you tried running on the battery alone or taking the battery out and running on just AC power?
     
  6. Tray-C

    Tray-C Private E-2

    I have tried with battery alone. No go
    I have tried AC with battery in. No go
    I have tried AC without battery. No go.

    I can't even see the screen when I press F2 for Bios or F8 for what mode of booting I want to do. I only get about 3 seconds of seeing the Dell logo before all goes blank.

    However...I DID notice the last time, that if I looked REAL careful with the right lighting, when I tried F2, that I could see something VERY VERY faint moving up and down with when I move the up/down arrows. I mean SOOOO faint that the lighting in the room had to be juuuuuuust right.
     
  7. Tray-C

    Tray-C Private E-2

    ! ! !UPDATE ! ! !

    I was able to JUUUUST barely see the logon screen. Was able to type in password. I heard windows boot just fine.
    I hooked up an external monitor to the laptop. Pressed FN+CRT/LCD key combo. The laptop monitor was still blank, but I could see windows on the external monitor and worked from there.

    I tried to lower the contrast with the function key. Then tried the ctr/lcd key again. The laptop showed the screen with a very low contrast.
    Thinking that might be the problem, increased the contrast. Bam! it went blank. So I was thinking Video Driver Update. I lowered the contrast again reset and got the screen to show on the laptop. As it was still in the lowest setting for contrast, it went blank without any key input.

    So I went to dell and got the newest video driver for that model. I started to try a video driver update but checked device manager first. I noticed that there are 2 video drivers listed. Not sure...but I think it's because the external monitor is connected. I installed the video driver update, reset the computer and windows logon screen showed. But as I was typing the password, it went blank again.

    The screen looks just fine on the external monitor.
    I tried lowering the resolution but that didn't make a difference. And the refresh rate is set to only 60Hz.

    Most likely hardware problem????
    Or, should I go to device manager and uninstall the drivers and reset and try installing the new one again from scratch????

    Tracy
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2009
  8. holiday

    holiday Private E-2

    Ya it's hardware by the sounds of it, look into replacing the inverter / backlight.
     
  9. Tray-C

    Tray-C Private E-2

    Yeah, I kinda figured that. I just got off the phone with Best Buy to check on how much they would charge to replace the backlight. I found instructions on the net, but thought I'd check with them first. They said it would cost $400. Yea, that's right...$400. They don't replace the backlight, they replace the whole screen. When I told them just the backlight needs changing, they said they don't do just the light...it had to be the whole thing.
    So much for the 'squad' being "geeks"

    Guess I'll take my shot at it. I've had screens apart before, maybe I can do this again. Can't hurt to try anyway.

    Tracy
     
  10. Tray-C

    Tray-C Private E-2

    I've found the problem, but I'm not sure how to find out the EXACT problem.
    It's the backlight. However, when I did a search on ebay for a backlight, I see some that sell just the backlight and others that sell the "backlight and inverter". How do I know if I need the backlight AND the inverter or just the backlight? Or for that matter, just the inverter???
    Like I said before, I CAN see something on the screen when it boot, but only JUST BARELY...so there IS something. That's why I was thinking it was just the backlight and not the inverter.
    Another thing I saw on a few of the auctions was that the "LCD is cracked". Does that make a difference? If so, why?
    Yes, I AM going to try and fix the laptop just because I'm pretty sure that I can, I just want to ensure that I have everything I need before I start tearing it apart. I even found very detailed instructions on HOW to replace the backlight.

    Thanks for you help
    Tracy
     

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