Black Screen

[Yugl]

System: XPS m1530 (Dell)
OS: WIndows 7

My laptop has recently been booting up to a black screen. Sometimes it takes multiple start ups (~20+) to get it to work properly. Recently, I've purchased a new charger, but the problem has persisted before this issue arose.

I've taken the advice of someone from FFXI and tried the following (None of them succeeded):
- Removing and plugging the battery back in the laptop
- Removing the battery and running solely off the power cord
- Windows 7 boot up disk
- Hitting f8 when starting
- Holding power button and rebooting (This works sometimes; hence, the 20x start ups I mentioned earlier)
- External monitor

[sruon]

Probably the laptop syndrom. The VGA cable they use totally suck, need to change it probably.

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/1522/c610eb0af7.jpg

Try to remove the highlighted part by using a screwdriver below it where arrows are... go easy on it and it will go off, VGA cable + connector should be right here, try moving a bit the cable if it changes anything.

Doesn't void the warranty, just go easy on it.

[Cephius]

Before you go drilling inside it, try hooking it up to an external display and see if you get anything to come up. Make sure it's not a software issue before you start messing with the hardware.

[Yugl]

I checked an external monitor and the issue remained. I'll try the hardware stuff soon and report back. Thanks.

[Pikarya]

I checked an external monitor and the issue remained. I'll try the hardware stuff soon and report back. Thanks.

Definitely not a snagged/bent flat cable if the external is doing it also.

[Cephius]

Try wiping out and reinstalling your video card drivers first

[TheMysteriousX]

Definitely not a snagged/bent flat cable if the external is doing it also.

Yup.

How far does it get before it black screens? If it displays the BIOS info screen fine, then get your windows install CD and see if you can reproduce the issue booting from that, rather than the CD.

If it doesn't, then reinstalling windows or doing a system restore to the last time it was working should sort it.

If the issue still occurs, then you're looking at a hardware fault of some kind, probably on the main board as it affects both the built in panel and any external displays.

[Yugl]

Try wiping out and reinstalling your video card drivers first

How do I do that?

How far does it get before it black screens? If it displays the BIOS info screen fine, then get your windows install CD and see if you can reproduce the issue booting from that, rather than the CD.

If it doesn't, then reinstalling windows or doing a system restore to the last time it was working should sort it.

If the issue still occurs, then you're looking at a hardware fault of some kind, probably on the main board as it affects both the built in panel and any external displays.

The black screen comes up as soon as the PC is turned on. It somewhat reminds me of sleep mode because the same issue would happen (For this incident occurred) if I were to turn on the PC and run it normally, but accidentally hit the power button (Hit, not hold).