Screen blacked out on start up. No messages. Just blank. Seems to be booting..

[12milk]

On start up, computer screen is blacked out. No messages.only a black screen. Power comes on and makes the normal sounds as booting up. I held the delete button down. shut it off. Turned it back on hitting the delete button over and over and the screen came on without any differences working normally.  Today that will not work. Screen is black. Computer is on. No messages. Unable to hook up to external screen. Any suggestions?

[mdklassen]

>  Product Name: Pa option g4-1135 dxnotebook

> On start up, computer screen is blacked out. No messages.only a black screen.

Really 100% black ???

Take the computer to a darkened room, to see if there is a proper, but EXTREMELY-DIM, image on the screen.

If so, then you have a malfunctioning screen. 

Possibly fortunately, it might be a $20 part, the "inverter", that has failed - it is responsible for "brightening" the image.

$20 for the part, and at least $50 for a technician to disassemble, replace, reassemble, and test.

> Power comes on and makes the normal sounds as booting up. I held the delete button down. shut it off.

> Turned it back on repeatedlyl hitting the delete button, and the screen came on working normally. 

Ain't "intermittent" problems the s*its trying to trouble-shoot? 

> Today that will not work. Screen is black. Computer is on. No messages.

> Unable to hook up to external screen.

What happens if the computer is powered-off, and then you connect the external screen, and then power-on?

Does the computer "mirror" the internal screen on the external screen?

Note that notebook computers with optional video-output have several modes:

* display only on internal screen

* display on both screens

* display only on external screen

* display in "dual-monitor" mode -- the external monitor "extends" your Windows Desktop off the right-hand edge of in the internal screen onto the left-hand edge of the external screen.

Hold down the 'FN' key (bottom-left of your keyboard) and press one of those F1-through-F12 keys to "cycle" through the first 3 modes, above.  Look closely on the labels on those F-keys to find the correct key to press.

[12milk]

Thank you for your suggestions. Tried a few things you recommended  but no luck.  I think it's time to retire this notebook and shop for another. I greatly appreciate your feedback!

[mdklassen · Accepted solution]

> I think it's time to retire this notebook and shop for another.

That works, but may dent your wallet.

Note that you should be able to physically remove the disk-drive, and attach it as a "secondary" disk-drive to some other computer, and copy all your Personal Files & bookmarks & E-mail from it.

[12milk]

After further consideration, I'll check repair cost first.  Thanks!