Toshiba laptop screen problem

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MARIS61

MARIS61

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My screen started getting all static-y, with pixels going white until eventually the whole screen went white. I left it alone and it fixed itself after several hours, but then it has done it again a day later.

Anyone know where I should start to find a cure?

9 months old and still under their very limited warranty, but probably cheaper to fix if I can do it myself.
 
Does it get static-y as soon as you turn it on or does it happen after it has been on for a while? Do you have an external monitor you can test the laptop with? What model is it?
 
don't take chances. backup and return it, sounds serious. might be a loose connector or a bad video card.
 
gambitnut, quick question for you: Recently I loaded Windows Vista onto my computer and my computer overall has been running smoother and faster then when I first bought it two years ago. However, my CD/DVD drive stopped working. I deleted an re-installed all the drivers and it still isnt functioning properly. After I first put Vista on it was working fine, and I managed to transfer all my old music files (10 4.5GB DVD's) onto it. And I loaded a few old games (Ages of Empires 3, Diablo II). Now it doesnt read anything. When I put discs they spin a couple times and then it just stops trying to read them altogether and says 'insert disc' when I click on the drive. It's on a laptop and the piece that comes out has always been really flimsy.

My questions:
1. Do you think the DVD drive just stopped working (cause it's old/cheap/beat up/they go out easily on laptops)?

2. Do you think it's Windows Vista related (although it worked fine the first couple of days after I changed over and downloaded and installed the new drivers)?

I apologize for hi-jacking your thread MARIS and I hope your screen problems get fixed. I hate it when stuff goes wrong with computers.
 
Toshiba Satellite A215-S6820.

Left it at home all day and night and now it's fixed again.

Have a monitor I can hook it to if need be to find the problem.

After 9 months I don't think returning it is an option, but I'll check.
 
It looks like your laptop has two fans, one for the CPU (Central Processing Unit) and one for the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit. My first guess is that the fan for the GPU is bad and the GPU is overheating.
 
Nate4Prez said:
gambitnut, quick question for you: Recently I loaded Windows Vista onto my computer and my computer overall has been running smoother and faster then when I first bought it two years ago. However, my CD/DVD drive stopped working. I deleted an re-installed all the drivers and it still isnt functioning properly. After I first put Vista on it was working fine, and I managed to transfer all my old music files (10 4.5GB DVD's) onto it. And I loaded a few old games (Ages of Empires 3, Diablo II). Now it doesnt read anything. When I put discs they spin a couple times and then it just stops trying to read them altogether and says 'insert disc' when I click on the drive. It's on a laptop and the piece that comes out has always been really flimsy.

My questions:
1. Do you think the DVD drive just stopped working (cause it's old/cheap/beat up/they go out easily on laptops)?

2. Do you think it's Windows Vista related (although it worked fine the first couple of days after I changed over and downloaded and installed the new drivers)?

I apologize for hi-jacking your thread MARIS and I hope your screen problems get fixed. I hate it when stuff goes wrong with computers.
Click to expand...

Did the drive stop working right after you installed the games? Could they have had a virus? No problem Windows has surprises me and that is usually my first suspect, but the drive being flimsy doesn't sound good either. It could be many things.
 
MARIS61, some people at Free Geek suggested a quick and easy fix that might help your laptop. Blow some compressed air in the laptop and try to get out any dirt, dust, animal hair, etc.
 
The air couldn't hurt. I've never cleaned it and I use it more than not. I don't do games. Good thing my wife has one cuz that's what I'm using in the meantime.
 
If the air doesn't work, see if you can get into BIOS and find any indication that something is running too hot. By the way, was it new when you bought it?
 
gambitnut said:
If the air doesn't work, see if you can get into BIOS and find any indication that something is running too hot. By the way, was it new when you bought it?
Click to expand...

Bought it new at Office Depot.

BIOS? Sorry, I'm not that computer literate.

