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I think my laptop's screen is dying. It randomly turns off but I can still hear the computer clicks and sounds. It doesn't turn on until I reboot it. Also plugging the laptop into a monitor or a TV works either.

I am thinking a bad driver.

McAvoy wrote:I think my laptop's screen is dying. It randomly turns off but I can still hear the computer clicks and sounds. It doesn't turn on until I reboot it. Also plugging the laptop into a monitor or a TV works either.

I am thinking a bad driver.

It's a hardware issue. How old is this laptop? If it's a couple of years old it may be a compact fluorescent backlit LCD (the original variety before LEDs took over); in that case there is a possibility it's the inverter rather than the screen (an inverter is needed to convert the laptop's DC power back to AC again to power an LCD, while LEDs don't require this). But if it's the screen, they tend to be one of the more expensive parts in a laptop. It's not a difficult repair once you have a replacement screen, though of course it takes care.

Four years old and the lightening or picture quality isn't an issue just in case you ask if there is a picture degradation.

It is a HP dv7-1285 laptop. Bought it in 2009. Upgraded since then, such as Windows 7, to 8 GB and a 1 terabyte hard drive in the second bay.

If it is a hardware issue with the screen itself, I should be able to use a monitor or my TV. It doesn't work when I do.

McAvoy wrote:Four years old and the lightening or picture quality isn't an issue just in case you ask if there is a picture degradation.

It is a HP dv7-1285 laptop. Bought it in 2009. Upgraded since then, such as Windows 7, to 8 GB and a 1 terabyte hard drive in the second bay.

If it is a hardware issue with the screen itself, I should be able to use a monitor or my TV. It doesn't work when I do.

Yeah, a laptop that old probably isn't a LED. Those screens can go in a variety of ways, and they often look fine when they work - but if it doesn't always work there's a problem. If you can use it on an external monitor (and don't need to carry it around) that will work fine, though I do find it an odd feeling to work on a laptop looking at a different screen. Older LCDs actually seem to be more expensive than LED replacements nowadays, because they're not made anymore.

Captain Picard's Hair wrote:

McAvoy wrote:Four years old and the lightening or picture quality isn't an issue just in case you ask if there is a picture degradation.

It is a HP dv7-1285 laptop. Bought it in 2009. Upgraded since then, such as Windows 7, to 8 GB and a 1 terabyte hard drive in the second bay.

If it is a hardware issue with the screen itself, I should be able to use a monitor or my TV. It doesn't work when I do.

Yeah, a laptop that old probably isn't a LED. Those screens can go in a variety of ways, and they often look fine when they work - but if it doesn't always work there's a problem. If you can use it on an external monitor (and don't need to carry it around) that will work fine, though I do find it an odd feeling to work on a laptop looking at a different screen. Older LCDs actually seem to be more expensive than LED replacements nowadays, because they're not made anymore.

External screen works only if the laptop screen works. It happens maybe only once a week or so. It usually turns off on it's own when I click on a folder or a command. Never just out of nowhere.

Ah, well then that's different. It's not what I imagined, but it's an odd problem.

Babysitting my parent's two dogs and two cats for a week. Gives me the opportunity to figure out how to clean the garage. It is a two car garage filled top to bottom with guitars, guitar cases, various amps, violins (all of these range from dirt cheap to maybe $200). Anyway they are not organized but thrown in a giant pile. On top of these are various boxes my Dad picked up so he can ship these instruments. Over the past fifteen years since this started, anything on the bottom has been crushed. My Dad doesn't throw away anything because he thinks he can sell it. The problem is that the reason why they are in the garage is because they did not sell.

Oh and I can do this only during the day as the garage has no working lights.

I'm watching ESB and ROTJ for a paper I'm writing with a friend. These movies are still awesome. 8)

ESB is still my least favourite, in fact it's the only one of the original trilogy that ranks worse than one if the new.

ROTJ
ANH
ROTS
ESB
TCW
TPM

Teaos wrote:ESB is still my least favourite, in fact it's the only one of the original trilogy that ranks worse than one if the new.

ROTJ
ANH
ROTS
ESB
TCW
TPM

Wow, you perhaps the only one I know that doesn't have ESB ranked either #1 or #2.

Mine is

ESB
ROTJ
ANH
ROTS
TCW
TPM

I just don't think empire strikes back had the sweeping story line the others had, it really did feel like filler and setting up for ROTJ.

Teaos wrote:I just don't think empire strikes back had the sweeping story line the others had, it really did feel like filler and setting up for ROTJ.

So you like Voyager, you don't like DS9, and you don't like ESB. What next? Colin Baker's the best dressed Doctor? Wesley Crusher should have been the Captain in TNG season 2? Enterprise had the best finale?

Mine...

ESB
ANH
ROTJ-And for those three, it's almost painful to list them, since I love them all.

ROTS
TPM
AOTC

Teaos wrote:I just don't think empire strikes back had the sweeping story line the others had, it really did feel like filler and setting up for ROTJ.

Believe me if I could find a better facepalm than the classic Picard, I would.

I mean I can accept that it's too dark or Darth Vader was too badass in the movie or whatnot but not calling Empire Strikes Back filler.

I think we need to take away your Nerd Card away for awhile.

It didnt have a fucking ending, it was a made for TV mini series movie with a blatant and massively open plot point. ANH had a fully contained story arc, and while it did have stuff that could carry on to new movies, if it was a stand alone it would have been fine.