Laptop No Longer Lights Up.

[Techno22]

This is a first post, and I hope that it is in the right place.
My Toshiba XP Laptop no longer lights up.
Info is there and is working, but almost impossible to see.
Got it working a few times by quickly opening and shutting the lid, but no longer works.
Anyone know what the problem is or what it should cost.
I am in Dublin.
Thanks.

[caperjack]

This is a first post, and I hope that it is in the right place.
My Toshiba XP Laptop no longer lights up.
Info is there and is working, but almost impossible to see.
Got it working a few times by quickly opening and shutting the lid, but no longer works.
Anyone know what the problem is or what it should cost.
I am in Dublin.
Thanks.

sounds like the lcd monitor is gone ,or back lite if it has one ,reall you need to take or send it for repair ,hard to tell from here what it really is ,have you tried hooking it to a PC monitor

[Dukane]

I'm going to agree with caperjack on this one. Sounds like your LCD backlight has burned out. They only last so long. You should contact the manufacturer for assistance.

[Techno22]

I'm going to agree with caperjack on this one. Sounds like your LCD backlight has burned out. They only last so long. You should contact the manufacturer for assistance.

Thanks Dukane.

[Techno22]

sounds like the lcd monitor is gone ,or back lite if it has one ,reall you need to take or send it for repair ,hard to tell from here what it really is ,have you tried hooking it to a PC monitor

Thanks caperjack.
It does look like it is cable or backlight according to most people.
Any repair shop I have tried wants 100 Euro - non refundable - just to look at it, here in Dublin.
It might be too costly to repair.
I don't own a monitor.

[caperjack]

Thanks caperjack.
It does look like it is cable or backlight according to most people.
Any repair shop I have tried wants 100 Euro - non refundable - just to look at it, here in Dublin.
It might be too costly to repair.
I don't own a monitor.

yeah it is a costly repair ,and new/used lcd can cost 150.00 us or more on e-bay and even more if you buy it from the maker of the laptop.

[Techno22]

yeah it is a costly repair ,and new/used lcd can cost 150.00 us or more on e-bay and even more if you buy it from the maker of the laptop.

Many thanks.
Yeah, it is very costly.
Toshiba said it could cost between 150 and 300 Euro.
They would take the initial service charge off that, but it would still be very expensive.
I could get a newer machine with higher specs for around 399 now, but I really like the current machine and have used it day in and day out for nearly 4 years.
Wish I could get it fixed at a reasonable price.
That might be possible if it is just the cable.
But I have to commit the 100 Euro just to find out.
And if I decide not to proceed because of the cost then the 100 Euro is gone.

[caperjack]

Many thanks.
Yeah, it is very costly.
Toshiba said it could cost between 150 and 300 Euro.
They would take the initial service charge off that, but it would still be very expensive.
I could get a newer machine with higher specs for around 399 now, but I really like the current machine and have used it day in and day out for nearly 4 years.
Wish I could get it fixed at a reasonable price.
That might be possible if it is just the cable.
But I have to commit the 100 Euro just to find out.
And if I decide not to proceed because of the cost then the 100 Euro is gone.

yeah lot of money for sure ,i live in canada ,and fix computer in my spare time .reload window and much more for about 35$ cdn

,and local shop near me,where i help out , would take your laptop and try hooking it to a pc monitor and if it worked tell you that you needed a new lcd ,[they are not into fixing laptop hardware ,except ram and hdd]if you were a regular customer of theirs they would not charge you for the diagnostic ,or maybe charge you 10 or 20 dollars

[Bob_180_Bob]

Try a friend of yours somewhere who has a desktop PC and just try is monitor plugged into your laptop...no charge.

[Techno22]

yeah lot of money for sure ,i live in canada ,and fix computer in my spare time .reload window and much more for about 35$ cdn

,and local shop near me,where i help out , would take your laptop and try hooking it to a pc monitor and if it worked tell you that you needed a new lcd ,[they are not into fixing laptop hardware ,except ram and hdd]if you were a regular customer of theirs they would not charge you for the diagnostic ,or maybe charge you 10 or 20 dollars

Wish I lived in Canada!
But you can see the dilemma - that 100 Euro could go off a new machine, rather than going down the tube if the old one costs too much to fix and the 100 Euro has to be forfeited.

[caperjack]

Wish I lived in Canada!
But you can see the dilemma - that 100 Euro could go off a new machine, rather than going down the tube if the old one costs too much to fix and the 100 Euro has to be forfeited.

yeah ,but like bob says in above post ,you could hook it to a friends or neighbors monitor and see if it still has video.
and not all shops here are as cheap as the one i mentions ,a lot of them over charge !

[Techno22]

yeah ,but like bob says in above post ,you could hook it to a friends or neighbors monitor and see if it still has video.
and not all shops here are as cheap as the one i mentions ,a lot of them over charge !

Thanks.
Going to see a friend on Tues night who might be able to help.

