I need help with a laptop computer problem, Please

My wife’s laptop is a Toshiba Satellite, M65-S9092 w/windows XPMedia Center Edition with a 17 inch screen.
A few months ago it started getting some horizontal green streaks that would follow the curser around and on different screens if they were all white then it would be mostly this light green. Microsoft spent a lot of effort and escalated to their top engineers but couldn’t resolve this problem. Wife lived with it and got used to it.
This week, when she would close the cover for a time and then use the mouse to bring it out of sleep, the screen would be lighted by gray and nothing on it. She would do a warm reboot and then it would be normal till next time. This happened a few times and then it would not open anything but a lighted grey screen. I tried all the standard things but nothing would bring up the desktop.
I got out another monitor and plugged it into the laptop. I booted the laptop and up came the gray lighted screen on the laptop but the monitor had the complete desktop on it, with the curser and it was operable.
Next I right clicked on the desk top and went to display then settings. It was set up for only the lap top screen. I then changed the setting to two screens and I then lost all the icons on the desktop and also the small icons on the bottom of the screen leaving just a black frame around the external monitor. Nothing changed on the lap top screen but in tipping it toward me I could see that it appeared to be doing something when I moved the mouse around or clicked it. It looked like the desktop had narrowed down to maybe an inch wide and varied to ½ inch wide, and these vertical streaks were very pale light blue. I tried all the things I know about or could think of but nothing would change. I finally shut it down and set up a standby Sony Vail desktop for her to use while I figure out what to fix in this laptop. It is pretty hard to do anything with out a desktop.
I wonder if the screen has gone bad or the graphic card? I can see the hard drive operating on boot up so that seems to be ok.
I do have a full back up of this computer on a freestanding Seagate hard drive, but it is unable to access the laptop.
I think I put 5 partitions on this laptop when it was new 4 ½ years ago using partition Magic. I have two emergency start discs I made from the partition Magic after partitioning on floppys. I plugged in a usb floppy drive but still couldn’t access the laptop with those emergency start discs.
I do have the Toshiba Recovery and applications/drivers DVD for this computer but I don’t want to format the hard drive and reinstall all the factory programs it came with as that would loose all her programs and data.
I am at the end of my knowledge. I hope Abacus Bill or someone also as knowledgeable as he is will have some ideas to try with this laptop before I give up completely,
Thanks for any help or advice.
Bebop . my email addy is in my info here.
Should also have written that this computer is 4 years old and it cost over 2000.00 new. I also bought another at the same time that was 2970.00 USD. It is still operating ok but with far less hours on it. Only used on trips where as wife's is used every day. All her programs, data, and saved emails are on it so I hate to toss it and feel like I need to fix it for her
thanks for all replies.


[This message has been edited by BEBOP (edited 06-30-2010).]

That is almost certainly a hardware problem.

Most likely in the screen/screen driver, but since it also affects the outboard monitor it may indeed be in the video driver circuit.

Either case, something like that should be handled by a pro, with the mfr's repair likely being the faster turnaround choice due to parts procurement.

Or its time for a new lappy for the wife...


--Mac

[This message has been edited by --Mac (edited 06-29-2010).]

Hi Bebop
As Mac says this is definitely a graphics problem
If you can see the Bios and Boot up screens OK then it most likely a corrupted driver, however if the Bios/Boot up screen does not appear, then it is hardware, and requires the services of an engineer. (It may even just be a dodgy connection to the screen/connectors)

The Engineer will also be able to repair it without losing any data.

If it is beyond economic repair (It seems to be getting on a bit) the engineer will be able to copy all your data to an external drive which you can access using another computer.

You can also buy adapters to plug the Laptop HDD into (It’s normally just a couple of screws to remove) and copy the data yourself.
Hope this helps

Bill

Hi Bebop

I cannot see anywhere that you have tried to boot the laptop into SAFE mode. This is normally done by holding down the F8 key whilst booting and then follow the onscreen prompt. If it is successful you will get a screen resolution of 640*480 as the computer will load a very basic graphics driver and you will then be able to update your existing driver.
If after booting you still cannot see anything on screen then you probably have a hardware fault.

I hope I am not trying to teach you how to suck eggs. Good luck

Alan

While it is connected to the external monitor, try using the hot keys to switch between the displays ( usually FN and one of the F-keys pressed together). However, there could also be a problem with the screen cable leading from the motherboard to the screen. I have seen these cable develop a short or just come unplugged. Furthermore, check the fans and exhaust ports on the bottom of laptop for DUST buildup. Dust will cause laptops to overheat and develop hardware failures.

