Member Avatar for Jess99x

So this morning I tried to turn on my computer and it did but the screen is pitch black. The fan is running and it is charging. When I press caps lock and num lock the lights don't turn on. I've had this laptop for about 1 or 2 years. I tried taking out the battery and everything... Nothing seems to work!

  • 3 Contributors
  • 2 Replies
  • 119 Views
  • 4 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by Andrew54

Dani AI

Generated

There are two broad causes here: a display/backlight problem or a failure before Windows starts. and covered both sides already; the short workflow below focuses on simple, different tests that narrow the fault without repeating those earlier steps.

Perform a power-reset and simple screen check:
Disconnect AC and remove the main battery, then press-and-hold the power button for 30–60 seconds to discharge residual power. Reconnect AC (leave battery out) and try to boot. Hold a bright flashlight close and at an angle to the screen to look for a very faint desktop/login image — a visible image with no backlight points to a backlight or power-for-backlight fault. Try the laptop’s brightness keys and the display-toggle key (often Fn + a function key) in case output is routed elsewhere. Note any HDD/activity LED blinks and any beep patterns — they’re useful clues.

If the machine reaches the OS or shows a cursor:
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, open Task Manager, then File → Run → type explorer.exe to see if the shell returns. If not, boot from a Windows recovery USB or a Linux live USB you create on another machine. From live media you can run disk checks and SMART tests (for example smartctl or GSmartControl) and mount the drive to copy files. If the drive is suspected, use a USB-to-SATA adapter/enclosure to recover data on another PC before attempting repairs.

When to get professional help:
If there is never a BIOS splash, no keyboard LEDs, and no beeps, the fault is likely at board level (motherboard/GPU), which needs professional diagnostics. If under warranty, contact Toshiba support first. If attempting any internal inspection, follow ESD precautions and stop if unsure — some fixes are inexpensive, others require board-level work and can cost more than replacement.

Recommended Answers

All 2 Replies

Member Avatar for Begginnerdev

There could be a number of problems wrong, but first I would start small.

The easiest test to do would be to plug the laptop into a desktop monitor using the VGA port.
If this works, it could mean any of these:

Bad LCD (Replace LCD)
Bad Inverter (Replace Inverter)
Bad Inverter Cable (Replace Cable)
Bad Onboard GPU (Replace Motherboard)

If this doesn't work, it still wont rule out a bad GPU.

It could also mean that you have bad memory, which can be accessed through a small port on the bottom of the laptop. (Typically one screw that can be removed on a 3"x3" panel)

You can test the memory by removing the sticks one and a time, and booting the pc (Swapping the first with the last...ect...)

If this does not work, you will have to take the laptop for a service shop ( or some one who knows a great deal about hardware) to get them to look at it for you.

Member Avatar for Andrew54

If anyone else has the black screen, white pointer, nothing works BUT black screen and white pointer, in any boot mode, u probably need a hard drive. You CAN get your restore disks to work though! If you cant access the options on the recovery disc, use an ubuntu live disk(free just make one, had one layin around), choose the install option. It formatted the drive and when it was done i rebooted with my recovery disk in and i can finally access all the(or any for that matter) options on the disk. Hope this helps? oh yeah toshiba sattelite 200gb hitachi drive

Edited by Andrew54
Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.