Toshiba laptop Satellite 18001-700 Screen keeps blanking 1

[stduc]

I'm posting this without much hope, to be honest. But here goes!

This laptop had good and bad days. On a good day it behaves itself. On a bad day the screen will blank when you are using the machine. Pressing the blue function key (Fn) and then F5 repeatedly will get the screen back. The screen can then behave itself or blank again. Sometimes many times before it does work for the rest of the day.

Any thoughts anyone?

[navy]When I married "Miss Right" I didn't realise her first name was 'always'. LOL[/navy]

 

[goombawaho]

Bad video card????!!!! The best way to test this is to plug an external monitor into the laptop and run BOTH screens at the same time as you are working.

If the video craps out on both of the screens at the same time, it's the video card gone belly up. If JUST the laptop screen craps out, it's something after the video card (like a cable or something in the LCD components)

 

[rclarke250]

Loose cable, or flaky inverter card, if after following Goombawahos advice.

 

[flyboytim]

Laptops often fail intermittently because the heat exchanger fins get blocked with lint, and the two hardest working chips, the graphics and central processors get too hot and cut out.
Depending on your exact model, the process of getting to the fan and heat exchanger for a cleanout can mean either a total disassembly of the laptop, except for the screen, or if you are lucky, removal of a few screws and a back panel may expose the cooling system. Popular laptops often have dismantling instructions, and even videos posted on the web.
The actual cleaning is simple - a few blasts of canned air, although I usually help with a pair of fine forceps, and a soft bristle brush.

 

[flyboytim]

Just had a look at:

http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/Toshiba1800/satellite1800_1.htm

If that is like your model, its an easy disassembly, as the fan housing is just below the keyboard.

 

[rclarke250]

Overheating would not be the cause if he can press the Fn + F5 key switching the video output mode, and get it to come back on. Although cleaning the fan fins is always a good idea.

 

[goombawaho]

Heat problem?? Not in this case most likely. Good idea to clean out the fan periodically??? Yes.

Let's hear from the OP. Don't leave us hanging.

 

[kjv1611]

stduc,

Any updates on your situation? Did you try any of the suggestions?

 

[stduc]

It's an intermittent problem. I've been waiting for it to perform again at a time when I had an external screen available. Finally it has.

I changed the BIOS settings from Video-automatically detect to simultaneous. That way I figured an external screen should work all the time.

OK - so the situation is that when the laptop screen blanks out and I plug an external screen in - it is working. So it's not the video chip. Once the laptop screen blanks I can prod Fn+F5 a few times and the laptop screen comes back on. Sometimes for a moment or two only (in which case ) repeat the Fn+F5 presses and finally it comes on for as long as you want to use the machine.

I really don't fancy taking it apart. It doesn't appear to be a heat issue. Dissembley could be the death of it! I think its a flaky inverter on the display. I guess I'll have to live with it until I can justify a new laptop. But I only need it occasionally and then only for emails.

[navy]When I married "Miss Right" I didn't realise her first name was 'always'. LOL[/navy]

 

[kjv1611]

Yeah, I would concur with your thoughts. If the laptop is old enough to only be worth a couple hundred dollars, in particular, I'd say not worth messing with the screen, b/c it could cost near as much for a replacement LCD... and replacing the inverter would be even more troublesome than the whole LCD.

 

[rclarke250]

nope, the inverter is easy, just a few screws, and you can pull the bezel from around the screen. The inverter sits just below the lcd, between the hinges, it usually has 1 screw and 2 plugs, the ccfl, and the power cable from the board. They normally can be found for around $20.00-$30.00. And it should take less than 15 mins. to swap in the new one. A typical lcd can be found for $70-120. Way cheaper than replacing the whole lappy, or if really old and outdated,Then I would replace the whole laptop.

 

[kjv1611]

less than 15 minutes"

That would heavily depend upon the model, your experience, and the possibility that the whole thing goes super smoothly. Try it on a 12.1 inch Toshiba U205 series notebook.

Also, I wouldn't say there is any "typical" LCD for a laptop. They are model specific... sure, the internals are the same for some of them, but there are lots and lots of variances possible with laptops. If you can't find it on eBay or some other online store in abundance, that LCD price can quickly double or triple.

The inverter being easy is a matter of opinion. Some LCD screens don't JUST have a couple of screws... there's sometimes extra glue/tape/sticky stuff besides the screws. And if you manage to get it all open and apart, your next interesting task can be trying to get it back together in an orderly fashion.

Of course, some machines probably are that easy. The Dells tend to be pretty easy in every way, hardware-wise, but other manufacturers not so, in the ones I've messed with anyway.

 

[rclarke250]

Have not had the pleasure of any 12.1" screens, I have done a bunch from 14.1" to 17". And it is true that some of the screen bezels can be tricky, but for the most part the ones I have dealt with: Dell,Acer,Lenovo/IBM,Gateway,Toshiba,Sony,Packard Bell,NEC,HP/Compaq,Sager/Clevo/Alienware, Have 4-8 screws under the rubber bumpers, and then you carefully pull it off from the inside of the screen by the base,and work your way around,try not to snap too many of the clips,or ruin the double sided tape if present. For the most part, the inverter is in between the hinges, held in place by 1-2 screws, or none at all, has a plug on each side. Reverse it for putting it together, starting at the top, and making sure the latch system if it has one is working before putting screws in. (this last one is from experience.)

As for the screens, in the past 5 years or so, they have settled on a single plug style at the LCD end, this is to make them cheaper to produce, The same "style" LCD will work across the laptops using the same resolution and size screen. Glossy or matte makes no difference to the inverter or the laptop, they also are interchangeable.

Take for instance an hp that has 15.4" It could have a lp154w01(tl)(d1) or a ltn154at07, you could also find this same screen in a dell,Acer,Lenovo that is a 15.4" with 1280 x 800 resolution, it comes in either matte, or glossy. Try

http://www.screencountry.com/

if you are having a problem finding the correct screen. Also obviously LED and LCD don't use the same inverters. I have also dealt with Bliss computers for lcd screens, and have been very happy with them, they double pack and use about 10' of bubble wrap on the screen before boxing.

It typically takes me a hour or a little more to do a system board swap in a laptop, with everything else taking less time. And I agree it is a comfort level thing, I have been doing this for almost 25 years. And sometimes I forget that not everyone tears everything apart. Always in trouble with the wife, because when she buys some new gadget the first thing I want to do is open it up and see whats inside. She still won't let me do the furby autopsy I want to do.

 

[kjv1611]

Wow! Thanks for such a detailed run-down of your methods, or at least what you have shared. I know that lots of people come to me with their questions. I've practically never advertised my skills, but word travels fast. I've pretty much just done my own stuff, and then fixed others as a hobby. I've considered going into business with that, but just can't afford to give up stability and insurance for possible instability.

Anyway, yeah, your 15 minutes, with your experience, would probably be most folks' 2 hours (or more) if they want to try and not break the thing. I know that when I pull computers apart to work on them, if it's not mine in particular, or one I've not taken apart before, I tend to really take my time. I know ALL TOO WELL how easily it is for me to break something.

My wife always gets to giving me "the look" if she sees something in my hand and a screw driver. Then she'll remind me of something in the past. I guess in that sense, I can somewhat think I'm like Tim the Toolman. However, I do usually just convince myself to "let it be" on most things, b/c I don't want to have to buy a new one. [LOL]