Display Problems |
You
can perform a self-test on an external VGA color or monochrome monitor as follows:
1. Turn off the monitor.
2. Turn off the computer.
3. Disconnect the monitor signal cable from the computer.
4. Turn on the monitor and allow it to warm up for one minute.
The display should be white. A narrow
black border may also appear on the left and right sides of the display.
Either of these displays indicates that the monitor is working properly. |
Problem |
Probable
Cause |
Solution(s) |
Screen is dim.
|
Control
for brightness or contrast (if applicable) is not set properly. |
Adjust
the Brightness of the display by using Fn + F7 (¯ ) or Fn + F8 (
).
Adjust the Contrast of the display by using Fn + F5 (¯ ) or Fn + F6
( ).
See other entries in this table if these
adjustments do not work. |
Computer
screen is in direct light. |
Tilt
display or move computer. |
Screen is blank.
|
Screen
save was initiated by Power Management due to lack of user activity. |
Press
any key or touch the Touch Pad. |
Display
has overheated. |
If
computer is in direct sunlight, move it and allow it to cool off. |
Display
is blank and the Suspend icon is flashing. |
System
is in Suspend mode. |
Press
any key or touch the Touch Pad. |
Internal
display is blank and the screen on an external monitor displays information. |
Display
function was switched to the external monitor. |
Use Fn
+ F2 to switch between LCD or CRT. |
Internal display
flashes or has garbled characters when computer is connected to external monitor. |
Using 1024 × 768
or higher resolution on external monitor and have toggled back to internal display, which
supports up to 800 × 600. |
Restart the
computer. |
This
display panel has a continuous pattern across it (e.g., a "jailbars" pattern),
has a single color on it, or has garbled graphics across the entire panel. This failure is
for patterns across the entire panel (not just on one section). |
Improper display
cable connections. |
Reseat the display
cable to the following until the problem is solved: 1.
System board
2. Display assembly |
Defective display
cable. |
Replace the display
assembly. |
Defective inverter
board. |
Replace the display
assembly. |
Defective system
board. |
Replace the system
board. |
Ghost bars extending from
graphics on the display. |
Common characteristic of STN
displays. |
1. Change the background colors. 2. Adjust the Contrast of the display by using Fn + F5 (¯
) or Fn + F6 ( ). |
A single line, small group of
lines, or block appears on the display panel. This failure occurs in only a section of the
display panel. |
Defective display panel. |
Replace the display assembly. |
The light tubes on
the edge of the display panel do not light up at all and Power-On Self-Test (POST)
completes when the unit is powered up.* |
Improper backlight or display
cable connections |
Replace the display assembly. |
Defective inverter board. |
Replace the display assembly. |
Defective display cable. |
Replace the display assembly. |
Defective display panel. |
Replace the display assembly. |
Defective system board. |
Replace the system board. |
The light tubes on the edge of
the display panel do not light up at all and Power-On Self-Test (POST) does not
complete when the unit is powered up.* |
Defective system board. |
Replace the system board. |
Backlight
(brightness) cannot be adjusted with Fn + F7 (¯ ) or Fn + F8 (
).* |
Improper display cable
connections. |
1. Reseat the display cable to
the system board. 2. Replace the display assembly. |
Defective inverter board. |
Replace the display assembly. |
Defective display cable. |
Replace the display assembly. |
Defective system board. |
Replace the system board. |
Contrast cannot be
adjusted with Fn + F5 (¯ ) or Fn + F6 ( ). |
Improper display cable
connections. |
1. Reseat the display cable to
the system board. 2. Replace the display assembly. |
Defective inverter board. |
Replace the display assembly. |
Defective display cable. |
Replace the display assembly. |
Defective system board. |
Replace the system board. |
* This
problem indicates that the backlight or its power circuitry has failed. Since you cannot
observe the POST result on the display panel when the backlight is not functioning,
connect the unit to an external monitor before powering the unit up. If an external
monitor is not available, verify that POST completes by opening and closing the display,
listening for the single or double beep, and watching for the LEDs turn on at the front of
the computer. |