nothing on laptop screen help please

Dopey_Dora_42

Hi
My laptop turns on but nothing is showing on the screen- it was working perfectly a little while ago. I tried turning off and on, running down the battery but still nothing. The laptop is whirring. (im usung hubbys at the moment)
Any ideas anyone please?
Dora xx

Browntoa

you can try connecting it to an external monitor (normal LCD screen) via the VGA connector, right on this image



and normally the FN key and F4 or F5 ( one with a small screen icon)

if it works to the external monitor then its possibly the Laptop screen , invertor or the cable

Dopey_Dora_42

Thank you-I have tried another screen and still nothing!

robmar0se

Browntoa et al will be able to give more help if you tell us what make/model the laptop is, and what version of Windows you are using.

Also make sure you know which keys to use with the external monitor - on my Toshiba it is Fn + F10 - you can also try if unsure, takiing your lappie into a dark room, and see if you can make out any ghost of an image on the screen?

Lastly what happens when you start in safemode (pressing F8 on startup).

Dopey_Dora_42

Im gonna try the other screen we have- my laptop is a samsung x65.
If that doesnt work I shall try doing F8 so I will be back . Thank you

robmar0se

Its Fn + F4 on my wife's samsung

Also you're running Vista? Right? Are you on service pack 2?

Dopey_Dora_42

I managed to get something up on alternative screen which was a load of fgn letters and saw start normally pressed enter on laptop keyboard and the windows XP logo went through then nothing. Tried again and after windows logo went by a bright blue page flashed up with lots of writing on but didnt stay long enough for me to see what it said.

Dopey_Dora_42

Laptop runs windows XP

robmar0se

can you get into safe mode (F8) - never quite sure but if you can, hopefully there is an option to turn off automatic restart - if it works it will stop when you get the flashing screen - the key info start 0x000000nn ( etc) - the nn is important.....

Esqui

Also, try holding down the Fn key when you turn the laptop on. (This worked on an Acer laptop a while back)

Dopey_Dora_42

Tried the above and it comes up with lots of white gothis style lettering filling the screen. It allows me to choose safe mode then it goes into overdrive with writing for a few seconds then a blank screen!!!