Dell Vostro black screen

This is my first post, so I hope its in the right place......

I have a Dell Vostro, that is about 3-4 years old, but still fast and good as its been reinstalled once a year. I now have a problem, that I cant fix. When I turn the computer on, I can see the screen fine, but when windows is starting up screen goes dark, very dark. It comes back on with light when its all started up, but then it just lasts for 10-15 seconds before it goes dark again. If I have a lightsource (flashlight), I can just about see whats on the screen, although its still very dark. I have had it to a computershop, and they tried to change the......lightsource bit (dont know what its called), and that didnt work, so they said it was either the screen, or the graphicscard, which means a new motherboard. I have been using the computer for a while now, with an external screen, and it works fine then.
I have tried puppy linux on it, and same thing happends then, as with the windows XP it came with.

What I do not understand is how they can say that it might be the screen thats gone, since the screen works fine in the startup, then goes black, and then comes back for a little while. I also can not understand that it can be the graphics card, as it works fine with an external screen.

Has anyone had a simular problem, or any sugestions on a fix?

 

have you tried replacing the inverter ?

 

Yes, thats what they called the part that I called the "lightsource bit", I remebered it when you wrote it. That did not help.
Thankyou for the suggestion though

 

Do you still have the Dell Diag on the system? I believe it has a inverter tester built in that you can try. Also, at the BIOS level - can you raise and lower the brightness level?

 

If you replaced the inverter and that didn't help, then the backlight is probably bad. In that case you can change out the backlight (which is a pain) or change out the display (which is $$$).

 

I have had the inverter changed Smooth_J, so I dont think that can be wrong. I did not know that I could raise and lower the brightness in Bios, but will see if I can find out how, and then try it out.
Thanks a lot

 

Commander, I did have someone in a small comp. shop have a look at it, and they changed the inverter for me, they also said it was either the screen (backlight I asume), or the graphic card that was gone , and they did not recomend repair on a laptop that age, since they could not guarantee it was the screen.
What I wander is, would the screen work at all, as it does during startup, and then again after its all started up for 15 seconds, before it goes black. If the backlight was gone, wouldnt it be black all the time then?

Thankyou for the help Commander

 

test the laptop on an external monitor if you get a good picture the GPU is fine, then your down to the screen

 

also this statement of yours

If I have a lightsource (flashlight), I can just about see whats on the screen, although its still very dark

tend to confirm it more likely the LCD display - back light

as mentioned you can change the backlight but it is a pian.

 

So according to what you say Dave, I can try and get a used screen, and it should be fixed......I will see if I can get a hold of one, thankyou for the help