Toshiba P20 Screen doesn't work!! Help

Hey
I've had a 17" Satellite P20 for tow years now and it has run great. I play alot of games on it (BF:2, BF1942 etc), and the performance is really good. I cam home today and hit the power button and it started to boot up to the desktop, I could even hear the Windows tune. The problem is that there is nothing on the screen, it is dark and blank. I phoned the local notebook place and I have arranged to bring it in. Does anybody know what could be worng? I've treated it nicely, in fact it just got a new hard drive installed afew weeks ago. The man I talked to said it could be hard drive related (which is on warranty) or it could be that the graphics ship is burnt out??? How does it just stop workinglike that? I'm 16 and my parnets obvioulsy bought this thing, and they are getting tired of repairing it (after the new $150 HD) Any help before I bring it in?

 

Hey Tommy,

First I want to say I feel sorry about your nice laptop. I hope they get it fixed soon.

It cannot be the harddisk, you say you installed it a few weeks ago and it worked fine. You also say you hear Windows booting up, so the harddisk is fine.
I think it is your connection from motherboard to screen or your graphics card. Did you connect it to an external monitor, to see if it works? If the external monitor shows Windows and everything, then your screen is the problem. But if that doesnt work too, then I think it has to do with your GPU. Did you do any overclocking?

Charlie-Peru

 

Yes, I tried to hook it up to a stand alone monitor and it said no signal on the screen. I don't really know how to access the connections, but am willing to try. I just talked to my parnets, and because they are self employed they can write off all computers/repairs as a business expense! I am trying to explain to them that we should just buy a Alienwaree desktop. It's buisness related enough

 

Avoid Alienware, I hear they are way too pricey and servie is bad. Why not try Dell, they have great coupons.

By the way if the notebook doesnt give a signal, Press FN and a key in which a pictogram of a screen is. Then you switch over to an external monitor. With my laptop that is FN + F4, but it is different for each notebook.

Charlie-Peru

 

Hi,

I have the same problem with my Toshiba M100-165. My screen does not work but I hear windows booting up. I connected my laptop to an external monitor and it did work. So I am guessing that the problem is not related with hardware. For the past 2-3 weeks I am having this problem. When I don't touch my laptop for a day and then try to turn it on, it used to function normally. But this time it does not work even if I let it rest for a day or so. Obviously I need to have it repaired. but before doing that do you have anything to suggest for me to check/scan on my laptop to fix the problem.

I really appreciate your help
Cem