[caperjack]

Thanks.
Going to see a friend on Tues night who might be able to help.

good luck

[Techno22]

good luck

Thanks.
Not overly hopeful on this one as this is a lady who is doing a computer degree in college and who would like a look at the computer.
If this doesn't work I will have to consider leaving it in somewhere for an estimate.
I hear that local PC World store charges 60 Euro to check out a machine, but will deduct this from repair bill.
Will keep you updated.

[Techno22]

No joy on Tues night as regards finding a solution.
When I was in the city centre on Tues afternoon I called to a branch of PC World.
They said that the problem was the inverter.
Also said that I should be able to pick one up for 100 Euro, and that they would fit it for 70 Euro.
Then I thought afterwards, what if it is not the inverter?
Supposing it is just a cable, as some have suggested?
What use is having bought an inverter then?

[Techno22]

Getting a loan of a monitor today.

A tech shop in Dublin says that the backlight has gone and that it will cost 200 Euro to repair.
That is almost half the price of a new machine with higher spec than the existing one so I am pondering if it is really economical to have the present machine repaired.
At the moment I am leaning towards abandoning it, but any views would be appreciated.
It is a Toshiba M50 from 2006, cost 1099 euro, has 1GB RAM and 60GB Hard Drive.
A new Toshiba costs 500 Euro, has 3GB RAM, and 320GB Hard Drive.
What do you think?

[Techno22]

Now working with laptop routed through monitor.
Laptop screen still not working.

[faheemptcl]

You can use the VGA port and connect to an external moniter
Also i had this problem in HP laptop (display flickers when the lid is moved ) and it was solved by upgrading my BIOS. just give it try.

[Techno22]

You can use the VGA port and connect to an external moniter
Also i had this problem in HP laptop (display flickers when the lid is moved ) and it was solved by upgrading my BIOS. just give it try.

Thanks.
I do have the laptop connected to the PC monitor and it is working well.
Only problem is that when it is playing media - such as films from the net - I have no controls such as play or stop or pause - no menu really.
That was interesting about the BIOS.
Will certainly give it a go.
Will make enquiries about how to do it, as I am not that computer literate.
Yes, like that too, it was flickering every time the lid was moved but eventually it just it just blacked out and I was just left with a blank screen, although everything is visible on the monitor screen.
My laptop is a Toshiba M50 machine bought in 2006.
It is in very good working order when it can be seen.
Thanks again.

[hondros]

My opinion, if wanted, if I was in your situation, I would keep your laptop, not fix it, but I would buy a moniter for it. And also buy the new laptop. I'm sure you can find a cheap CRT moniter somewhere. Near where I live, there's a used computer store place, and I could get one for $50 at most. But yeah, buy the new laptop, than look around for a CRT moniter (the huge bulky ones, not LCD, in case you don't know)

[Bob_180_Bob]

Hi,
by the sounds of things, you will be much better off with a new computer, if you need a laptop, then a laptop if not a desk top is cheaper and normally last longer, are easier to service and cheaper to get parts for. Either way, with the trouble you are experiencing with you laptop connected to another monitor, I would just scrap it. Remove the hard drive and buy an external housing for it and use it as a backup for your new machine.
You could even put the rest of your laptop on ebay, somebody will pay a reasonable price for it.

[Techno22]

My opinion, if wanted, if I was in your situation, I would keep your laptop, not fix it, but I would buy a moniter for it. And also buy the new laptop. I'm sure you can find a cheap CRT moniter somewhere. Near where I live, there's a used computer store place, and I could get one for $50 at most. But yeah, buy the new laptop, than look around for a CRT moniter (the huge bulky ones, not LCD, in case you don't know)

Thanks for that.
Computer equipment is much more costly here in Ireland, and there is a problem about finding space for a bulky monitor.
I am using a monitor at the moment that I borrowed, and it dominates the place.
Can't beat the laptop for being so compact.
Your suggestions are good, though, and it may come to that - space permitting!

[Techno22]

My opinion, if wanted, if I was in your situation, I would keep your laptop, not fix it, but I would buy a moniter for it. And also buy the new laptop. I'm sure you can find a cheap CRT moniter somewhere. Near where I live, there's a used computer store place, and I could get one for $50 at most. But yeah, buy the new laptop, than look around for a CRT moniter (the huge bulky ones, not LCD, in case you don't know)

Thanks hondros.
Worth thinking about.

[hondros]

Hey, no problem. Glad I could help

[ladyqueen1988]

I think your monitor is spoiled. The lcd monitor doesn't light up when it gets damaged.

[Techno22]

Still no solution to this "black screen of death" but Microsoft seems to be searching for a solution, as it appears to be quite widespread.

[Techno22]

I have since found that the screen needs to be replaced at a cost of 179 euro.
As XP is becoming obsolete I do not consider it worthwhile to invest so much in an old system.
Better to put the money towards a new machine.
I can still use this machine by connecting it to a monitor, and a friend has loaned me an old monitor that he was about to throw out.
Sincere thanks to all who replied to me.
In so far as I now know where I stand the subject can now be closed.
The only solution is to replace the screen, and I am unwilling to do that.