Member Avatar for debpmom

I have gateway laptop nv54 turned computer on this morning screen black. i removed battery and held power button for 30 secs plugged back in still no screen. i took out ram and put it back in. didnt work. HELP!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by flipsheldon

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— since you and already covered the basic power/reset and a quick RAM reseat, and you reported the fan spins with a steady blue LED and a momentary red LED, the machine is getting power but not producing usable video. Below is a short, practical sequence to narrow the fault without repeating what you've already tried.

  1. Isolate RAM: if the laptop has two sticks, remove one and try each stick alone in each slot. A bad stick or slot can stop POST even though fans run.
  2. Listen and watch for POST indicators: many laptops use beep codes or keyboard-LED blink patterns. If you have the internal speaker, note any beeps. If keyboard LEDs toggle but no display, that usually points to the screen/backlight, not the CPU/memory.
  3. Backlight check (quick, no parts needed): shine a bright flashlight very close to the screen at an angle while the laptop is on. If you can just make out a faint desktop or BIOS text, the panel backlight or inverter/cable is the culprit. If nothing appears, move to the next step.
  4. External monitor and minimal boot: try a known-good external display (VGA/HDMI). If the external shows output, the display assembly or LVDS/eDP cable is bad. If external is also blank, suspect motherboard/GPU. Before opening the case, try booting with all removable drives and extras disconnected to force a simple POST.
  5. If you open it: photograph connector positions first, discharge yourself, and gently reseat the display cable at both the panel and the motherboard. Inspect for bent pins, corrosion, or torn cable. If under warranty or unsure, stop and seek a shop.

If the flashlight/test + external monitor point to the panel or cable, those parts are relatively inexpensive to replace. If the board/GPU is failing (no POST, no external output), repair cost often exceeds an older laptop’s value and professional diagnosis is recommended.

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Member Avatar for flipsheldon

Plug to power outlet and take out the battery, then hold and start the power button for 10-20 sec... once done put back the battery again.. hope this will helps...

Member Avatar for debpmom

Hi Flip thanks for response. tried that just now didnt work. hmm What could it be? worked fine before. could something of overheated? Fan comes starts. blue light on left corner. red light top left comes on for a sec

Member Avatar for flipsheldon

... if it doesn't work well try this one when you turn on the unit press the capslock key and see if it illuminates light.. if it does then the problem is somewhere on you LCD.. another one try to connect an external monitor and see if the video is working..if it does then it might be on the inverter of your LCD, cable or the LCD itself...

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