The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Screen not turning on!

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by Rogue-OP, Apr 2, 2011.

  1. Rogue-OP

    Rogue-OP Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    72
    Messages:
    102
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I'm on a trip in Colorado and just got off the plane. My m15x screen is not coming on but it powers on. Is there some way to fix it or is the screen ed?
     
    Rogue-OP, Apr 2, 2011
    #1
  2. 015734

    015734 Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    95
    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Do you still have the 6970 in there or did you switch back?

    Did you try a full power drain?

    Do you see anything or is the screen just blank? (I have had back light issues before where the backlight was dead/disconnected, however, rest of the screen was fine)

    Do you have the means to test it on an external monitor to see if it's a graphics problem or a display problem?
     
    015734, Apr 2, 2011
    #2
  3. Rogue-OP

    Rogue-OP Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    72
    Messages:
    102
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    So I guess my screen does turn on, but there is no backlight. I have to view it with a flash light.

    I am able to read the following message.

    Startup repair
    Startup repair could not detect a problem.
    I you have recently attached a device to this computer, such as a camera or portable music player, remove it and restate your computer. If you continue to see this message, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.

    I got this after a few boots and hitting enter. So maybe the system is fine but the backlight is shot?
     
    Rogue-OP, Apr 2, 2011
    #3
  4. Rogue-OP

    Rogue-OP Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    72
    Messages:
    102
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    My 5850 is back in. It worked fine before the flight.
    How do you do a power drain?

    I'll check at the hotel if they have any desktops that I could swap to test the VGA. I'm not there yet.
     
    Rogue-OP, Apr 2, 2011
    #4
  5. inap

    inap .........................

    Reputations:
    4,417
    Messages:
    7,827
    Likes Received:
    19
    Trophy Points:
    206
    what was your screen brightness setting?

    power drain is:

    turn off and unplug.
    take out battery and press power button for 20 sec.
    put back and start up.
     
    inap, Apr 2, 2011
    #5
  6. Rogue-OP

    Rogue-OP Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    72
    Messages:
    102
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    As odd as it is, after using the flashlight on the screen to login, once it logged in the brightness came on. Now it works fine. Should I bother dell with getting a replacement screen or backlight (if it's separate from the screen), as I don't want this to happen again.
     
    Rogue-OP, Apr 4, 2011
    #6
  7. inap

    inap .........................

    Reputations:
    4,417
    Messages:
    7,827
    Likes Received:
    19
    Trophy Points:
    206
    check your brightness setting, for some reason if you set it to low it will boot up to a black screen.
     
    inap, Apr 4, 2011
    #7