dell laptop help please..

Boon

Boon

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hi
for some reason my laptops screen has decided to go dark, i want to take some pictures off it, but after 5 minutes use, the screen goes very dark ,and i can only see what i am doing if i point a desk lamp onto the screen, does this happen?
i am seriously getting ready to bin this bloody thing, but i need my photos first.
 
Sounds like there's a problem with the backlight of the screen. Do you have a separate monitor at home? If so, you should be able to plug that into your laptop VGA connector and press "Fn" and some F-key (F1, F2, etc) that willl switch the output to the VGA connector. As for which F-key you need to press, you should see the symbol of a monitor on it. Something like a square. :)
 
it's F8 on on my Dell

It does sound like a back light issue m8.
 
thanks, do we know what a VGA connector looks like?
 
aye, it's a blue connector on the back with a screw hole either side, looks like an old serial port.
 
has 3 rows of pins/holes like this

337px-DE15_Diagram.svg.png
 
thats a great help, brilliant. i will have a go and connect it to this monitor i am currently using, when i have finshed here of course.
many thanks guys

ps my F8 key has CRT/LCD imprinted on it, would that be it
 
Boon said:
ps my F8 key has CRT/LCD imprinted on it, would that be it
Click to expand...

Yes, that is it. Press and hold the 'FN' key and then the F8 key. Wait a few seconds to see if your monitor flickers into life. :) If not, try again after a few seconds. Some times it might take a good 4 or 5 seconds before it comes on and pressing the key one too many times will cycle it back to the laptop monitor.
 
this is going to sound like a really dumb and patronising question boon but when the screen went dark was it plugged into the mains or running off batteries? most of the laptops have power management which dims the screen once the batteries are getting low and theres no mains power.

It doesn't sound like it if its getting that dark but its always worth asking just in case - make sure the power lead hasn't come out of the adapter too (its happened to me on more than one occasion).

Let us know how you get on,

Matt
 
Darksaber said:
this is going to sound like a really dumb and patronising question boon but when the screen went dark was it plugged into the mains or running off batteries? most of the laptops have power management which dims the screen once the batteries are getting low and theres no mains power.

It doesn't sound like it if its getting that dark but its always worth asking just in case - make sure the power lead hasn't come out of the adapter too (its happened to me on more than one occasion).

Let us know how you get on,

Matt
Click to expand...


well matt, the question wasn't as dumb as you think. I was on battery when it went off, and now i have reconnected to the mains, all is well.. so far.
thanks
 
Darksaber said:
this is going to sound like a really dumb and patronising question boon but when the screen went dark was it plugged into the mains or running off batteries? most of the laptops have power management which dims the screen once the batteries are getting low and theres no mains power.

It doesn't sound like it if its getting that dark but its always worth asking just in case - make sure the power lead hasn't come out of the adapter too (its happened to me on more than one occasion).

Let us know how you get on,

Matt
Click to expand...


:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
 
No problem mate, It'll have been the power saving utility on the laptop, you can disable this/change the settings in Control Panel>Power Options. Depending on what Dell laptop you have there might be a dell power utility. I can't see one on here but I might have removed it.

Now hurry up and get those pictures uploaded ;)
 
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