laptop screen doesn't always power on--help

amethystshells · 03-30-2006, 10:14 PM

I have a gateway 450rog laptop. It's a couple years old, but has never been dropped or anything. A few weeks ago it started doing this: i press the power button and the hard drive and fan come on. However, the screen doesn't come on and the fan stays on (normally the fan immediately turns off after the screen comes on).

I have to hold down the power button to turn it off and then i press it again. Sometimes the screen doesn't come on until the third try. Sometimes it doesn't do this, but it seems to be getting worse.

Any ideas what is causing this?

ebackhus · 03-31-2006, 08:24 AM

When everything comes on, except the screen, try shining a flashlight at it. If you can see a faint image of what should normally be on there then you may have a failing flourescent light tube.

amethystshells · 03-31-2006, 05:17 PM

I'll try that next time. The lights on the keyboard also don't come up when that happens, if that means anything.

If it's what you think it is, how would i fix that?

amethystshells · 04-08-2006, 02:20 PM

My laptop finally did it again. I grabbed a flashlight but i didn't see anything. It done the same thing, where the fan stays on and none of the lights come up on the laptop. What else might be causing only the hard drive to come on when i press the power button? (and it isn't the power button cause it's happened before when i've restarted)

ashlen · 04-13-2006, 04:07 AM

hi guys,im new here...im having the same problem with my mecer laptop...failing flourescent tube...how do i go about correcting it?

amethystshells · 04-24-2006, 08:23 PM

well that isn't my problem because i couldn't see a thing with the flashlight. So, anybody know what might be wrong?

BenHart007 · 04-27-2006, 11:03 AM

Possibly failing motherboard?? That could explain both the BSOD and LCD issues...

BenHart007 · 04-27-2006, 11:04 AM

Possibly failing motherboard?? That could explain both the BSOD and LCD issues...

Have you ever tried booting off a cd or floppy taking the hdd and OS out of the equation?

amethystshells · 05-09-2006, 05:00 PM

no, i haven't tried that cause it doesn't do it every time. Only sometimes. And sometimes it does it twice in a row. I don't know if i should just buy a new one, or what.

**hwm54112** · 05-10-2006, 12:38 PM

Have you tried plugging it into an external monitor? Dont know about the ramifications of plugging it into a tv while turned on but you could do it on one of those occassions where it takes several restarts. I realize that you don't know when it will happen, but it's worth a try

amethystshells · 05-19-2006, 10:32 PM

I tried plugging up an external monitor when it did it again today. The external monitor didn't come on either.

So, now what? Any ideas to fix this or should i buy a new laptop?

**hwm54112** · 05-20-2006, 12:12 AM

Obviously it's not the display. I haven't heard of it lately, but years ago "chip creep" was prevalent primarily on video cards because of the additional heat generated, greater heat=greater expansion and contraction and the chips would creep out of their sockets and cause the exact symptoms you're describing on desktops. Don't know enough about your laptop, but it may be worth it to open it up and press on the video chips

**Terrister** · 05-20-2006, 07:54 AM

Faulty memory could do this. Try running this.
http://www.memtest86.com/

amethystshells · 05-21-2006, 08:58 AM

now, it's started freezing up on the gateway screen that comes up before the windows screen--the one to enter the bios.

It does this a lot, and i have to enter setup and choose boot from main drive to get it to go on to windows.

amethystshells · 05-21-2006, 10:11 AM

The laptop seems to have separate compartments on the bottom of it. How do i know what to open and what does the video things look like that you're suggesting i press on? That problem did start after the computer got really hot one day, so it does make sense that could be the problem.

I have burned several discs of the memtest thing, with it unzipped, with it zipped... No matter what i do, i can't get the thing to load when i restart the computer with the disc in. I don't have a floppy drive, just a cd burner. Can someone tell me some better instructions?

**Terrister** · 05-21-2006, 10:34 AM

Download the Memtest iso image and use your burning software to make a bootable cd.

amethystshells · 05-21-2006, 11:17 AM

Still isn't working. I don't know what i'm doing, you know. I'm using nero 6 and i chose the boot option. i did it as an image. But i didn't drag over any files before burning it. Didn't know if i was supposed to.

Before i waste any more discs, can someone please give me more detailed instructions???????

**hwm54112** · 05-21-2006, 11:53 AM

Open Nero
“What would you like to burn?” > Select disc image

In the open box, at the top> Look In-change to the directory where you saved the iso image

At the bottom-in the “files of type box”-select “image files”

Highlight the image

Click open

Click next

Here’s a link to your computer 450ROG

Look under product view>bottom view>hardware reset. Push the reset button in with a paper clip. Might straighten out that bios boot issue you are having (actually both issues you seem to be having)

amethystshells · 05-21-2006, 04:39 PM

I was using the nero burning rom, not nero express, is why i was having so much trouble. i got it burned and used it, but after over an hour of the program running, the program restarted from the beginning. arggg. i turned it off.

I tried the reset button. I'm still having the same problems.

**Terrister** · 05-21-2006, 05:40 PM

The memtest has to run a long time. The best way to do it is let it run overnight.

03-30-2006, 10:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
amethystshells Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 17 OS: Win XP	laptop screen doesn't always power on--help I have a gateway 450rog laptop. It's a couple years old, but has never been dropped or anything. A few weeks ago it started doing this: i press the power button and the hard drive and fan come on. However, the screen doesn't come on and the fan stays on (normally the fan immediately turns off after the screen comes on). I have to hold down the power button to turn it off and then i press it again. Sometimes the screen doesn't come on until the third try. Sometimes it doesn't do this, but it seems to be getting worse. Any ideas what is causing this?

