Specs: Toshiba Satellite A100 PSAA8C-0FH00E Intel Centrino Duo T2050 @ 1.60GHz 1 GB RAM Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Graphics: Mobile Intel 945 Express Chipset Family (128 MB) Been using it for 2 years now so warranty is gone.
The problem is everytime I move my monitor the screen flickers, and completely goes away, it just turns into the color of the main background of whatever is on the screen. At first, this was just small flickers. Then when I moved it the screen would go completely out until I stopped moving it. Now it's completely gone no matter what, it took forever for me to get it right so I could post this. I figured it's a hardware problem, but I don't know exactly what. Whether the connector to the screen is faulty, or disconnected, or whether it's my motherboard/graphics card itself. Perhaps it's even the screen as a whole. I'm not sure what. I'm pretty intermediate at computers, and don't mind opening it up to fix it as long as someone can find a way for me to know exactly what's wrong. I appreciate any advice, I can't afford to buy a new laptop (or even a replacement screen) right now.
I had this issue with my old Dell and had it repaired several times only to happen again. I think it was something up with the lamp in combination with poor design for the casing around the screen but I don't know it'll be the same problem but it certainly sounds like it. If so, its a total write off.
and don't mind opening it up to fix it as long as someone can find a way for me to know exactly what's wrong
- I am sorry and I do not mean to cause any offence but I seriously recommend that you do not do anything to your laptop as for starters there aren't really any user-serviceable parts in there for you to fix, secondly it is just asking for trouble, thirdly if you cannot afford a new laptop then it is best to send it back to be repaired rather than attempt to repair it yourself and royally borking it.
As it is only a year and a half old it may be considerd a post-warranty repair and therefore may even be free, ask your manufacturer and send it off for repairs.
you might be best off just asking this in a toshiba forum, actually. maybe someone else had it happen there. or even ask the people that made it what is happening. they wouldn't be able to physically do anything since the warranty's out, but they could give you ideas what to do. i'm assuming they aren't dicks and would share info
Sounds like a loose connection somewhere. I'm going to agree with WindowsRules on this, you shouldn't be doing this yourself. See if it's still under warranty.
I'm going to agree with Strider from personal experience. This sounds like bad cabling/loose connection. If it's causing enough problems and you'd like to fix it yourself, you'll be taking the keyboard off and readjusting the cable strip from there. If you're technically inclined it's not too horrible, just remember to keep the screws in a place where they won't go anywhere. Never be afraid to try something new...unless you can't afford to fix your mistakes.
I'm always on the curious side so i really like to take things apart. But if you still have warranty ALWAYS use it, i mean cmon it's free, or at least it should be.
Not all warranties are totally free...I noticed that most now state "Limited" 3 years or what not usually meaning that not all damages are covered and this applies not just with computers now. Should be very cautious looking up warranty, especially extended ones, look thoroughly though the policies and details to make sure they're not just a simple money grab.
As for the issue with the laptop, I wouldn't fix it myself and I do build computers. Everything about a laptop is proprietary with no standard fixes plus its all shoved into a small very confined space. Less you have really steady hands and a good manual on the specific laptop, I wouldn't dare open it up too far, warranty or not. Best thing to do really is to take it into a certified repair center, call up Toshiba and ask where the nearest one is around your area, and have them at the least have a look.
"Limited" refers to it not being all inclusive full coverage. They won't fix your software problems or if you purposefully break the machine, that's the reason why it's worded in such a way. The companies aren't necessarily out to get you...all the time.
I've had issues with some stuff as well as my laptop while under warranty that went on to not be fixed because it was something that wasn't covered. My camera for instance, the cleaning was covered but not the damaged rubber eye piece. Batteries are also never covered, even fresh off the line. Its not that I think companies are out to get you, just somethings are too volatile to keep covered under a warranty agreement.
True, but what other options are there? Even if you're good with computers, theres a 20% chance of causing more problems when taking a laptop apart yourself and his warranty is out, then assuming replacing it isn't within the budget, paying a certified tech to at the very least look at it is pretty much the only other option. Unless khurram knows someone who could do it for free or know of a good local computer shop that does free estimates.
Not to derail, but dude if your lithium batteries don't charge fresh off the line...take them back.
Khurram, your options here are limited. Chose whether or not you want to take the machine apart or bring it to an experienced technician. If you'd like to take it apart, I can give you some tips, just let me know.
Well I called, it's off warranty (as I expected.) There is a service center around here, but ugh, I just know it's gonna cost like $200.00+ to fix that. I hate wasting that kinda money on something that's not even really an improvement. I'll still ask them how much it is to be sure. I don't really think I'm gonna open it up just yet. I figured if the monitor goes out I can just buy a cheap external monitor, use it at college for a year, then just buy a new laptop next summer. Thanks for all the help guys.
As for tearing it apart, I probably wont do that until this one becomes completely useless. Although I do think I can do it, at the same time it's a big risk. When I first starting tearing apart desktop computers the result wasn't always pretty, but they weren't my computers, so whatever. I still want to tear it apart after this thing dies, it'll be handy experience at least to learn how to take them apart and put them back together if something like that happens again.
The part they'd be replacing is probably $25-50. It's the labor that's going to kill you. Good luck with it, hope that soon you get to tear it apart and learn that notebooks aren't that much scarier than desktops.
tear it apart and learn that notebooks aren't that much scarier than desktops.
There is a massive difference between your typical notebook and a typical desktop PC. In a laptop there is NO user-serviceable parts, everything inside is unique to that laptop and is usually held in using TORQ screws or something like that which noone has in their toolbox.
Unless you are extremely knowledgeable about the particular laptop you are messing around with then something is going to get broken. I had to replace a cable which went to the screen of my old laptop, I knew what I had to do and what everything looked like but in the process of taking the screen apart and taking the keyboard bezel off I snapped a plastic mount, which I then had to superglue back on afterwards.
The HDD, RAM and perhaps the optical drive are pretty much all you can replace in a modern laptop easily.
I'm not going to start flaming, but I'm Dell, Gateway, Toshiba, and HP certified and I've been fixing notebooks since I was twelve. Don't get me wrong, I've never said it's an easy task but it's certainly not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. And Torq screws? Seriously, I don't think I've seen a single TORQ screw inside a machine since '98.
I'm suggesting for Khurram to give it a shot only if he feels comfortable. You never learn without taking risks. That's all.
I apologize, but enough derailing, if Khurram agrees, I'd suggest this topic be closed before it gets farther into this territory.
I agree with the never learn without taking risks. If I hadn't done it to a PC when I opened one back...way way long ago I wouldn't know as much about computers I do now.
I'm fine with this topic being closed, there isn't much to discuss here. Except now that my power cord is dying. This is all getting really annoying. Maybe a new laptop should be in order this year instead of next year. We'll see I suppose.
