Any computer experts on here

[loz]

I have a laptop that is obviously not very well, when I try to turn it on the screen dosnt come on, it does occasionally after about 50 attempts but is very hit n miss, any ideas what's happened please, I want to make some adjustments to my vbar :(

[jasoncook]

not an expert but have you left it on charge a wile before you try and start it . My vaio wil not start if its flat must take too much power from the charger. also take the battery out and hold down the power button for 30 secs then try again ..

[helijohn]

It'll be the little power controller for the screen called an inverter. Is it a Dell?

PS. Put a bright torch on it and see if anything is there. If not the screen may be on the blink or it may be the motherboard.

[loz]

Yeh tried all them tricks still no joy, cheers anyway

[loz]

[QUOTE=helijohn;1144616]It'll be the little power controller for the screen called an inverter. Is it a Dell?[/QUOTE]

No its a Lenovo bout 3-4 years old

[Grumpy]

If you dont get anything on the screen at all then it's unlikely to be software related, it's almost certainly hardware. Hard to say exactly what, the fact that occasionally it starts reminds me of the common problems PC's and many electronic devices used to have in epidemic proportions a few years back, that bad electrolytic capacitors. The symptom if it is capacitors is difficulty in starting up, needing many attempts, but once it gets going it's ok, but it gets gradually worse until it wont start at all.
If it is capacitors you can usually see the problem as the tops of the caps swell outward and might leak a red/brown gunk. You would have to open up the case to be able to see the motherboard to see the caps.

But potentially it could be many things...

[woodsta888]

Have you tried plugging the laptop into a monitor or TV via the VGA or DVi output from the laptop? From here you can determine if it's hardware or software related. If youget an output I'd reinstall your gfx card drivers if you have one. Depending how old your laptop is the CPU could run integrated gfx if.

Start>control panel>system & security>system

Copy & paste the specs in nest post

[maddog7]

Take out the power supply, remove the battery, press and hold the power button for 40 seconds. Plug in the power and try powering up.
if that doesn't work. Let us know.
As suggested above try it on an external monitor, likely you'll need to use a hot key combination to switch the output to either internal (lappy) external (monitor) or dual (both). It's usually the fn key ( bottom left and usually coloured blue or orange on Lenovo) and one of the function keys along the top that has a pictogram of a monitor on it.
Cheers D

[helijohn]

[QUOTE=Grumpy;1144629]The symptom if it is capacitors is difficulty in starting up, needing many attempts, but once it gets going it's ok, but it gets gradually worse until it wont start at all.[/QUOTE]
I'm convinced it is the motherboard and if it is then it may be cheaper to buy another lappy than fix it.:grumpy:

[loz]

[QUOTE=woodsta888;1144632]Have you tried plugging the laptop into a monitor or TV via the VGA or DVi output from the laptop? From here you can determine if it's hardware or software related. If youget an output I'd reinstall your gfx card drivers if you have one. Depending how old your laptop is the CPU could run integrated gfx if.

Start>control panel>system & security>system

Copy & paste the specs in nest post[/QUOTE]

yes it makes no difference, I think the hard drive isn't coming on as the little light dosnt come on to say it's working either

[loz]

[QUOTE=maddog7;1144634]Take out the power supply, remove the battery, press and hold the power button for 40 seconds. Plug in the power and try powering up.
if that doesn't work. Let us know.
As suggested above try it on an external monitor, likely you'll need to use a hot key combination to switch the output to either internal (lappy) external (monitor) or dual (both). It's usually the fn key ( bottom left and usually coloured blue or orange on Lenovo) and one of the function keys along the top that has a pictogram of a monitor on it.
Cheers D[/QUOTE]

Yep tried that, didn't work cheers anyway

[loz]

It eventually came on last nite so got what I needed to get done with vbar but still need to sort it as Tonite it won't work again ��

[trillian]

[QUOTE=loz;1144665]It eventually came on last nite so got what I needed to get done with vbar but still need to sort it as Tonite it won't work again [/QUOTE]

It might be worth opening up and just re-seat everything, unplug and plug back all the connectors etc. It could be something more major but it seems so intermittent there's at least a remote possibility something is just making a poor connection. Unfortunately laptops are usually a major pain in the rear to open up and get to everything.

[loz]

I had a little look last nite removed ram reseated in the spare slot, wiggled some wires and connectors, still no different

[helijohn]

Does it work if you go into BIOS?