Fujitsu P7010D Screen blacks out!

A recent intermittent problem with the P7010D.

Sometimes in using my P7010D (XPSP3-Pro), the screen suddenly goes dark. (This includes while attached to AC power, where I have it set to never turn off backlighting, and never automatically go to suspend. So this is not a problem with my Power Options settings.)

Normally, if the screen does go blank (such as timed in power options), all one has to do is press any key, or move the mouse, and the backlighting comes back on.

However, in the situation I'm describing, it will not work to press any key at all, or move the mouse, to get the backlight to come on again. Nothing works. I know the computer is not asleep, as the light on the power button is on, not blinking (as when it's asleep).

The only way I can usually get out of this, is to press the power button, which will put the machine asleep (as I've set it). After a little while it goes to suspend, and then you see the blinking light.

If I can put it to sleep like that, then one more press on the power button will turn it back on immediately, including backlight.

Occasionally that hasn't worked in that state, then pressing on the power button does not initiate suspend. In that case (much more rare than the other), I have to keep pressing the power button down, until the computer shuts down completely. Then I restart it, and it's fine.

This can happen at any time, while doing nothing. But it seems to happen more often with a hardware change (device plugged or unplugged into USB, etc.) (not that it usually happens when that is done). Also, if I close the lid (although I DO NOT have it set to go to standby, or do anything on lid closing), the blackout is more likely to happen when I do that (to carry it, for example, while on), than from regular use.

My computer recently went out of its three year warranty, so I can not bring it to the shop to check that.

Anyone know what could be causing such a problem, and how I can fix it?

Thank you for your input.

 

Even though you don't believe that your problem lies in your Power Plan settings, what you're describing is a hybrid sleep, suspend or hibernate type situation. The 2 settings you mentioned (display and sleep) are just available on the initial power options window. However, there are many other settings in the Advanced Settings window for your Power Plan options. For example, there are 3 display settings, several Sleep settings, lid settings, etc.

There is also a USB Selective Suspend setting, which if enabled or reset to default during an update, would be in keeping with what you've described as far as plugging in a device to a USB port.

Open up your Power Options, click on Change Plan Settings, then on Change Advanced Power Settings, then check the various settings I mentioned if you haven't already done so.

If you have checked them, then I'd start thinking about any recent updates or background processes related to any programs recently installed.

 

I'm sorry, but it is pretty clear to me, that this is NOT a software issue, and has nothing to do with power settings. For instance, it happens when the notebook is plugged in, set to "Always On", which means set that the monitor never turns off, the computer never goes to sleep, etc. As I believe I wrote in the original post, the setting for closing the lid is--
"do nothing". It is NOT set to hibernate or standby when the lid closes.

(I knew someone would immediately suspect power settings, that's why I was very clear about stating my settings in the original post, and why this is not a case of power settings, or any other software settings.)

This situation of blacking out is not similar to what happens with the power setting of monitor going out after a certain amount of minutes of non-use. In that situation, you touch the touchpad or any key, and the screen goes back on. That does not happen, in the problem I described. The screen does not come back on from touching any key or touchpad.

Now you'll say "standby". No, it has not gone into standby, nor hibernation. (Actually, the latter is not even enabled now.) When in standby, the light on the power button flashes. With this problem, the light on the power button stays on.

When in standby, pushing the power button will wake it up from standby. In the problem I described, pushing the power button will put it in standby. (Which is my setting for the power button--put in standby.) After pushing the power button, I have to wait a while, then it goes into standby, with the flashing button light. Then, after it is in standby, I push the button again, and it wakes up, with the monitor on. This is the workaround I have been using. Occasionally though, that doesn't work, it won't go into standby. Then I have to keep pressing the power button, until it fully shuts down. Then I press it again, which reboots the system, and the screen works.

So, I hope it is clear now that this problem is NOT similar to the screen being turned off by power settings, nor similar to standby. (Although I use standby as a way to get it back normal.) And, my setting is for the screen to never black out, and for the system never to go automatically into standby or hibernate. Nothing is supposed to happen when the lid closes. I hope that is all clear now.

I know very well what all my settings are, and what background processes are running at all times. (I try to keep them minimal.)

