Member Avatar for Windows2020

I have a windows vista computer hp and I can turn my laptop on and hear it running but the screen is completely black. I have tried turning it on and off. I have also tried taking the battery out and cleaning it but the screen still remains blank. Does anyone know any special commands or tricks that I can use to turn my laptop screen back on? Thank you please help!!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by arunmarvel5

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A short, practical triage checklist to narrow whether the laptop’s black screen is the panel/cable/backlight, a firmware/POST problem, or something deeper on the mainboard. Replies from , , , , , and point toward hardware vs software causes; the steps below focus on inexpensive, non-destructive checks that avoid immediate costlier repairs.

  1. Perform a full power drain: disconnect AC, remove the battery (if removable), hold the power button 15–30 seconds, then plug in AC (leave battery out) and boot. This clears residual power and can recover stuck controllers.
  2. Test an external display: connect a TV/monitor via VGA/HDMI and use the laptop’s display-toggle key (Fn + the F-key with a monitor icon) to cycle outputs. If the external shows the BIOS/desktop while the laptop panel stays dark, the problem is likely the internal panel, its cable, or the backlight.
  3. Flashlight/backlight check: in a dim room, shine a bright flashlight at the screen at a shallow angle while the machine is powered on. A faint image means the panel is drawing video but the backlight (or its driver) isn’t working.
  4. Watch LEDs and listen for POST/beep or blink codes: note any blink patterns or absence of the BIOS splash. Caps-lock/Num-lock LEDs toggling can indicate POST progress and help diagnose whether the system actually reaches BIOS.
  5. Inspect the hinge and display cable area for damage or unusual movement; a frayed ribbon at the hinge is a common cause of panel loss.

If the external monitor works or the flashlight reveals a faint image, replacing the panel or the hinge/cable assembly is often more cost-effective than board-level work. If nothing appears on an external display and there are no POST signs, the fault is likely on the mainboard and a professional diagnostic is recommended (avoid home “reflow” attempts). Take ESD precautions and avoid opening a machine still under warranty. These checks will narrow the cause and help decide whether to replace the screen, swap a simple part, or seek shop-level repair.

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Member Avatar for caperjack

hi,and welcome to daniweb.
wish i knew ,my wifes laptop did the same thing and i cant find the cause ,and i took it totally apart to try and find the problem .i have seen many laptops do this in my years of repairing [self taught so not to techinal ] computer, and for the most part i think its caused by over heated chips on the motherboard and cost more to fix than they are worth

Member Avatar for kvahanyan

The problem is not the software (you can't just run any command to fix it), it is the hardware, so contact with HP, so you will know how much will it cost to fix it.

Member Avatar for rambofen044

I had the similar problem few days ago. Try this
Take your ram out and insert an another ram from an working laptop, if it works then ther's a problem with the ram. I had two rams of 2gb each out which one was corrupted and that was causing problem..
Goodluck.

Member Avatar for oalee

Now, this is gonna be a bummer. I currently have an HP Laptop sitting around useless at home. It's sad to have it laying around and not able to use it because it's still pretty new being an Intel i5. This seems to be a common issue with HP Laptops. They almost always overheat and results in burned-out chips, Display Chips to be exact. I had it repaired earlier this year and only lasted for almost 2 months and then it broke down completely. I asked a local tech (HP certified shop) how much it would cost to get it fixed and as caperjack mentioned, it's gonna cost more to get it fixed making it not worth the time and money. Still try the to check with HP though and see if there's anything they can offer you.

Mine just turns on with the power light also on and the fan running (low-speed) but no display.

Member Avatar for Rik_

HP's suffer from GPU failure more than any other make. This means that the graphics chip on the motherboard has a problem. A vast majority of the time it is caused by a broken solder joint under the GPU itself. Most HP's will work again after being reflowed. This kind of repair should only ever be undertaken by a professional. On average we reflow and repair 10 to 50 HP's a week with around a %90 success rate. A badly done reflow can do a lot more damage than good so DO NO NOT ATTEMPT IT YOURSELF, instead, seek a professional who has a known good track record for reflowing.

Member Avatar for arunmarvel5

you may also have a driver issues related to VGA

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