Toshiba Satellite Pro 470CDT screen blank on boot up

[briteyes]

Good day to you all. I have aa Toshiba Satellite Pro 470CDT laptop.
After I boot up the screen goes blank. The power lights are still on and the function keys light up but the screen remains blank. I do see the windows 98 screen flash up before going blank.The laptop was working fine when a key was hit (sorry dont know which one)and it seemed to go into shut down and I cannot think what key I hit to open it up again so to speak.A power supply is being used and all power buttons are lit..
Hope you can help please.

 

[KimLeece]

I don't know if this will be relevant or not! On my HP Omnibook I have an Fn key which allows me to set things like contrast/brightness/sound AND has a toggle switch to the screen (switches the LCD on/off) This last is presumably for use if there is an external screen connected and I don't want/need the LCD on. I have to hold down the Fn key and press the function keys to activate them. Mine is located on my F5 key. Maybe your laptop has a similar function switch - you should be able to look at your keyboard and locate it - I'm afraid I don't know your machine!

Kim Leece.

 

[QldSugardaddy]

Unplug from the power. Remove the battery for about a minute. Then plug the battery back in and plug the power back in as well. Then turn it on. Sounds like it is in suspend or hibernation Thanks, Todd
When in doubt, kick 'er in the guts

 

[Cervantes]

We've actually got a stack of 440CDT's here, so hopefully the advice will translate.

It sounds like you are getting picture, because you said you see the startup screen. If your video settings somehow got changed, then your screen will go black as Win98 loads your preferences. On a normal CRT (television-type) monitor, you'd be able to see flicker or something on the screen, but because you're on a laptop LCD screen, you see nothing. Here's how to fix:

Restart your computer, wait for the BIOS to go by (the part where it counts your RAM), then start tapping F8. That will bring up your Win98 Startup screen. Pick (3) - Safe Mode. Windows will load with default video options. If it loads up and you can see your desktop, then all that happened to you was a change to your video options (probably resolution set too high). If you restart from safe mode, it should reset your desktop size when you go back to 'normal' windows. If it doesn't, reboot to safe mode, open up Device Manager (right click on My Computer, select properties, Device Manager) and delete the video adapter. Restart to normal windows, let it redetect. If that fails, and you have a docking station, see if you can get picture by plugging a "normal" monitor into the VGA port on the docking station (with the laptop docked, of course). If everything works fine from there, then your laptop screen is schmucked, if not, well, let us know, and we'll think of something else. =)

 

[briteyes]

Thanks for ALL the help people. I did unplug everything, started in safe mode and then rebooted. Voila!!! we are up and running again.
*Computers are never dull*
*Don't spit the dummy , just boil the jug and wait*