vaio fz11m monitor goes blank

Greetings.

My laptop screen started going black quite frequently while the computer is on. It doesn't black out 100% because I can still very barely make out the contents of the computer if I squint just right. The only way to fix this problem has been to turn the computer off (power button) and back on again. Sometimes even that doesn't help the screen and I have to try restarting again until the screen works. Right now the screen is fine, but I'm sure this thing will happen again. I don't otherwise have any problems with the LCD display. It works great when it does. This started happening more frequently, almost every day now, and there is no noise or any kind of warning when the screen blacks out.

If I connect external monitor, it works fine, while the one of the laptop is still blank.

Any help? Thanks a lot!

 

If I understand right, the backlight goes off (you can still barely see the image but there it is not lid). Is that correct? (if you can see the image by using a torch, then this is what I mean)

If so - there could be pretty much only 2 reasons for your problem:

1. Screen inverter
2. The screen itself (or to be more specific the lamp, but it is not replaceable as far as I know).

It will become more intensive with time until it stops going on at all or just for a second on boot.

There is no other way (I know) to determine which of the 2 is causing the problem, besides checking the screen with another inverter or checking the inverter with another screen....

The inverter is the cheaper to solve problem, whereas the screen can be quite expensive, especially new.

Theoretically, it could also be a broken/defective cable connection from/to the inverter, but that is quite unlikely...

How old is the laptop if I may ask? I guess no warranty?

 

This happens in my FZ too (3.5 yr old). The screen flickers sometimes before it blanks out, but comes back with a tilt of the screen.

 

My vaio is 4 years old. Therefore, warranty is not an option. The problem is actually appearing more after I wake it up after sleep or hibernation. It used to get fixed tilting the screen, but not anymore.

Thank you for your answers, they were quite useful cause I know now where and what to look for. I checked ebay for converter prices and they affordable and worth a try, as there are detailed instructions online on how to change the inverter. If the problem is not there, I don't think I will try to replace the screen itself, as this laptop is old and therefore it doesn't worth it.

 

You just need an inverter that is suitable for your notebook. Mainly to have the same plugs. It has 2 plugs on each end - you need to open the frame, the inverter is usually below the screen. Just be careful - 450-500V electricity there!