Is my monitor shot or is it software related?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

I'm trying to get my friend's laptop fixed. The screen laptop screen is
showing nothing but a pattern of fine vertical lines. When hook up an
external monitor the external one is working fine. All I notice different
from the last time I worked on his computer is that the bios battery seems
dead. It's won't keep the set time after a reboot. Other than that
everything looks OK in device manager. I tried using FN+F4 to toggle between
screens but that didn't work. What could be wrong? Is it possible that it's
a software problem? Should I try to reinstall windows, or is it a hardware
problem? My thinking is If the video card was bad, or it was a
software/virus the external monitor wouldn't work. Any ideas?

--
Warmest regards,

Steve Horrillo, Realtor | Trainer | Hypnotherapist
http://brokeragenttraining.com (Advanced training for real estate
professionals)
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[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Steve Horrillo wrote:

> I'm trying to get my friend's laptop fixed. The screen laptop screen is
> showing nothing but a pattern of fine vertical lines. When hook up an
> external monitor the external one is working fine. All I notice different
> from the last time I worked on his computer is that the bios battery seems
> dead. It's won't keep the set time after a reboot.

Is it keeping the BIOS settings? If so it's not 'dead' but weak. It takes
more voltage to run the clock than to just keep the CMOS RAM alive so the
clock not running when the unit is off is a leading indicator that the
battery needs replacing.

If it's losing settings then it's dead.

Unless they've got some strange circuitry in there that should not be
causing the display problem although I suppose it's remotely possible that
if the CMOS has become corrupted it could confuse the video controller.
Can't say that I've ever *seen* that but never say never.

> Other than that
> everything looks OK in device manager. I tried using FN+F4 to toggle between
> screens but that didn't work. What could be wrong? Is it possible that it's
> a software problem? Should I try to reinstall windows, or is it a hardware
> problem? My thinking is If the video card was bad, or it was a
> software/virus the external monitor wouldn't work. Any ideas?

As with the CMOS, it's unlikely but possible, I suppose, that a corrupted
driver could confuse the controller, like maybe telling it some bizarre
refresh rate. at least it wouldn't hurt to remove and reinstall it, as well
as make sure the monitor setting is right.

But the kind of symptom you describe is more consistent with physical or
electrical damage to the LCD or it's circuitry. Has it been dropped? If so
there could be a hairline crack and that's replacement time.

Has someone been inside the thing, to maybe look for that CMOS battery?
Cross your fingers because, if so, it's possible they inadvertently pulled
loose one of the LCD panel connectors (easy to do with such tight
dimensions). And, if so, then reseating them might put it back into operation.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

"Steve Horrillo" <usenet@stephenhorrillo.com> wrote:

> I'm trying to get my friend's laptop fixed. The screen laptop
> screen is showing nothing but a pattern of fine vertical lines.
> When hook up an external monitor the external one is working
> fine. All I notice different from the last time I worked on his
> computer is that the bios battery seems dead. It's won't keep
> the set time after a reboot.

Why don't you try replacing the battery.





Other than that
> everything looks OK in device manager. I tried using FN+F4 to
> toggle between screens but that didn't work. What could be
> wrong? Is it possible that it's a software problem? Should I try
> to reinstall windows, or is it a hardware problem? My thinking
> is If the video card was bad, or it was a software/virus the
> external monitor wouldn't work. Any ideas?
>