(HP) Windows 7 Laptop starts with white screen

[Tommy223]

Okay so i have a pavilion dv6 HP laptop and for the last few weeks it has been giving me White screens. Before when I was using it , it would only come and go but as the weeks go on it got worse. Now when i start My Laptop it starts with White screen right away i can't even press f2 or f8 to get to the boot menu because of the White screen... Now I can use it sometimes which is only bad cause i have homework and stuff to do and sometimes i leave it for hours then turn it on and it's the same thing i need very much a lot of help. Can't fail now mates.

 

[christinebcw]

"Can't fail now!" and yet... well...

Does the Pav have an external monitor connector? A VGA or HDMI-Out connector? Can that be used to see if the video-chipset is functioning? If it is, then I'd probably vote for "dead monitor". At least you can use SOME workaround.

If the external monitor-hookup doesn't work, then you could be facing a dead video-chipset or some other 'built onto motherboard' failure and, well - the bright side is "Maybe I can pull my hard drive out and still retrieve everything on someone else's computer..."

That's about the only Silver Linings I can think of now.

 

[Tommy223]

I only have a HDMI Cable and a VGA that connects my desktop monitor to my computer box that's all..

 

[christinebcw]

My suggestion would be to try whichever one works on that Pavilion and see if its External Video option works (what is that - fn+F5?). That way, you'll see if it's a flat-screen monitor failure, or a motherboard/graphics failure, or you can report back some other behavior.

 

[Tommy223]

Okay so when it's starting up press (fn+f5 while i have the HDMI or VGA cable plugged in

 

[Tommy223]

Because i did try that at one time i think it was a few days ago i tried using the VGA cable as an External Video and it worked once but never worked again guessing because i didn't see the screen because of the white screen of course. As for the HDMI one i haven't tried that should i try it on a tv or another computer ?

 

[christinebcw]

The fn+F5 combo to switch to an alternate monitor may take moments to function properly. I'd wait at least 20 seconds. Then, I'd hold down the 'fn' key and tap the F5 key again, and wait more. This key-combo is a 'cycle' routine where it 'pages thru' various options - usually it's Onboard Video, then External Monitor then Both Video Screens, then back to OnBoard Video.

So it 'cycles thru' those choices, one at a time.

The object of this test - regardless of the external monitor - is to determine if you can get your computer's screen to work on some other device.

If so, then you know you don't have a dead-part on the motherboard, but only a dead video-screen.

If I could not get any External Monitor to function, then I might fear I've got dead components on the motherboard.

(From a repair standpoint, both are fairly serious and costly, I'd imagine - but if you only have a dead monitor on your laptop, at least you can use the computer with that external screen for whatever is needed in the short-term.

 

[Tommy223]

Sorry for the late answer but what your saying is for me to take the VGA cable from my Desktop monitor and put it into the laptop then turn on the Laptop press "fn" + "f5" wait 20 seconds to see if it works then press it again and wait another 20 seconds ?

 

[Tommy223]

I was asking some people and they said it could be the connection between the screen and the keyboard the cable that connects the screen to the keyboard could be loose.

 

[christinebcw]

Yes. Try a different monitor on it - rather than just the notebook's flatscreen. The Alt-Video selection will have several options that you 'cycle thru'. The Alt Video function key will have a small 'monitor' logo on it, and the FN key will enable it.

(I don't know if yours is F5 or F ?? - you'll have to find that.)

Connect the other monitor...

Then hold the FN key down, then tap that Alt-Video key and wait for 5-10-20 seconds. If the alt-video doesn't appear, hold the FN key down again and tap that Alt Video key again. Wait... wait... and then do it again, and maybe one more cycle.

If you get nothing, then you've probably got a Dead Video Chipset on the motherboard.

If you get something, then you're likely dealing with a dead Flat-screen.

 

[Tommy223]

Alright thank you very much it looks like there's just a loosen cable in there which can be fixed or replaced but trying it on another monitor does work though thanks once again