Hmmm...Basketball Intelligent Offensive System? :dunno:
 
MARIS61 said:
Bought it new at Office Depot.

BIOS? Sorry, I'm not that computer literate.

Hmmm...Basketball Intelligent Offensive System? :dunno:
Click to expand...

Basic Input/Output System. That's the system setup that is on the motherboard that tells the computer what is hooked up to the computer and how the onboard and external components are configured before it gets to the operating system, and which device to check to try to boot to said operating system, and things like that. Many also have a system check to tell you if it is running too hot. A site I found said to get into the BIOS on a Toshiba laptop you press Esc or F1, or Esc then F1.

The reason I asked if you bought it new is because I'm not sure if the turnover for laptops is just that fast, but I took it as a bad sign when I couldn't find a mention of that model on the Toshiba website.
 
Last edited:
gambitnut said:
Basic Input/Output System. That's the system setup that is on the motherboard that tells the computer what is hooked up to the computer and how the onboard and external components are configured before it gets to the operating system, and which device to check to try to boot to said operating system, and things like that. Many also have a system check to tell you if it is running too hot. A site I found said to get into the BIOS on a Toshiba laptop you press Esc or F1, or Esc then F1.

The reason I asked if you bought it new is because I'm not sure if the turnover for laptops is just that fast, but I took it as a bad sign when I couldn't find a mention of that model on the Toshiba website.
Click to expand...

The BIOS is what starts up the computer. It runs before windows even starts booting up. You typically see a splash screen for the hardware manufacturer while the BIOS does its thing. During that time is when you want to hit the Delete key or Esc or F1, and the BIOS brings up an old school/MS-DOS looking menu system where you can tweak things (like "boot off CD, then HD in that order"). One of the screens in the BIOS menu should be information about your system, including fan speed (RPM) and temperatures.

Hope that helps.
 
I just saw a thread addressed to MARIS61, and it reminded me that I wanted to get an update on this thread? Did you figure out what was wrong? Did you try compressed air? Did that work? Is it better now?
 
My screen is just black now when I boot up, never changes so it's useless as is.

I am currently arguing with Toshiba whether or not my warranty has expired or not. They said over the phone I was out of warranty 1 day when I called to report it, although I called on a Monday and they are unavailable on weekends. They said warranty expired on the Sunday night at 12. Their tech guy guesses it needs a new screen and they would charge me $450 + shipping for this.

I told him for $450 I will throw it in the trash and buy a Sony as my 8 year old Sony has never had even a glitch.

Talking to them again today.
 
Okay, after spending 20 minutes going around with some Mid-Eastern guy who apparently is only allowed to repeat any 1 of 4 scripted answers to me in broken English over and over, none of them very satisfying, I got him to forward me to someone (Eli) who could actually converse with me and address my warranty issue. He gave me a one-time 90 day warranty extension and instructions on how to UPS the laptop to Toshiba's repair depot for repair, free of charge. He said it should take 7-10 days to get it fixed.

I'll post again when I get it back.
 
AgentDrazenPetrovic said:
outsourcing works!
Click to expand...

No, not at all.

Had to find an American who took care of everything immediately.

The outsourced dude wasted 20 minutes of my precious time when he could have just said "I'm useless, let me connect you to a real person".
 
US techs are similarly as bad, they have the same scripts until you get to a level 2 tech (or whatever they call it).
 
Should be arriving soon.

Unit Repaired Waiting Shipment | "Reseated/fastened lcd cbl,bios/dmi,no acc,passed all tests"
 
Got it back today, fixed and cleaned for free, no shipping charges...

Works great!:clap:
 
I still need to replace my screen. I have decided to buy a compatible replacement LCD and replace it myself, that way I can save a few bucks (like $250 for a new screen from Gateway and $300-500 to get it installed). I would have had Gateway fix it but it's no longer under warranty and it was technically my fault, indirectly mind you, but still mine so they would have made me pay to fix it even if it was under warranty.
 
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