This three year-old Toshiba Satellite has served me well, but I had to connect one of my Samsung SyncMaster 933 monitors to it as the laptop's monitor has gradually faded despite adjusting the brightness up to max.
I've tried drivers (Windows 7 Professional), but no joy.
I guess I could replace it, but I'd like to find out if there's a software based remedy. I've posted at a laptop forum site, thought I'd also see if anyone in here might have dealt with this before.
I have a friend with an Alienware (forgot the model #).... That thing is incredible, absolute maximum graphics and quickness.
Big price tag.. but man.. it is a world away from the best stuff I've seen at Best Buy, etc.
You can build your own just as good at probably half the price. Buy alienware and your paying for the name just like apple.
Just to throw it out there but with your toshiba do you have it on eco mode? I know my satellite has this and it will dim the screen. check your power settings in your laptop. as I checked mine on eco and no matter how brite I put the brightness it still seemed dim.
Last edited by Dark Jedi; October 28th, 2011 at 09:19 PM.
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This three year-old Toshiba Satellite has served me well, but I had to connect one of my Samsung SyncMaster 933 monitors to it as the laptop's monitor has gradually faded despite adjusting the brightness up to max.
Most probably the fluorescent bulb back-light has died. Most laptops made these days have LED back-lighting rather than fluorescent bulbs, so they're much less likely to burn out.
You can build your own just as good at probably half the price. Buy alienware and your paying for the name just like apple.
Build your own laptop? I know you can customise a laptop to a certain extent, like choice of HDD, how much RAM, maybe a choice of graphics and CPU on certain models. But it's not the quite the same as building a custom desktop PC from components.
Last edited by mikedt; October 28th, 2011 at 10:06 PM.
Build your own laptop? I know you can customise a laptop to a certain extent, like choice of HDD, how much RAM, maybe a choice of graphics and CPU on certain models. But it's not the quite the same as building a custom desktop PC from components.
^ I believe that Frisco lost a laptop, but the friend of Frisco (fof?) had an unknown alienware... Though I (for some reason) assumed that it too was a laptop.
Frisco, when you turn on your laptop, can you see anything BIOS related on the screen? I'm guessing no, and in that case I too would say that it is a hardware issue
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Most probably the fluorescent bulb back-light has died. Most laptops made these days have LED back-lighting rather than fluorescent bulbs, so they're much less likely to burn out.
When did LED backlighting start becoming standard? Will have to check on that when I get home..
Had something similar happen to SO's lappie.
Every thing was completely black but if you looked close enough you could tell that the desktop was still showing. If I wiggled the screen it would flicker on and off. From all the research I did it pointed to either the bulb or a bad connection wire from MB to screen. Completely disassembled the laptop to find it was virtually impossible to get to the wire....
Frisco, when you turn on your laptop, can you see anything BIOS related on the screen? I'm guessing no, and in that case I too would say that it is a hardware issue
Yes the usual boot screen with the (F2, F12, etc) options to enter BIOS configuration comes up.. for about three seconds then
It's moot, as I've decide on the Alienware M17X, as my friend has and I'm quite thrilled to have played with for a while.
This old Toshiba, now displaying on a SM 933 PC monitor, will go to a geeky friend who wants to harvest various parts out of it.
Thanks for your informed responses about this.. I toyed with the idea of having it fixed, but to be honest, I want that new laptop!
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When did LED backlighting start becoming standard? Will have to check on that when I get home..
I'm sure LED backlighting is standard on all new laptops now, various reasons. They last much longer, longer battery life, and probably ROHS requirements *, fluorescent bulbs contain mercury. You need a HazMat cleanup if you break a fluorescent bulb.
Mind you exactly the same thing can happen with flat desktop PC monitors, but obviously these are much cheaper than a laptop. One dosen't have to junk the whole computer, because the back-light died.
Yes the usual boot screen with the (F2, F12, etc) options to enter BIOS configuration comes up.. for about three seconds then fade to black
If you select the option to go into bios, does it also fade to black? If not, it probably isnt hardware. Need to go into bios to find out if the 3 seconds thing continues. If it does, it may still be hardware.
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If you select the option to go into bios, does it also fade to black? If not, it probably isnt hardware. Need to go into bios to find out if the 3 seconds thing continues. If it does, it may still be hardware.
I'm finding out that it's erratic, intermittent behavior. I went into BIOS via the F12 button as it booted.. the monitor remained on but dim, very dim.. I checked around for about a full minute and the brightness went to normal.
I then hit F10 to back out and boot and watched as the monitor went black in the middle of the boot process, just about the time the welcome screen came on.
Toshiba laptop monitor dimmed to black
I know you can customise a laptop to a certain extent, like choice of HDD, how much RAM, maybe a choice of graphics and CPU on certain models. But it's not the quite the same as building a custom desktop PC from components.
