Dell laptop screen goes black when charging with cord

tmes2000 · 02-28-2009, 08:45 AM

I have a Dell Vostro with windows vista. Everytime I plug in the power cord to charge the battery the screen goes black - not completely because if I hold it up to the light I can see the stuff on the screen but for all purposes it is black and I can't see what I'm doing.

This wasn't always the case. I had the laptop for a little over one year before it did this one day. Nothing had been recently changed or installed.

When I take the power cord off the screen goes back to normal in 2-3 seconds. But I can't use the laptop when it is charging.

Any ideas on what I need to change or fix?

**TriggerFinger** · 02-28-2009, 10:40 AM

Is the LCD dim/dark from power ON and you just go into BIOS settings? Try what happens if you use an external monitor.

tmes2000 · 02-28-2009, 10:53 AM

No. The laptop works fine until my battery goes low and I have to plug in the battery charger cord. As soon as I plug it in the whole screen goes dark. The computer is still running but it looks like it went to sleep and nothing I do fixes it except unplugging the cord.

**TriggerFinger** · 02-28-2009, 11:12 AM

So you mean you run on batteries all the time? Just plug in the adapter if batteries are low?

tmes2000 · 02-28-2009, 12:07 PM

I have to run on battery right now because when I plug in the laptop the screen goes dark. When the battery goes low I have no choice but to plug it in so I can recharge the battery.

**TriggerFinger** · 02-28-2009, 12:31 PM

I understand that with battery the LCD is OK but when you plug in the adapter when battery is low and needs charging the LCD will dim or blank out... how about if the adapter is plugged in from the time you power ON, is the LCD dim? Even in BIOS settings screen?

Some laptops have settings in BIOS regarding the brightness of the LCD. Still in BIOS settings, some have settings regarding power source and LCD brightness. Make sure brightness is set to maximum in both battery and ac. Also check the power options and the display options in Windows.

appppp1 · 03-23-2009, 04:42 AM

my dell inpiron 6000 started doing this just last night, it was (and is usually) mains powered, the screen just flicked off to a black screen, as if the inverter had cut out - which is something I've had to replace previously.

I thought it was the inverter again or backlight, but when this happened last time (maybe 2 years ago) the backlight was off whether or mains or battery - this time is fine on battery, but when mains connected it will cut out after a few minutes.

Any suggestions ?

02-28-2009, 08:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
tmes2000 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 3 OS: vista	Dell laptop screen goes black when charging with cord I have a Dell Vostro with windows vista. Everytime I plug in the power cord to charge the battery the screen goes black - not completely because if I hold it up to the light I can see the stuff on the screen but for all purposes it is black and I can't see what I'm doing. This wasn't always the case. I had the laptop for a little over one year before it did this one day. Nothing had been recently changed or installed. When I take the power cord off the screen goes back to normal in 2-3 seconds. But I can't use the laptop when it is charging. Any ideas on what I need to change or fix?

02-28-2009, 10:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,841 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Dell laptop screen goes black when charging with cord Is the LCD dim/dark from power ON and you just go into BIOS settings? Try what happens if you use an external monitor. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

02-28-2009, 10:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
tmes2000 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 3 OS: vista	Re: Dell laptop screen goes black when charging with cord No. The laptop works fine until my battery goes low and I have to plug in the battery charger cord. As soon as I plug it in the whole screen goes dark. The computer is still running but it looks like it went to sleep and nothing I do fixes it except unplugging the cord.

02-28-2009, 11:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,841 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Dell laptop screen goes black when charging with cord So you mean you run on batteries all the time? Just plug in the adapter if batteries are low? __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

02-28-2009, 12:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
tmes2000 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 3 OS: vista	Re: Dell laptop screen goes black when charging with cord I have to run on battery right now because when I plug in the laptop the screen goes dark. When the battery goes low I have no choice but to plug it in so I can recharge the battery.

02-28-2009, 12:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,841 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Dell laptop screen goes black when charging with cord I understand that with battery the LCD is OK but when you plug in the adapter when battery is low and needs charging the LCD will dim or blank out... how about if the adapter is plugged in from the time you power ON, is the LCD dim? Even in BIOS settings screen? Some laptops have settings in BIOS regarding the brightness of the LCD. Still in BIOS settings, some have settings regarding power source and LCD brightness. Make sure brightness is set to maximum in both battery and ac. Also check the power options and the display options in Windows. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE Last edited by TriggerFinger; 02-28-2009 at 12:53 PM.

03-23-2009, 04:42 AM	#7 (permalink)
appppp1 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1 OS: xp	Re: Dell laptop screen goes black when charging with cord my dell inpiron 6000 started doing this just last night, it was (and is usually) mains powered, the screen just flicked off to a black screen, as if the inverter had cut out - which is something I've had to replace previously. I thought it was the inverter again or backlight, but when this happened last time (maybe 2 years ago) the backlight was off whether or mains or battery - this time is fine on battery, but when mains connected it will cut out after a few minutes. Any suggestions ?