Laptop problem

the screen on my HP pavilion ze5300 has gone out. It has been out for a long time now and I am wondering why it went out and how to fix it. It starts up just fine and when I connect a monitor to it i can use it just fine but that is a pain in the butt. What kind of problem am I looking at?

 

2 Possibilities, assuming that you see no picture at all (not just a super dim picture):

1) the cables for the LCD screen are loose/not attatched
2) the LCD screen is dead.

If the warranty is over, you could consider trying to open the laptop and check the cables-- but before doing so, I would recommend calling HP Customer Service and explaining your problem, and ask them how much the replacement screen would cost.

 

I get no picture at all. Blackness. If the cables are loose that doesnt sound to hard to fix. If it is dead i am screwed.

 

Repairing a Laptop screen though not an easy task, is cost efficient this link might give you a clue as to what is involved http://repair4laptop.org/notebook_lcd_display.html Hope that helps

 

A correction to what I stated earlier. The back light does work, I just cant see anything else.

 

so the backlight comes on, and you're certain that there is no picture, correct? (sometimes the picture is so dim that you cant really tell its there with a fualty LCD). You also might try some of HP's troubleshooting steps, particularly with the Actuator Switch

If in fact the LCD is bad, it looks like the going rate for the screen on Ebay is roughly $200. Something to consider when deciding to fix it or get a new laptop entirely.

 

I am 100% sure there is no pic. I have tried to adjust the brightness but nothing. Is there any way the laptop can tell me what is wrong? I know how to hook it up to a monitor but where would i check? Device manager? Something like that?