Help! I've broken the screen on my laptop.

Adapazari

Can someone give me some advice please?

I tripped over the power cable and my laptop fell on the floor. The screen is now out of action (don't know about the hard drive yet). I have a new laptop but I don't know how I can transfer the information from my old one (assuming it's only the screen that is broken) if I can't see what's going on via the screen. On my old laptop I have to key in a password before my desk top will appear but, obviously, I can't see the prompt to sign in.

Many thanks for any help anyone can offer.

justjohn

Use a standard external monitor and switch to external output on laptop

T_T_2

justjohn wrote: »

Use a standard external monitor and switch to external output on laptop

As above, but just to elaboate (depending on your level of experience).

Connect an external monitor (from a PC if you have one) and boot up your laptop. Depending on your laptop one of you 'F' keys will have secondary function usually illustrated by a little logo of two screens...

Switch to the external monitor by holding down the 'Fn' key and pressing the relevant 'F' key along the top. Give it a few seconds and the monitor should flicker into life. You can then back up your files from there onto an external hard drive or pendrive.

LucianH

This was also discussed a few days ago - may give you a few other pointers:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3271654

Adapazari

T_T wrote: »

As above, but just to elaboate (depending on your level of experience).

Connect an external monitor (from a PC if you have one) and boot up your laptop. Depending on your laptop one of you 'F' keys will have secondary function usually illustrated by a little logo of two screens...

Switch to the external monitor by holding down the 'Fn' key and pressing the relevant 'F' key along the top. Give it a few seconds and the monitor should flicker into life. You can then back up your files from there onto an external hard drive or pendrive.

Thanks very much. I don't have an external monitor, but I can probably use one at work (a school) tomorrow. So, there is no way I can use my new laptop to help me?

Thanks again.

Adapazari

LucianH wrote: »

This was also discussed a few days ago - may give you a few other pointers:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3271654

Thank you.

I have a small TV that I could use as a monitor, but I don't think I have the necessary cable.

Thanks anyway.

closed

You could use a usb 2.5" hard disk caddy to transfer the data, around £4

T_T_2

Adapazari wrote: »

So, there is no way I can use my new laptop to help me?

Thanks again.

It is a bit of a Yes and No answer I'm afraid.

Yes - it can be done in a number of ways, but - only in the right circumstances and it isn't that straightforward.

Firstly the advice would vary depending on your operating system (on both laptops). The ideal one would be XP. The next big factor is what happened in the last few minutes of life of your broken laptop. Did it complete a normal shutdown procedure or did it just die as a result of the fall or you hard booting it by holding down the power button?

I know you don't have an external monitor but do you by any chance have a digital projector? :rotfl:

KillerWatt

Buy yourself an external caddy that can take 2.5" hard drives, fit the hard disk from your "broken" laptop in to the caddy, connect it via the supplied USB lead to your new computer, job done!!!