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Shazzammm, It works again

Dragonslayer

By Dragonslayer
in Watering Hole

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Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer

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Not bike but laptop related.

 

For the past several months the display on my laptop (just out of warranty) went kaplooie (is that a word?):doh:

 

Kaplooie meaning went black no image whatsoever. :bang head:So to be able to use the laptop I plugged another monitor into it effectively making the laptop into a desktop computer.

 

But, strangely enough, a couple days ago for no apparent rhyme or reason the monitor came back to life. Giving me a somewhat stereo video experience.:banana::banana:

 

Can any of you computer geeks (meant in only the most positive context)out there explain what is happening to me ?:icon_smile_question:icon_smile_question:confused24:

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Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer

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I hate to suggest the obvious but...

Is there any chance you simply "toggled" the screen off? Most laptops can have the screen on or off with a Function + other key to turn the screen on and off.

Good thought but I don't know what keys would do that on this laptop. Seems like when it was first going out it was an intermitten problem then one day went out and stayed out untill it came back on months later.

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FreezyRider

FreezyRider

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What kind of laptop do you have? HP or Compaq by any chance? Some of their models are notorious for having video chip problems, notably those with a certain Nvidia chip. I had one of those and it acted very similar to yours. Not saying that is your problem though, just a possibility. Another possible cause would be software related....the video driver software may be having issues. If you can identify the video chip you could probably find the latest updated driver on the internet and download and install it just to eliminate that as a cause.

 

Joe

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Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer

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Just as I posted the preceeding post I tried the Fn +F4 keys and it turned the screens on and off. I took the laptop to the GEEK Squad at Best Buys and they told me to trash the laptop since it was out of warranty and buy another one. You would think they would know about switching on/off the screen. I admit I'm functionally computer illiterate.

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Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer

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What kind of laptop do you have? HP or Compaq by any chance? Some of their models are notorious for having video chip problems, notably those with a certain Nvidia chip. I had one of those and it acted very similar to yours. Not saying that is your problem though, just a possibility. Another possible cause would be software related....the video driver software may be having issues. If you can identify the video chip you could probably find the latest updated driver on the internet and download and install it just to eliminate that as a cause.

 

Joe

Sounds like an informed answer. Yes it is a HP dv2500 with nvidia graphics. Is it possible that one of the automatic software updates may have corrected video driver issues causing the screen to come back on? How would you identify the video chip? And where would you go on the internet to get an updated driver?
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FreezyRider

FreezyRider

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Sounds like an informed answer. Yes it is a HP dv2500 with nvidia graphics. Is it possible that one of the automatic software updates may have corrected video driver issues causing the screen to come back on? Entirely possibleHow would you identify the video chip? Go into Device Manager and look at the properties of the Display Adapter. That should give you the Nvidia model number, etc.And where would you go on the internet to get an updated driver?Do a Google search on the model number and the word driver. Should get several sources, best to download from HP if they have it.

 

Hope this helps.

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dr_bar

dr_bar

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A friend had a similar problem, one day it worked, the next it didn't. Then just like yours, it started working again. The culprit was the little button that shut off the screen when laptop was closed. It apparently was sticking closed when the laptop was opened so effectively telling the computer it was closed.

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friesman

friesman

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I hate to suggest the obvious but...

Is there any chance you simply "toggled" the screen off? Most laptops can have the screen on or off with a Function + other key to turn the screen on and off.

 

 

I see that happen all the time around work where people toggle the monitor off by accident and dont know what they did.

 

Brian

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LilBeaver

LilBeaver

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Lots of possible options; many listed here.

 

To answer your question about the driver thing - YES it IS possible that a driver did something goofy and shut off the display; I would say this is unlikely, but certainly possible. You can go to HP.com and download the latest HP certified driver or any of the video drivers along the way or you can get them directly from nVidia by going to http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us (there is an 'automatically detect' function that you may be able to use if choose to).

 

The other option that I did not see listed here is that the actual connections that connect the monitor to the motherboard flex every time you open and close the machine. Eventually those connections may wear and break or short out. In your case it could be an intermittent short. I think that this is VERY unlikely given the age of your computer, but it is still a possibility.

 

Personally, I would check the 'monitor' button deeley (obviously that is a 'techincal' term :rasberry:) that Dr. Bar suggested first, then look for drivers and/or do some research to see which of the nVidia cards failed (as I believe HP actually had a recall out for those, but I do NOT remember where I read about that or the validity of it - but going to HP.com and searching under 'support' for your particular machine ought to be able to answer those kinds of questions).

 

It certainly could be the monitor toggle thing BUT unless it was changed in the BIOS, notebook computers default to the affixed screen upon boot (unless an outside one is attached) so in my opinion, based on the description of the problem you gave, would think that this is an unlikely source. That is, unless you saw the screen flicker when you turn it on then it went black...

 

Good Luck!! Hopefully it is something simple :)

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LilBeaver

LilBeaver

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http://h20180.www2.hp.com/apps/Lookup?h_lang=en&h_cc=us&cc=us&h_page=hpcom&lang=en&h_client=S-A-R163-1&h_pagetype=s-002&h_query=dv2500&submit=Go+%BB

 

This is a link to the list of the dv2500 series notebooks.

If you can post the nVidia card you have (or specific model of notebook - found on the bottom of the computer on the HP label - we can be of more assistance). I am guessing that it is an GeForce 8400M - but you could verify that via device manager as previously explained.

 

You say you are just out of warranty - If you are within a few weeks or so, I'd contact HP right away... You never know, they might pull through for you - especially if the GPU overheated and your processor has not yet, because that is a manufacture defect that they have repaired a number of the computers under (according to HP.com - under the dv2500 information) - some of which were out of warranty.

 

Anyways, good luck keep us posted/informed of what you have questions about or whatever. (Don't waste your money with the 'geek squad')

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Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer

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http://h20180.www2.hp.com/apps/Lookup?h_lang=en&h_cc=us&cc=us&h_page=hpcom&lang=en&h_client=S-A-R163-1&h_pagetype=s-002&h_query=dv2500&submit=Go+%BB

 

This is a link to the list of the dv2500 series notebooks.

If you can post the nVidia card you have (or specific model of notebook - found on the bottom of the computer on the HP label - we can be of more assistance). I am guessing that it is an GeForce 8400M - but you could verify that via device manager as previously explained.

 

You say you are just out of warranty - If you are within a few weeks or so, I'd contact HP right away... You never know, they might pull through for you - especially if the GPU overheated and your processor has not yet, because that is a manufacture defect that they have repaired a number of the computers under (according to HP.com - under the dv2500 information) - some of which were out of warranty.

 

Anyways, good luck keep us posted/informed of what you have questions about or whatever. (Don't waste your money with the 'geek squad')

Thanks your info has been very helpfull. The Monitor seems to work fine, we downloaded current drivers and cleaned hinges and connections and the screen seems to work perfect everytime. I appreciate it. And I hear you about Geek squad.

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