help labtop just gone very dark
 

hi i was just on my labtop and its gone very very dark i can just see what im doing how do i get it back to how it was

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

possible backlight failure? have you tried rebooting it?

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

yer i done that 2 times

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

is the screen dark through post?

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

what it looks like is the brightness but im pressing the button to go up but it woun't is there any orther way to get to it

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

As Zing says backlight failure,

Try gently tapping the screen surround (not the screen itself) with a fingertip and see if you get anything on..

If yes then could be a dry joint/loose connection.. If not then could be a blown bulb and/or blown dc/dc board..

The board you should be able to get on ebay, the bulb depends on if it's built in or seperate to the screen

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

ill try that now if i put my labtop with the screen on the ground i can just see what im going on

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

If you have a spare screen available try plugging that into the blue VGA port on the laptop. Power off before connecting the screen.

If you can get a picture on that screen it will confirm that it's not a problem with the graphics card.

My money's on backlight failure as well.

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

[pedantic mode on]Nothing to do with the card ;) just the display. Standard symptoms of a non-working backlight is still a full display, just very dark and extremely hard to see.

External vga will only tell the OP if the graphics card is working.. OP's already confirmed that with his "its gone very very dark i can just see what im doing" comment

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

yer its the back light failure say if its a lose wire can i do this myself or do i have to take it to get it mended

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

Loose wire and/or dc/dc board (of you have a replacement) can be sorted by removing the screen bezel (normally 4+ screws and a load of plastic clips..

I used to have a pair of very wide ground down wafer tweezers for prying open the clips but even then it's extremely easy to break a clip.

Also remember that the dc/dc board does carry quite a high voltage (normally 2KV working at HF with about double that for starting) so you can get serious shocks off them

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

i think it will be the wire came out would u say it easy to plug back in or am i best taking it to somewhere like pc world

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

So it's not possible to adjust the Gfx settings to make the screen darker?

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

You can make the screen darker, but the backlight stays the same, all you're doing is darkening the pixels by using the gfx controls

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

If the laptop (what type is it?) has toggle functions on the keyboard to cycle through graphic output to laptop screen/external monitor screen/both try that a few times. Also, if it's an older laptop have you recently upgraded it to sp3?

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

I wouldn't take it to PC World they will rip you off big time, take it to a local PC repair shop

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

Send it to Zing, imma sure he will menderise it for a very competitive fee, and yes that is a word :angel:

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

theres others on here specialise in laptops. Zrbyte I think for example. Thanks for the refference though :)

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

PC World don't repair laptop screens, they charge to replace them.
Daughter had similar problem with her laptop, 250pounds was the quote!!!
Brian

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

Mine does this if I tilt the screen too far back, I have to have the screen no more than 90deg angle from the keyboard, really annoying

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

That's just a broken ribbon connector or the end connections have a dry joint..

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

Oh Kymmy, you make it sound so simple :D Im going to have to try and fix it its driving me nuts. Im 6ft2 so when Im stood up in the kitchen with it on the worktop I cant tilt the bloody thing up, I have to crouch right down to see the screen

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

Ribbon cables are impossible to fix (they're designed to constantly flex where most repair methods are not), you need to replace, but they should be on ebay and/or via the manufacturer.

Most laptops have a removable strip just above the keyboard, if you feel competant enough then remove the strip and you should see the bottom half of the ribbon/cable connectors that go to the screeen. Gently probe them and also the cable itself with a piece of small plastic with the screen in the working and also in the fault position and you may be able to alter the state of the fault. If so then you know which cable/connector it is.

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

Thanks Kymmy but I stopped reading at that point :p: Ive looked on the net how to take this laptop apart and it looks a right PITA. Didnt know Id prob need a new cable, looks like I'll just put up with it

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

or get someone to have a look

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

im going to have a look at it myself tonight which part do i have to un screw

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

thats like I saying I got a car how do i remove the gearbox

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

It might not be as easy as you think. I looked in the manual for mine online to change the keyboard and clean the fan. I never bothered after seeing all the work involved. maybe Im just lazy

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

how do u take the back off it as ive taken all the screws out

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

The back doesn't normally come off as that provides support between the lcd and the screen..

It's the screen surround that is normally removable.. by hidden clips that are easily broken

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

so which bit do i need 2 take off?

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

The screen surround

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

where do i find the screws 4 that bit

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

they are normally under rubber stoppers

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

got it off which wire is it

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

That one...

In other words every laptop is different...

:rolleyes:

Just make sure all the wires are properly seated.. If no luck after that it's probably a duff invertor board or the lamp itself has broke/blown

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

ive done it thank u for all your help the bulb has gone

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

and you know this how? is it obvious?

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

the bulb gone in my friends labtop befor i un pluged it and pluged it back in and northing so i think it defo be the bulb thanks again for your help

Re: help labtop just gone very dark
 

??? So it's the bulb and not the DC/DC invertor board?

Amazing, how did you test the board??