Topic: Need computer help... blank startup screen

I'm posting this here because I know there are some gifted compooter people here. My laptop (that I do my NL posting and about everything else on) is next-to dead. I turn it on and all I get is a black, backlit screen. Nothing else appears, despite pushing F8, F11, or holding the power button. CTRL-ALT-DELETE does nothing. I can hear it operating, though. Any suggestions? I appreciate any help. Don't know how I'll live without that laptop!!!

does it happen to have a port to hook it up to a monitor or TV? i'd give that a shot if you can.

maybe the screen is broken?

maybe it helps to let it turned on for a few minutes. i have a laptop where screen is broken and it needs to be turned on for a while so the screen will actually show anything.

@theblackdragon
I hadn't thought of that! Still, I hooked the laptop up to my TV (which I've done before, like to have a game walkthrough on a bigger screen when I'm playing a handheld game, and it worked fine), and it said "No PC signal." Waited and waited for it to register, and nothing. I guess that should tell me it's pretty royally messed up. Oh and it's Vista OS, forgot to mention. I can hear activity (part of which is the fan) after I turn it on, but it looks like it must be an internal problem. Had it only been the screen, it should've registered a signal when I connected it to the TV as you suggested. Thank you for the suggestion. While it didn't work, it told me that the problem must not be with the laptop display. Which means bigger problems.

@6ch6ris6
I've left it on for upwards of 30 minutes since the problem arose this morning, and nothing. All I have is the backlit black screen. That, plus getting no signal or picture on the TV when I connected it makes me worry it's something much more. Thank you for the suggestion!

I had a problem putting it in sleep mode last night. It wouldn't shut down right, then I got some message about not finding the operating system or something. Wish I'd written it down now, but I've had messages before, did a system restore, and things seemed fine.

Is it beeping at all? If there's an error during the POST (e.g. if your computer can't detect a video card, which is just one of the problems that could be going on here) you'll usually hear a series of beeps, it's a code to help you diagnose the issue with your computer.

If you're not seeing a BIOS (the black-and white screen that has a bunch of gibberish on it) when you boot, then it has nothing to do with your operating system - the PC isn't even getting far enough to attempt to boot it.

It sounds like you have a broken motherboard, which is unfortunate. You could see if you could try a BIOS flash (i.e. try and repair the BIOS) but you'd have to look up instructions for your specific computer in order to do that.

EDIT: Sorry, now I thought about it, it might not be that bad. TBD is correct - listen for beeps. One usually means everything is OK, whereas multiple will tell you what the problem is.

Of course, if you hear nothing, THEN you can start worrying...

^ yeah, if you see nothing and hear nothing, kiss that thing goodbye. at that point you could try kicking it a couple times to see if that magically fixes it (hey, anything's worth a shot lol), but with a bad mobo it's usually cheaper to just get another laptop than it is to fix the one you've got (though definitely save your hard drive, you can get an external enclosure or an adapter and save your files).

Yeah laptop mobos are a p.i.t.a. to repair as TBD you might as well kiss that laptop goodbye and start looking for a new one.

Sorry I've not responded in a bit. I've had to take a break from it before I become frustrated enough to take my frustrations out on the thing for the end of NBA Finals game 2! I appreciate all the interest and input trying to help me! I'll always remember it!
@Nintenzo
It didn't come with any instillation discs. It's a good brand, a Compaq, but it was a low-end model. Not even sure how you come by any. Get in touch with HP (they own the Compaq brand I think)? I tried calling for technical support, and they want to charge since it's out of warranty. The only thing that shows up is the backlighting. Funny thing is, I can use F7 & 8 to lighten and darken the screen, but no other buttons do anything.
@Blue_Ace
I'm sorry to hear that, fellow Brony. What did you wind up doing? Is it working now?
@Wheels2050
Nope, no BIOS or text of any kind, only black, backlit screen. I was hoping it was a good sign that the F7 & F8 buttons still work to control the degree of backlighting.
@Tasuki
I was afraid of that, that I might wind up paying the proverbial arm & leg to have it fixed. I am worried about preserving the files on it, however. Why is it that things like this, and having multiple-hundred dollar water leaks that the city pawns off on you (it's been a nightmare) happen all at once? I think the deity in charge, if there is one, likes me right now about as much as David Stern's refs like my Thunder. Barely money for food & bills here right now, let alone laptop repairs/new laptop. Still waiting on enough $ to reserve New Super Mario Bros. 2.
@tbd
I know the beeps you're talking about, and I've heard none of those. Yet, when I turn on the computer, it makes the typical sounds it makes at startup. From then on, all I hear is the fan. I actually did "smack it around" just a little bit, see if it'd knock something in place (not too hard, mind you). If this were an episode of NCIS, I could give it a Gibbs head slap and it'd work like new. Why can't real life be more like TV shows/movies? What kind of apparatus do you need to remove the files from the hard drive? Yes, I'm a cheap moron who hasn't had the money/didn't use it to buy anything for backup. I've got a ton of stuff on it that I REALLY, REALLY don't want to lose. Like some 15,000 music files (99% video game) that I'm afraid I'll lose if I try to update my iPod Touch on a computer like my 8 year-old POS I'm using here that doesn't have the music on it.

Sorry to hear about your money situation FluttershyGuy. I know how that is that sort of thing always happens to me to it seems. But yeah even if you know someone who can swap out the mobo it will be hard to find a replacement. Laptops in general aren't design with upgrading and replacing in mind. Now if it was a desktop on the other hand swapping out the mobo wouldnt be so bad. In all honesty your best bet is to start looking for a new one. You can keep your eye out in a month or two when the back to school sales are going on you can usually find a good one at a good price. If you want you can give HP a call as well and see how much they would charge to repair it but more than likely it would just be easier and cheaper to get a new one.