[SOLVED] Bad Video Chip?

[vhradice]

I have an older HP laptop. When I turn it on, the screen kinda lights up but never actually comes to life. If I hook up an external monitor it works fine. I took it to one place and they said the video chip was bad. As it was soldered in, it could not be replaced. When I asked why the external monitor worked, they had no answer. Does the same video chip drive both monitors? Can half of a video chip go bad? Could the cable be bad? Any ideas or hints would be appreciated? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[R_1]

Welcome to the forums

the video chip does indeed drive both the onboard screen and the external.
"kinda lights up" was the first clue and the fact that the external works was the second.
I think the backlights in your laptop are either turned all the way down (Look on the keyboard for a brightness key on one of the Fn keys across the top- Fn keys must use the Fn key at the same time - try adjust the brightness) or the backlights have failed.