Weird issue with my computer

[o-BacklasH-o]

For some reason out of nowhere my laptop screen will go completely black while I'm browsing web or using it. Everything is still on (music, the web sites opened, the keyboard still lights up), but the screen will not display anything. This has happened once in each of the last two days and thank God I wasn't working on something or I would have thrown it out the window lol. Any ideas? I am thinking maybe a loose connection inside the motherboard.

[CZambrano]

preventative maintenance! my abnormally strong right-handed friend!

 

 

[Rockman35]

Smoke I can't say for sure becasue I don't own a laptop but I have heard from friends of a loose connection in the hinge area of laptops....so like if you leave your laptop on and close it..the screen turns off..kinda like the old light in the fridge!!!

[Chili327]

^^ Yea exactly.! ^^

[Rage75]

Smoke is it shutting down or just the screen goes to black then comes back and has what you were viewing ?

[o-BacklasH-o]

-Rage- ]

Smoke is it shutting down or just the screen goes to black then comes back and has what you were viewing ?

 

The screen goes black and nothing will display after that point and I have to remove the battery to be able to use the computer again.

[Rage75]

ouch ... does this randomly happen or is it always after 10,20 minutes? Is it always when a certain program is running ?

[o-BacklasH-o]

-Rage- ]

ouch ... does this randomly happen or is it always after 10,20 minutes? Is it always when a certain program is running ?

 

It's only happened 3 times so far, but it is completely random. I was browsing the web on Firefox though all three times.

[Guest NEO-X]

Ive had to repair the back light on a few laptops in the past, and quite frankly.. the fix has been a new lcd.

 

Im not saying that this is your problem, but my question is.. is it black as in like the screen is completely off? or is it black with the back light still on (sorta like a dull gray)

 

This might help in figuring out whats wrong.

 

Also, when your screen does go off. is this when you have it say on your lap? or is it on a table stationary, and then it shuts off?

[Chili327]

I blame Firefox

[o-BacklasH-o]

Neo when it goes off you can still see the outlines of the program boxes that you were running, but they're really faint amidst an almost completely black screen. Now this is happening every 5 minutes or so and I restarted one last time and it is now going black at the Windows XP loading screen :-X. I am going to call Dell tomorrow and have a Tech come out.

[krazyeyedkevin]

So then its clearly the backlight only and not the whole display if you can still See everything on the screen.

[GOAT]

LOL "have a tech from Dell come out?"

 

they won't come out.. (I think Micheal Dell's still in the closet)

 

they will send you a box and have you ship it to them.. then they will take out your hard drive slap it in another unit and send it back to you.. give or take 3-6 weeks... that's if it's still under warrantee. If not I can give you the info on a place in Michigan that does Dell laptop repairs at a good low rate.

 

If it was purchased at Best Buy you could let the Geek squad send it in for you.. but they will basically do the same thing, you just won't have to wait for the box to get send out to you.

 

With laptops it's best to not try self repairs. the LCD stranded cable as well as the touch panel cable can snap loose.. when it does it's damn near impossible to get the plastic connector strip back in unless you have the prober tool. Also almost everything that may need fixing on a laptop requires cracking the entire unit down.. pain in the arse.. of course it can be done.. just make sure you do it on a large work surface and lay out everything as you take it apart... sort of like rebuilding a transmission.. it all has to go back together in the right order.

[Guest NEO-X]

Yeah.. the tech from India will be mailed to you (no offense to any actual indian's)

 

Bu yeah.. back light issues suck bro.... i mean you could buy the lcd from ebay (I've done it before, but if your not good w/ hardware.. then have a pro do it... )

 

Just sucks, cuz you'll probably get raped on price.. but for the record, any hardware maint. on laptops is a complete bitch cuz its so damn cramped in there

[o-BacklasH-o]

I won't be paying a G** D*** dime for that BS. I bought a $1500 warranty for a reason and it's paid for itself 3 times over since I bought the computer 3 years ago. It is a complete 4 year accident care warranty and they HAVE to come out and fix anything on it that is broken whether it's my fault or not. That Dell tech will be here tomorrow from 12-4 PM ;D. The Techs have been to my pad so many times we are on a first name basis (not really, but you get my point).

 

Also I have a perfectly fine Toshiba laptop that I broke out of the box last night which was a gift for the Ex Girlfriend who I was dating before Christmas time.

[Guest NEO-X]

^^nice.. i bet your glad you paid for that this then.. LOL

[o-BacklasH-o]

NEO-X ]

^^nice.. i bet your glad you paid for that this then.. LOL

 

Oh ya. I saw the warranty option and thought "yeah I'm going to need this." Sure enough the first month I had it I spill water all over it shorting out the keyboard, motherboard, and mouse pad lol.

[SEQUOYAH]

I bought the same thing when I bought my Dell, Smoke. I had sent mine in 3 times within a 6 month period because the mother board kept going out. This was 3 years into the deal. I finally called and pissed and moaned long enough, that they sent me out a brand new laptop, widescreen, and probably 10 more features that wasn't on my other one. lol

 

Warranty is always the best way to go.

[o-BacklasH-o]

The Tech diagnosed the problem and he will be back Friday. He'll be replacing the entire LCD and hinges.

[o-BacklasH-o]

What's funny is my laptop is working fine (For now) and hasn't had the issue since yesterday. I will still be leaving it here for fixing while I'm out of town (My neighbor will be holding on to it while I am gone and the Tech will be fixing it there, yeah I love cool neighbors ).