Laptop screen going black

HeidiHeidi

My Toshiba Satellie laptop screen goes black suddenly at intervals - happened twice yesterday, and it's just happened again now.


As far as I can tell it keeps running, but there's just a black screen.


If I force close it with the power button, it opens up normally and resumes.


Is this this the beginning of the end for it? My last laptop (Acer) did the same over a period, and then one day nothing would get it to work again, it just sat down on me altogether.


Is there anything I can do to fix this issue?


I'm not a fan of the machine at all, so a new one would be kind of welcome - but it's an expense I can do without right now!


Thanks for any advice.

aoh

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Is this this the beginning of the end for it?/quote]

Probably but try changing the angle of the screen. Used to have one that was very particulat!

sheepsh4gger

Generally with laptops hibernation/sleep is always broken in one way or another.
I always turn off screen blanking.
In windows if you type into start: sleep
It will show 'power and sleep settings'.
I always set both to never.

sheepsh4gger

If it's not triggered in software it could be that you back light is dying.

HeidiHeidi

The most recent instance a few minutes ago was while I was actually typing, so it wasn't asleep/in hibernation, and nothing about the screen angle changed!

HeidiHeidi

sheepsh4gger wrote: »

If it's not triggered in software it could be that you back light is dying.

Is there anything that I (a luddite) can do about that?

Or could I have it fixed? If there's such a thing as a repair place still in operation at the moment!!

sheepsh4gger

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

The most recent instance a few minutes ago was while I was actually typing, so it wasn't asleep/in hibernation, and nothing about the screen angle changed!

If you have a monitor/tv try connecting it and checking if it still goes black.
If it does on an external monitor then it's the video card or its driver. If it doesn't do it then it could be that the screen itself has a dying black-light.


When the screen goes black and you look at it closely - can you still see a faint image?

sheepsh4gger

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Is there anything that I (a luddite) can do about that?

Or could I have it fixed? If there's such a thing as a repair place still in operation at the moment!!

If the built-in monitor is broken then you can substitute it say with a TV.



I would first try to narrow down what's actually broken.


When the screen goes black is there still a faint image? Can you see the mouse move?


What is the exact model of the laptop?

HeidiHeidi

Laptop is a Toshiba Satelllite.


Screen goes completely black, no background image or cursor at all.


It only happens occasionally and very randomly, so I can't really test it with a TV (even if I knew how, and I don't!)

sheepsh4gger

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Laptop is a Toshiba Satelllite.


Screen goes completely black, no background image or cursor at all.


It only happens occasionally and very randomly, so I can't really test it with a TV (even if I knew how, and I don't!)

There's a huge variety of laptops called Toshiba Satelllite. There's normally a model number printed somewhere on it like "C55T".


Does the fan make loud noise when the screen goes black?

HeidiHeidi

sheepsh4gger wrote: »

There's a huge variety of laptops called Toshiba Satelllite. There's normally a model number printed somewhere on it like "C55T".


Does the fan make loud noise when the screen goes black?

No, it just went black all of a sudden.

The only other thing on the machine is Skullcandy, would that be the model? No numbers anywhere...

sheepsh4gger

I would check if overheating is the cause of the issue.


There's a free program that shows the temperatures:

https://openhardwaremonitor.org/


If you use the machine for say 2 hours and the processor temperatures (or any for that matter) goes over 90 Celsius then it's definitely overheating.


Typically with a laptop it will hang when it's too hot on a black screen. This is dangerous as it can kill the processor.


Often people cover the air vents when they use their laptop (say leave it on a bed) and this happens. Also the vents become filled with dust over time.



It could be also something completely different so I would go by process of elimination and first make sure it's not overheating.

Inverter? Early fixed yourself if it is

sheepsh4gger

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

Inverter? Early fixed yourself if it is

Wouldn't then the battery kick in?

HeidiHeidi

I tried that overheating link you posted earlier, but couldn't get it to download or open/ run.... if that's something that could cause the screen to black out then maybe you've hit on something, I would often have the laptop on my knees or a cushion beside me when I'm on the couch.

I'll make sure it's well ventilated and see if that stops it happening.

Re the inverter - I really don't think it's a power thing, it seems to be just the screen switching off (although I can't be completely 100% sure of that)

sheepsh4gger

sheepsh4gger wrote: »

Wouldn't then the battery kick in?

Don't follow you.

When this was happening to my screen it turned out to be the inverter. Power stayed on just a blank screen.

Can't recall now how I diagnosed the issue or if I took a cheap chance

sheepsh4gger

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

Don't follow you.

When this was happening to my screen it turned out to be the inverter. Power stayed on just a blank screen.

Can't recall now how I diagnosed the issue or if I took a cheap chance

You mean the board that powers the backlight. Wouldn't the screen still work but without being back lit?

sheepsh4gger

sheepsh4gger wrote: »

You mean the board that powers the backlight. Wouldn't the screen still work but without being back lit?

Aggh, your right. Too many broken laptops over the years.

TestLink

I had the same issue with my last Samsung Laptop (My mistake. Never should have gone for a Samsung laptop!). It issue was with the Nvidia display card on the machine, that got bust.