LCD Laptop issues
 

Couples years back I bought a friend down here a new laptop (trust me I owed him.) It's an HP Pavilion w/14.1 screen. He mentioned recently the screen went completely black. the lights on the keyboard light and it looks like it's booting but the screen remains black. My guess is the screen is out. I've looked around on-line and can order a new screen and replace it myself. Prior to doing that I'd like to make sure it isn't the graphics card, or something I haven't even considered. So I'm wondering about trouble shooting. There appears to be a monitor out port on the side. If I connect this to a regular screen and it works off that screen then it's the screen, Right?

Anyone have any advice?

Yes, Tully, the first thing you should try is hooking it up to an external monitor.

Seemed reasonable to me, always good to get a second opinion. Thanks

x2. My screen went out on two separate occasions. The first time, the video card took a dump, both the laptop monitor and my roomate's monitor showed nothing. Second time, LCD was black, but external monitor worked no problem, screen itself was actually dead.

So, when you had nada on both the laptop screen and a reg monitor it turned out to be your G card? But when the laptop was hooked up to a monitor it worked, therefore it was the laptops screen, right.

You got it.

Sorry for stating the obvious, but sadly I have over looked this myself.
Most laptops have switches/ key combo that will enable and disable video outputs, ie. internal lcd and external video port. The most common is that there are 3 settings: internal only, external only and both outputs.
Take 2 minutes to try all settings before ordering or replacing parts.

Yours
Zweiblumen

Look really close at the LCD, make sure that there is not a faint image on the screen. Most of the time I have seen one go dark it is the inverter, not the LCD. Most of the time the LCD will have bad pixels or columns, but the inverter will cause the back light not to illuminate. The other characteristic is sometimes when turning on it will light for a split second.

Sorry to lead everyone down a misguided path, it's not the LCD. Or at least it not just the LCD. I've been relaying info based on phone conversations. I stopped by to actual see the laptop this morning. The HD isn't booting at all. No hum, no fan, nada. I'm out of my league and I know. I'd assume BIOS or motherboard issue. But for all I know it could be memory or a GC locking it up. Just don't know enough to know what the next step is... other then take it to someone who does.

In my experience sometimes it's best to know when you just don't know... Primum non nocere.

Up date:

I took this laptop to a repair guy in Merida. He came highly recommended. I left it with him somewhat concerned as the system contains a lot of personal info of my good freinds sister. I had visions of her visa being used to order anything and everything. I spent an hour or so shopping at Costco and then began the 20min. drive back to Progreso and my cell rang. Seems the system's hard drive had some bad sectors on it. Mr. Computer repair was able to resolve these issue and wanted to know when I could pick it up. I asked the price and he said $20 dollars. I turned around and headed back. So her system is back up and running for a total cost of $20. I saved his card.

nice to know it wasn't anything major

Yes, it's also good to find someone knowledgeable and seemingly honest. In all honesty he could have told me the drive was toast, needed replaced and charged me a couple hundred bucks. I wouldn't have known any better. I really should have made marks on the RAM, cards and drive labels just to be sure if I was told something had been replaced I'd know it.