It sure seems like a hardware problem to me. I don't know if it is possible for me to fix, or not. I will be opening the computer soon (at least the keyboard) in order to put in a new HDD. I wonder, while it's open, if there is something I should look for, to see if there is something loose that I can fix, etc.

Has anyone else here encountered this problem?

 

Yes I have - which is why I told you to check what I originally told you to check. You obviously didn't read through it - you just saw Power Options and immediately blew the rest of it off like a 15 year old kid would. Anyone who is unwilling to check and verify the obvious, and absolutely, positively, 100% believes that it can't possibly be what they think it is, and is willing to start tearing apart their system to boot, will in the end discover for themselves what I and others reading your reply already know. You're also the best tech for your system because you "know everything". Why ask us? You obviously believe you're more qualified to troubleshoot your problem.

 

you don't have to be rude, either of you, when the screen goes off, do the power and other indicators stay on?

 

Please stay on topic and please keep personal info off the forums please.

 

Yes, as I think I wrote, the power light on the power button stays on. The notebook has not turned off, although the screen is completely black (no image at all-not just backlight off), and not responsive to any key presses. Kind of seems like it is on standby, except in standby that power light is blinking, rather than on, and press it will resume from standby. In this case, however, pressing the power button usually will put it in standby, from which I can resume it back to normal.

 

Sorry if I hurt your feelings, Rachuk. I do appreciate that you were willing to try to help.

No, I do not believe I am more qualifed to troubleshoot the problem, and I clearly do not "know everything", or I would not be asking about it, and would have already fixed this problem, which has been happening for some months now.

It's just that, as I wrote, it is very clear to me that this is not a software issue, and I tried to make that clear in the OP.

No, I did not just see "power options" (in your reply) and "immediately blew the rest of it off". I read your whole post. It was for the most part about exploring all the power options. Yes, I have explored all the power options, and am very familiar with what all my settings are. I do not just choose a set power configuration for my notebooks, I know all the details of the settings.

At the end, you wrote about new programs installed, updates, background processes, etc. As I also wrote, I am very familiar with what background processes are running on my computer. I check Task Manager all the time. After any software install, I check what changes have been made, and may remove unnecessary startup programs and unnecessary services, etc. This problem has been going on for months, not related to any recent system or software change.

OK, I shouldn't have to keep repeating myself. I think I made it clear in the OP, that I am sure it is not a software problem, and explained why. In any case, I am sorry if I sounded rude to you in any way, and I do appreciate that you were willing to reply, and tried to help.

 

My suspicion lies with the inverter which powers the backlight.

Temporarily powering down the computer gives the inverter a chance to recover and then it works again for a while when the power comes on. One test is to look very carefully at the display when it goes dark and see whether you can see a faint image of whatever is on the screen. If you can, this confirms that it is the backlight that has gone off, for some reason. And, since you have thoroughly tested the software options for causing the backlight to go off, we have to conclude it is the hardware.

A few years back I had one notebook which had inverter problems twice within a few months so I know that giving it a short rest would then let it come on again, for a while. However, the problem will get worse.

John

 

Hi maiki
You did not hurt my feelings. Some posts were off topic and not in line with the forum rules so that content was removed. My only post in this thread is post number 6.
I hope that you find out the answer to your problem.

 

Hi John,

Thanks for the suggestion.

No, there is no image at all on the screen when it blacks out.

In fact, it is a lot like being in "sleep", with the following differences: When in sleep, the light on the power button flashes. Pressing that button once will wake it up from sleep.

In the blacked out state that I describe, the light on the power button stays completely on. Yet, the laptop does not respond at all to keyboard presses or touchpad movement If I press on the power button, it does not wake it, but in fact (usually, sometimes after a wait) puts it to sleep. After it is in sleep state, I can press the button again to wake it up, and then it is normal.

That has been my workaround for months (putting to sleep, then waking up). (Occasionally it doesn't go to sleep, then I have to keep holding the button down until it powers off completely, then reboot).

It sure would be nice to fix it. But with my warranty out, I don't think it's worth spending hundreds on at a shop, for an old notebook.

If the problem is the inverter, would it definitely show an image on the screen? Also, mine does not come on again after a rest, as you describe. One has to do what I described, to make it come on again.