03-31-2006, 08:24 AM	#2 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,147 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	When everything comes on, except the screen, try shining a flashlight at it. If you can see a faint image of what should normally be on there then you may have a failing flourescent light tube. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

04-13-2006, 04:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
ashlen Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 1 OS: XP	help please hi guys,im new here...im having the same problem with my mecer laptop...failing flourescent tube...how do i go about correcting it?

05-20-2006, 07:54 AM	#13 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,098 OS: Xp	Faulty memory could do this. Try running this. http://www.memtest86.com/ __________________

05-21-2006, 08:58 AM	#14 (permalink)
amethystshells Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 17 OS: Win XP	now, it's started freezing up on the gateway screen that comes up before the windows screen--the one to enter the bios. It does this a lot, and i have to enter setup and choose boot from main drive to get it to go on to windows. Last edited by amethystshells; 05-21-2006 at 08:59 AM. Reason: typo

03-31-2006, 05:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
amethystshells Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 17 OS: Win XP	I'll try that next time. The lights on the keyboard also don't come up when that happens, if that means anything. If it's what you think it is, how would i fix that?

04-08-2006, 02:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
amethystshells Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 17 OS: Win XP	My laptop finally did it again. I grabbed a flashlight but i didn't see anything. It done the same thing, where the fan stays on and none of the lights come up on the laptop. What else might be causing only the hard drive to come on when i press the power button? (and it isn't the power button cause it's happened before when i've restarted)

04-24-2006, 08:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
amethystshells Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 17 OS: Win XP	well that isn't my problem because i couldn't see a thing with the flashlight. So, anybody know what might be wrong?

04-27-2006, 11:03 AM	#7 (permalink)
BenHart007 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: AR Posts: 7 OS: XP Pro	Possibly failing motherboard?? That could explain both the BSOD and LCD issues...

04-27-2006, 11:04 AM	#8 (permalink)
BenHart007 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: AR Posts: 7 OS: XP Pro	Possibly failing motherboard?? That could explain both the BSOD and LCD issues... Have you ever tried booting off a cd or floppy taking the hdd and OS out of the equation?

05-09-2006, 05:00 PM	#9 (permalink)
amethystshells Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 17 OS: Win XP	no, i haven't tried that cause it doesn't do it every time. Only sometimes. And sometimes it does it twice in a row. I don't know if i should just buy a new one, or what.

05-10-2006, 12:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
hwm54112 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,233 OS: WINXP	Have you tried plugging it into an external monitor? Dont know about the ramifications of plugging it into a tv while turned on but you could do it on one of those occassions where it takes several restarts. I realize that you don't know when it will happen, but it's worth a try

05-19-2006, 10:32 PM	#11 (permalink)
amethystshells Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 17 OS: Win XP	I tried plugging up an external monitor when it did it again today. The external monitor didn't come on either. So, now what? Any ideas to fix this or should i buy a new laptop?

05-20-2006, 12:12 AM	#12 (permalink)
hwm54112 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,233 OS: WINXP	Obviously it's not the display. I haven't heard of it lately, but years ago "chip creep" was prevalent primarily on video cards because of the additional heat generated, greater heat=greater expansion and contraction and the chips would creep out of their sockets and cause the exact symptoms you're describing on desktops. Don't know enough about your laptop, but it may be worth it to open it up and press on the video chips

05-21-2006, 10:11 AM	#15 (permalink)
amethystshells Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 17 OS: Win XP	The laptop seems to have separate compartments on the bottom of it. How do i know what to open and what does the video things look like that you're suggesting i press on? That problem did start after the computer got really hot one day, so it does make sense that could be the problem. I have burned several discs of the memtest thing, with it unzipped, with it zipped... No matter what i do, i can't get the thing to load when i restart the computer with the disc in. I don't have a floppy drive, just a cd burner. Can someone tell me some better instructions? Last edited by amethystshells; 05-21-2006 at 10:18 AM. Reason: to add info

05-21-2006, 10:34 AM	#16 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,098 OS: Xp	Download the Memtest iso image and use your burning software to make a bootable cd. __________________

05-21-2006, 11:17 AM	#17 (permalink)
amethystshells Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 17 OS: Win XP	Still isn't working. I don't know what i'm doing, you know. I'm using nero 6 and i chose the boot option. i did it as an image. But i didn't drag over any files before burning it. Didn't know if i was supposed to. Before i waste any more discs, can someone please give me more detailed instructions???????

05-21-2006, 11:53 AM	#18 (permalink)
hwm54112 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,233 OS: WINXP	Open Nero “What would you like to burn?” > Select disc image In the open box, at the top> Look In-change to the directory where you saved the iso image At the bottom-in the “files of type box”-select “image files” Highlight the image Click open Click next Here’s a link to your computer 450ROG Look under product view>bottom view>hardware reset. Push the reset button in with a paper clip. Might straighten out that bios boot issue you are having (actually both issues you seem to be having)

05-21-2006, 04:39 PM	#19 (permalink)
amethystshells Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 17 OS: Win XP	I was using the nero burning rom, not nero express, is why i was having so much trouble. i got it burned and used it, but after over an hour of the program running, the program restarted from the beginning. arggg. i turned it off. I tried the reset button. I'm still having the same problems.

05-21-2006, 05:40 PM	#20 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,098 OS: Xp	The memtest has to run a long time. The best way to do it is let it run overnight. __________________