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    T400 black screen problem

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by capflam, Sep 15, 2008.

  1. capflam

    capflam Notebook Consultant

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    When I boot my T400, I often get a totally black screen - can't use my computer at all.
    The HDD seems to load but the screen is just black.

    I was wondering if someone heard of this problem or knows how to fix it.

    I've installed a new hard drive, so the install is clean.

    I had terrible experiences with ATI catalyst on another computer in the past. I was wondering if this could be the problem.

    My config is:
    T400
    P8600
    4Gb RAM
    Dedicated graphics
    Vista business

    Any help is welcome.

    By the way, my T400 takes more time to load vista than my T61 (same HDD) this totally sucks :(
     
    capflam, Sep 15, 2008
    #1
  2. AznRacerNSX

    AznRacerNSX Notebook Evangelist

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    can you see the screen vaguely, if you look carefully on the LCD?

    Did you try connecting it to an external monitor? (Highly Recommended)

    If that works, most likely the lcd panel's: defective or not connected properly. I know a buddy who had an old thinkpad and his backlight died but you can still see the login screens and stuff.
     
    AznRacerNSX, Sep 15, 2008
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  3. capflam

    capflam Notebook Consultant

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    I can see the login screen and the desktop appears for 2-3 seconds then all goes totally black.
    It's very frustrating.

    Actually I just noticed that if I close the lid and then open it again then the screen is back to normal...super weird!
     
    capflam, Sep 16, 2008
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  4. keltix

    keltix Notebook Deity

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    a power profile that shuts off brightness?

    try holding (Fn+Home)
     
    keltix, Sep 16, 2008
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  5. Frank Delape

    Frank Delape Newbie

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    I have the exact same problem here.
    I replaced my old laptop with a T400 and Frank ly I am not so happy about it.
     
    Frank Delape, Sep 16, 2008
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  6. Frank Delape

    Frank Delape Newbie

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    I have the exact same issue here :(

    sorry for the double post...I thought my first post didn't go through
     
    Frank Delape, Sep 16, 2008
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  7. lampard1279

    lampard1279 Newbie

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    Hi, I have the same problem.

    I tried to install Win XP, and it works. The problem appear when I try to put a ghost image on the disc. Windows looks that it will start but just before the Logo XP Screen appears, the system stops and show the black screen...
    I´m convinced there is something related with Video card (drivers), integrated on mother board or ATI plugged.
     
    lampard1279, Sep 16, 2008
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  8. Dema80

    Dema80 Notebook Geek

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    Have you tried to update/try another driver version? Also, try to connect an external monitor as suggested. I think this is clearly a driver issue...
     
    Dema80, Sep 16, 2008
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  9. lampard1279

    lampard1279 Newbie

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    I tried to connect an external monitor and no way.
    HDD led stop lighting, It looks it couldn´t find the propper driver, i will try to update/add another driver as you propose...
     
    lampard1279, Sep 16, 2008
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  10. AznRacerNSX

    AznRacerNSX Notebook Evangelist

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    safemode in windows is your friend =P aka... login to safemode and install a different version driver
     
    AznRacerNSX, Sep 16, 2008
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  11. lampard1279

    lampard1279 Newbie

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    I tried as well
    The safemode process load all drivers, but it cannot load some of them and the proccess stops.
    agpcpq.sys
    agp440.sys
    amdagp.sys
    alim1541.sys
    I disabled these services and their loading but when I restart it stops again at my black screen..
     
    lampard1279, Sep 16, 2008
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  12. AznRacerNSX

    AznRacerNSX Notebook Evangelist

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    can you please clarify.. did you try using older / newer drivers?
     
    AznRacerNSX, Sep 16, 2008
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  13. lampard1279

    lampard1279 Newbie

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    All tests are with XP Pro (SP2 and SP3).
    In a normal installation from cd no problem.
    Running WinPe and Ghost (for image distribution) installing a computer from a standard image, the problem happens (black screen).
    Running WinPe and ImageX black screen appears too.
    No extra drivers, just drivers included on XP.
    Once the image is loaded on the HDD, when the computer reboots, before "XP Logo Screen" the pc hangs on black screen.
     
    lampard1279, Sep 16, 2008
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  14. AznRacerNSX

    AznRacerNSX Notebook Evangelist

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    seems like it has issues with WinPE... Isn't Windows PE, a preinstalltion environment? looks like there's just issues with that...
     
    AznRacerNSX, Sep 16, 2008
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  15. lampard1279

    lampard1279 Newbie

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    My partner finally found the problem. It´s the HAL! It looks like new 45nm proccessor doesn´t update properly the HAL in the sysprep.
    We made a new clean installation and we get 3files from system32:
    hal.dll
    ntkrnlpa.exe
    ntoskrnl.exe
    We changed these files in the image and it worked.
     
    lampard1279, Sep 23, 2008
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  16. dkreifus

    dkreifus Newbie

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    Can you clarify a bit what you did?
    I am currently using a system where I have a single WIM file image that I use on all our hardware. When I got a new T400, the image doesn't work. It just hangs on the black screen.

    Can you explain what you did with the 3 files you mentioned?
    hal.dll
    ntkrnlpa.exe
    ntoskrnl.exe
     
    dkreifus, Oct 27, 2008
    #16
  17. Ranger620

    Ranger620 Newbie

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    I have this same issue with a blank screen at Vista startup on my T400. It happens maybe 6 out of every 10 times I turn on my laptop. Is there a fix for this?? I am all up to date on my drivers and system updates.

    After my latest experience with the screen being blank at startup, I closed the lid to make the T400 enter sleep mode and then opened it and the screen came on.

    Very frustrating. Please reply.

    James
     
    Ranger620, Dec 29, 2008
    #17