Laptop Issues

[BronXBombers51]

I have a Dell Inspiron 1521.

All of a sudden today the screen just went black and wouldn't come back. I moved the mouse around, hit the keyboard, hit the power button, etc. and it just did nothing. The laptop was still running and the screen was still backlit.

Let me repeat that part...I've had the screen die out on me before. I've replaced it twice already over the years. So I know what it's like when it goes out. This was different. The screen is clearly still backlit, it's just black, as if I had a blank screensaver.

After a while I unplugged it and took the battery out to kill the power, and then restarted it. The screen was fine for the load-up screen and then went out again in the same fashion. I killed the power again and restarted. It worked fine for about 15 minutes, then the same thing happened. Restarted again and it's working as I type this message.

Does anyone know what might be up with it? Again, I've had the screen die out before. The screen seems to work fine, it's something else that seems to be making it go black.

[jfg]

I had that same exact thing happen with an HP and I never found out what it was. I called HP support and they just told me the whole laptop needed to be replaced.

[BronXBombers51]

Well I'm out of warranty so that would suck a lot.

[lastingsgriller]

My last computer, a dell, succumbed to a similar death not too long after the warranty expired. (about a year after)..

there was some visibility on the screen, so most likely a different issue. pissed me right off, though.

[davidmarver]

Well I'm out of warranty so that would suck a lot.

Are you able to view on another screen? (For example, connect a projector to it and see if you get any output).

Could be a number of things...many of which I have fixed in the past.

[BronXBombers51]

Well I'm out of warranty so that would suck a lot.

Are you able to view on another screen? (For example, connect a projector to it and see if you get any output).

Could be a number of things...many of which I have fixed in the past.

Nope, plugged it into my TV when it was working and as soon as the laptop screen went out, so did the TV.

BUT, for what it's worth, it hasn't happened again since the night I posted this thread. *fingers crossed*

[silentjim]

Well I'm out of warranty so that would suck a lot.

Are you able to view on another screen? (For example, connect a projector to it and see if you get any output).

Could be a number of things...many of which I have fixed in the past.

Nope, plugged it into my TV when it was working and as soon as the laptop screen went out, so did the TV.

BUT, for what it's worth, it hasn't happened again since the night I posted this thread. *fingers crossed*

Might want to make sure you graphics driver is up to date. I think I had a problem with an nvidia one quite a few year backs on an old laptop that was similar to what you're reporting.

[davidmarver]

Sounds more like a physical issue than a technical one. Ie, you could have a loose wire. If you have the ability to: try using the laptop in a static location for an extended period of time. If you use it like a desktop for awhile -- and don't move it -- and you experience the issue at some point, then it clearly wouldn't be an issue of a fragile component.