Dell laptop screen goes off on mains but fine on battery.

[[email protected]]

Hi,
Please I have a Dell Inspirer laptop from a friend with
windows Vista home Edition. The laptop works alright on battery but
when it is connected to the the mains the screen goes off. In fact the
screen goes off after it has finished booting. it is the back light
that goes off cos the desk top could be seen dimmely in the
background. Also when the mains is removed, the machine has to be
reseted b4 it will work normally. Please help Thanks

 

[James Sweet]

Hi,
Please I have a Dell Inspirer laptop from a friend with
windows Vista home Edition. The laptop works alright on battery but
when it is connected to the the mains the screen goes off. In fact the
screen goes off after it has finished booting. it is the back light
that goes off cos the desk top could be seen dimmely in the
background. Also when the mains is removed, the machine has to be
reseted b4 it will work normally. Please help Thanks

Check the easy stuff first, is it set to use an external monitor instead of
the internal panel?

 

[HapticZ]

check screensaver setttings for display during power/battery usage, make
some changes.

sometimes the settings get screwed up.

 

[Meat Plow]

Check the easy stuff first, is it set to use an external monitor instead of
the internal panel?

To my knowledge of laptops (I own 3) if JUST the backlight is switching
off as the OP indicates, this is not a real function of a BIOS or O/S
setting. It may perhaps be yet another a bug in Vista since there are so
many.

 

[jakdedert]

To my knowledge of laptops (I own 3) if JUST the backlight is switching
off as the OP indicates, this is not a real function of a BIOS or O/S
setting. It may perhaps be yet another a bug in Vista since there are so
many.

My feeling as well. I'd look for something physical having to do with
the power plug. Perhaps it flexes a portion of the circuit board when
it's plugged in.

Easy to check, though. Simply unplug from the mains, but leave the DC
plug in the back...maybe wiggle it. If it doesn't work, I'm wrong.

That's not to say that the other posters are incorrect about BIOS, power
saver etc....

jak

 

[[email protected]]

My feeling as well.  I'd look for something physical having to do with
the power plug.  Perhaps it flexes a portion of the circuit board when
it's plugged in.

Easy to check, though.  Simply unplug from the mains, but leave the DC
plug in the back...maybe wiggle it.  If it doesn't work, I'm wrong.

That's not to say that the other posters are incorrect about BIOS, power
saver etc....

jak- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I have the same problem, although not quite as bad yet. I have found
that if I wiggle my AC power cord where it plugs into the back of the
laptop, I can replicate the problem. I am going to try it to see if I
ge the same problem when it's not plugged into the mains. It's
definately a hardware issue, at least my problem is.

 

[Meat Plow]

I have the same problem, although not quite as bad yet. I have found
that if I wiggle my AC power cord where it plugs into the back of the
laptop, I can replicate the problem. I am going to try it to see if I
ge the same problem when it's not plugged into the mains. It's
definately a hardware issue, at least my problem is.

Is your plug a barrel connector or that 3 pin deal? I've owned two Dells
in the past 9 years and both are now in the scrap bin. Good thing I held
on to the supplies though as I've used one to replace a failed supply on
one of my 3 laptops. I own a Toshiba, HP and an Asus.

 

[Neil]

Is your plug a barrel connector or that 3 pin deal? I've owned two Dells
in the past 9 years and both are now in the scrap bin. Good thing I held
on to the supplies though as I've used one to replace a failed supply on
one of my 3 laptops. I own a Toshiba, HP and an Asus.

I've managed to repair several Dells by dismantling (using downloaded
service manual) and removing and repairing the power socket.
It is a bit fiddly, but seems to be a reliable repair, and cheaper - just a
bit of solder and Araldite - than the Dell suggestion of a new system board.
There was one which had a frayed power lead, but a bit of solder fixed that
too.
hth
Nel