 

Hello Rachuk,

I'm glad I didn't hurt your feelings.

I'm not sure what you are referring to, in saying "some posts were off topic and not in line with the forum rules". Are you referring to posts in this thread. I don't think any are off-topic (including yours), and I doubt any are not in line with forum rules.

 

Some off-topic content was edited out of one post; all posts are in conformity with the forum rules now. I reviewed the moderator's actions in this thread; rachuk took the appropriate action. I welcome you to send me a PM if you would like further clarification of the forum rules.

 

Thanks, John.

Although I replied before that I did not think there was still an image when the screen blacked out--now I sometimes do see that phenomenon.

So, you might be right about the inverter.

When you had that problem, were you able to fix it?

 

Use a flashlight or any light and point it to the screen, then you should see what's on the screen if it is the inverter that is bad. As the flashlight will work as "backlight" and light up the screen.

So if it is that problem, just change the inverter, you should be able to find a new one on ebay.


And about your previous post to rachuk when you actually quoted CyberVisions, i think you mixed up which people you are actually reading posts from and are talking to here

 

I had exactly the same problem with my lappy, but the reason was my power socket which got loose, sometimes even causing the system to shut down (shortcut?). I had to take it apart and resolder that connector on the motherboard. Helped.

If I were you, I would take the laptop to a repair place and ask them to check all the power circuitry - it is a 100% hardware issue.

 

Hello, I am actually encountering the same problem with my T4210. I have checked all the suggested options regarding the power, and it occurs exactly like the original poster's laptop. The screen is more of a gray/black rather than when it's off. There is no image and when I press the power button it goes to sleep and once pressed again comes back on as if from Hibernate. It also seems to twitch more frequently than the shutting off. As if the screen is jumping to the right slightly.


The only thing I have noticed differently with my laptop within the last week is the updating of my Graphics card driver. Could this have any affect on my monitor? I have owned this laptop for over a year now and have never encountered a problem until after installing that driver.

I'm waiting for the monitor to shut off again (since it doesn't happen too often) to see if it is the backlight.

 

Okay..it just happened again and I did not see any images still. With that...I must resort back to my driver question as I have no other ideas .

 

I kinda have this problem ,

I just purchased Fujitsu Lifebook S6510b (January 2009)

Usually, when I leave the notebook on for a while, and the screen goes off (black)
and when i move the mouse or press any key,
I can see the Log in screen.

but a few days ago.
when the screen goes off,
I can't turn in back on,
pressing any key won't work, pressing the ON button won't do anything.
the ON button light indicator is off. (near the screen)
the computer is quiet, kinda like it's turned off.
but the light indicator in the right hand side (near the trackpad) are blinking alternately,
the blue (power) and the blue (power) + battery.
so I had to take off the battery (it's probably bad for the notebook)
and put it back on, and turn the notebook on.
and when I'm in front of the notebook, nothing happens.

I was thinking power option, so I set everything to NEVER.

Another time, when the screen went off again, I just left it there, and around 5 minutes later, the screen turned on by itself.

But I was typing the other time, and the screen just went black again / off, with the light indicator blinking again. can't turn on notebook back on.
take the battery out again, turn on,
go to windows update, no new updates available (using xp pro sp2)
update anti virus, full scan, (using kaspersky internet security)

And now, I'm using the notebook, and everything's fine, so I haven't brought it back to the service center yet coz I need to use the notebook to work.

Just wondering if anyone know how to fix this ??
is this only software related ?
If so, I might not need to take my notebook to the service center, which I'm kinda reluctant since I have all my data in the notebook and this is the same service center that can't figure out why XP starts up very slow with omnipass installed. so they told me to uninstall omnipass, instead of giving a solution. which is funny coz fujitsu offers a downgrade to xp that can't work with omnipass software ?
so no fingerprint reader for me.

Anyhow, help please
thx

Does it have anything to do with plugging and unplugging the ethernet cable (cable modem) from the notebook ?
The past few days, I've been using the same ethernet cable for 2 notebooks, so I unplug the ethernet cable from 1 notebook to use with another notebook. But only for like 4 times in total.

 

btw, this happens either with battery full or plugged in (Ac Adaptor)
so it's not a low battery issue