Satellite screen shaking! HELP!!

I don't really know anything about computers. I love my Toshiba satellite A20-S207 that I've had since 2003 but all of a sudden the screen has started shaking periodically. It shakes when there is nothing open and it shakes when Excel or the internet is open or anything else. Is there anything that I can do to stop it. Is my computer just old?
Thank you!

 

By periodically do you mean every few minutes or less frequently?

 

It will shake a lot (constantly) for several minutes and then stop for a couple of minutes and then start shaking again.

 

Ummmm.... I'll do some research for you but to be honest at the moment I've got no idea what the problem is. I'll try and find out though.

EDIT: Have you installed the latest drivers for your graphics card and fiddled around with settings in the desktop properties (if using XP)?

 

no, do I have a graphics card? I'm really a dolt with this whole thing. I can look at the desktop properties and see what's up. Thank you for your help. Hopefully we can get it work out - I'm trying to write a Master's thesis!!

 

Okay, now the screen is completely black. I can still see that the computer is running because I can see the little desktop icons. I'm assuming the backlight is burnt out? I really have no idea if that's what's happening and if that's fixable. Any ideas?

 

I'm really, really sorry but I think it may be time for a new computer. Just one last thing you could try - I think it is pressing Fn and I think F7 at the same time - it might work if you've accidently knocked that key - it might result in a black screen.

If your writing a Master's thesis I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that you probably need any data off it you can get off lol. So your best bet is probably to hit Cntrl + S to save any work currently in progress and then if you have one plug in another monitor and see if that works. If not there are other ways of getting the data off but try that first.


EDIT: Just a bit of general knowledge: a graphics card is a thing that plugs into the motherboard so that you can see stuff on the screen. The motherboard is a big thing inside the computer that everything else plugs into like the graphics card and hard disk (what you save stuff onto). Some motherboards have what is known as integrated graphics which is where the monitor plugs into the motherboard directly, thus doing away for the need of a graphics card. However, integrated graphics generally aren't as good quality and it also cancels your ability to upgrade.

 

Typically when the LCD image starts to shake it's a sign the LCD's CCFL tube has failed--as in it has physically shattered.

What happens from my personal experience is that the CCFL tube will break causing its high voltage leads to short out against the metal frame of the LCD. We're talking 600-1000 volts or so which kinda/sorta can upset the gentle nature of any laptop's display circuitry.

One real important thing to note: prior to the LCD image going epileptic, if the displayed image has been turning a shade of pink this is a sure sign of impending CCFL failure.

 

yikes this is scary...anyone knows what causes this in the first place? wear and tear??

 

Wow 2003, 4-5 yrs usage you sure got your moneys worth! My Hp"s screen is starting to sputter in the back ground I"ll tap the screen a couple of times and it will correct it's self, but i'am sure it's a losing battle! maybe get more life out of your notebook by using an external monitor, since only your screen it fading (or has faded) till you can get a new one.