Disclaimer:

All comments posted to this web site are opinions expressed by the poster and/or the owner of this web site. The owner is not responsible for comments or repairs to computers that others may do. I will  warn you that you may be violating your computer manufacture's warrantee for certain things. Be sure to read it before opening your computer case!

I work hard to expand this free information.

You may express your gratitude by donating with your help supporting the server costs and help keeping the section alive.

Dell Laptop Display Has Gone Too Dim to See

by Kathi
(Boise, ID)

Hi...

Yesterday I awoke to no display on my laptop screen.

It had been fine when I went to bed the night before. Laptop has been running fine, maybe a bit slower lately, but it is over 2 years old and I give it hard use building my websites and more.

I hooked the laptop up to an external monitor and it will not display there either.

I do see the screen flash briefly (on both machines) when I use Fn/F8 to switch, but it only lasts for a half second or so and then goes back to black. If I shine a flashlight on the laptop screen, I can make out my desktop, but barely.

I am no hardware expert, but I'm not afraid to tinker, so I'm willing to try fixing this myself. My problem is I don't understand what's wrong. I've done some research and looked through the Dell support forums, but I'm still not sure.

Does this sound like an inverter issue? Or do you think is it something else?

Any light you can shed on my problem would be GREATLY appreciated.

Sidenote I LOVE all your warnings on this page about how to format questions... I have the same thing on my scooter site... not that it helps much. Hope you're making out better than me! :)

Thanks in advance... Kathi

Comments for
Dell Laptop Display Has Gone Too Dim to See

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Aug 31, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Laptop Video chip set bad?
by: Support

Hello Kathi,

If the internal video is hard to see then you connected an external monitor that works to the laptop and it is also hard to see I would surmise that the embedded video on the motherboard is about to fail.

Try this:

Sometimes the manufacutre has video settings for brightness in the BIOS setup (IBM and ASUS have these settings).

Check the BIOS settings for the Video in the BIOS, it has been a while since I have seen a Dell BIOS set up so you will have to look around to see if there are any settings.

If the BIOS doesn't have any settings or the changing the settings doesn't remedy your problem I would say the motherboard needs to be changed.

The question is: Is it cheaper to buy a new computer than swaping out the motherboard?

Hope this helps ...

P.S.
I didn't get an email notification on this submission, sorry for the delay in answering it.
Aug 31, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks, But...
by: Kathi

Thanks for your suggestion. Not sure how to check the BIOS though if I can't see anything on the screen. I can try with the flashlight, but it's doubtful. Not good news about the motherboard.

So you definitely don't think it's as easy as replacing the inverter module or the backlight, huh?
Aug 31, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Dell Laptop BIOS
by: Support

Hello Kathi,

I don't remember the key press to get in to a Dell BIOS Setup.

With the external monitor attached do you see anything before the Operating System starts?

If you don't then I would say the embedded video on the motherboard has failed.

The inverter is only for the internal display, the external display (monitor) comes directly from the video chip set thus by passing the internal dispaly/inverter.

Check your laptop manual or Dell's web site to get to the key press for the BIOS Setup.

While in the BIOS Setup all settings are at default so if it is a brightness setting the BIOS will display at normal settings.

Hope this helps ...
Aug 31, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Bad News...
by: Kathi

Oh, this is not good news! Don't really have the money to spend on either a new motherboard or a new laptop at present. Darn!

I tried going into the BIOS, but I can't even see that on the screen without the bright flashlight and then only barely. I wasn't able to see the Brightness command at all. My laptop seems to be really sick. :(

Thanks for your help...

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Q and A

Return to top

From the Desert South West ~ Arizona, USA
Copyright DIY-Computer-Repair.Com 2006-2011

powered-by-sbi



My Twitter! xml-rss Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN Add to Google AddThis Social Bookmark Button My StumbleUpon Page Computer Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory

Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape

www.diy-computer-repair.com BBB Business Review




DIY Insiders
Enter Email
Enter password


Fire that geek that is messing up your computer, you can do a better job.

Finally geek secrets revealed then translated in to everyday English!

Self Computer Repair Unleashed! E-book

The Official  www.diy-computer-repair.com Reference manuals

Get yours Today!


Home

E-Courses!

DIY Computer Repair Five Part E-Course

A seven part Advanced E-Course on computer repair for you!

Would you like to Over Clock your cpu and/or memory with out destroying them? Here is an E-Course that will show you how to do it!

What do you think of when you hear virtual computing?

Fix It! Your
DIY Computer Repair
Newsletter!
Click here to get your copy of Fix It!


Windows 7
is coming to a
computer near you!
Don't be left
wondering
what to do!
On Release day the free e-book will not be available and the price may go up!
Order your
copy of
Windows 7
Ultimate
Guide now!


My Twitter!

Please donate $5