blank laptop screen

nestle · 03-13-2009, 05:27 AM

I am using a Dell laptop 1705. Lately the screen remains blank. It can come on occasionally when I reboot without the AC adapter plugged in. But only if the screen is set to balanced power. I have been connecting it to an external monitor and that works fine. System is running on VISTA. I have rebooted my brains out and have taken the battery out for several minutes.
Do I have a software or hardware problem? Nothing like having a laptop you can't take with you.

Mikhalkov · 03-13-2009, 12:09 PM

It sounds like something is wrong with the LCD screen, like the back-light has gone out. Try this - When your screen is blank, take a flashlight and shine it at the screen at a 45 degree angle. If you see what should normally be there (the desktop), then your back-light has probably gone out and you will have to get it replaced.

**TriggerFinger** · 03-13-2009, 12:12 PM

That... or may be the inverter.

nestle · 03-13-2009, 04:38 PM

Actually I can vaguely make out the desktop if I hold my mouth a certain way...Thanks much for the help, I'll get that checked.

03-13-2009, 05:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
nestle Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2 OS: vista	blank laptop screen I am using a Dell laptop 1705. Lately the screen remains blank. It can come on occasionally when I reboot without the AC adapter plugged in. But only if the screen is set to balanced power. I have been connecting it to an external monitor and that works fine. System is running on VISTA. I have rebooted my brains out and have taken the battery out for several minutes. Do I have a software or hardware problem? Nothing like having a laptop you can't take with you.

03-13-2009, 12:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mikhalkov Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 415 OS: Windows XP SP3	Re: blank laptop screen It sounds like something is wrong with the LCD screen, like the back-light has gone out. Try this - When your screen is blank, take a flashlight and shine it at the screen at a 45 degree angle. If you see what should normally be there (the desktop), then your back-light has probably gone out and you will have to get it replaced. __________________ "I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year." -1957 "Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." -1949

03-13-2009, 12:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,853 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: blank laptop screen That... or may be the inverter. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

03-13-2009, 04:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
nestle Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2 OS: vista	Re: blank laptop screen Actually I can vaguely make out the desktop if I hold my mouth a certain way...Thanks much for the help, I'll get that checked.