Hi Bebop

Sounds like hardware problem to me too. I would try switching to the external monitor only and not not using dual monitor setup. To switch or alternate between built in screen and external monitor is usually the function (Fn) key and the F8 (or some other f# key...should have a picture of the screen on it).

Also try to shine a flashlight on the laptop screen. If you can make out the desktop illuminated by the flashlight, that would indicate a bad backlight on the laptop. If that's the case, it's probably better to go for a new laptop than repair.

Good Luck

C_K

Mac,

You are nearer to the mark MAC I don't know how old this PC is but I would say, hardware fault and too expensive to repair, it's cheaper to buy an new PC. You can get Laptops to last years but at £350.00 for one in the UK if it last 3 year it's not bad. I wouldn't waste too much time with it.

By the way, if you aren't going to fix it you can take the hard-drive out and hook it up to your desktop. That way you can transfer all emails and files that you want to keep. You will need an adapter which is fairly cheap on ebay ( IDE or SATA, but I am not sure which one it is in your laptop).

Mac: thanks for your advice. It is not urgent as I have now set up a desktop for her to use. I want to repair this unit if possible as it was a high end unit over 2000 USDollars and has all her "Stuff" on it
Abacus Bill: thanks for your advice. I can bring up the bios and the boot screens on the external monitor but nothing on the laptop monitor. When I right clicked on the external monitor desktop and tried to actuate both monitors, I lost all the icons on the desktop and on the bar across the bottom. Only the background picture remains on the external monitor. What does this tell you?
Sapphire: thanks you for your advice. Yes I tried repeatedly to do a safe boot but it will not.
Hitman: thank you for your advice. I did try using the hot keys to switch between the displays ( usually FN and one of the F-keys pressed together). NO JOY Note that I have a complete backup of her computer on a free standing seagate hard drive. I wonder if I can restore from this hard drive back up to the desk top computer she is now using?????
Clover Kid: thank you for your advice. I have switched to the external monitor but only getting a picture of the background and no icons or menus, and only a curser there but of no use. the screen of the laptop is lit up but is all gray with nothing on it other then some very light blue streaks of various widths from 1/16th inch to about an inch.
Tony Hughes: Thank you for your advice. it is a high end computer that cost a lot and could not be replaced by a cheapo 350.00 laptop I can buy at a local electronic store. I really want to fix it but I don't want it to nickle and dime me to bankruptcy over the next periods of use.
Thank you to all who responded. I have a better understanding now of what I am dealing with. I guess I will just have to decide to bite the bullet and repair it or replace it. I have always fixed my own desk top computers over the last 25 years but I have never opened up a laptop.
Thanks to all,
Bebop

Hi Bebop
I would not recommend dismantling a Laptop as they are a pain to work on, however if you’re feeling brave the support section of the manufactures website usually has details of how to dismantle. (Just make sure you follow the instructions religiously)

From the descriptions you have given, my guess would be a dodgy connection, in particular in the ribbon cable that connects the Motherboard to the screen, (The fact that the laptop will work with an external monitor when the internal one disabled, proves the internal system is the problem) which looks like it may be shorting out.
A reputable repair engineer should be able to identify and fix it at minimal cost.
Hope this helps

Bill

Bebop,

now that you get the background on your expternal monitor, you should be able to right click with your mouse and pull up graphic properties. What is happening at the moment is that your laptop is using the external monitor as a desktop extension. If possible, try to disable that option under graphic properties and you should be able to get the icons on the external monitor.

I brought a laptop in for repair the tech told me these are now throw away items as the prices have plumeted on laptops & notebooks now....not worth fixing vs labor costs. so I sold it for parts on ebay and bought a new one.

thanks guys,
I am unable to bring up the graphics menus on the external monitor.
I get a menu with three items comes up but none of them work.
Thanks Donie but I just don't feel like tossing a computer that cost over 2000.00 and buying a replacement that even now is well over a thousand dollars.
Best regards and thanks to all,
Bebop

Bill good luck to you....life was so easy before computers eh?.....

100% right Dnj, bin it it's not worth the trouble.

Bill is right don't try to take it apart it will never go back the same way, or at all and it you touch parts near the screen BEWARE you will get one hell of an elctrical shock the screens run at 400 volts plus. It will come as a surprise to you, I've done it and it went in bin the repair cost more than a new pc, take out the HD and put it into a caddy and get the data off, trash can for the bits.

Thanks Tony,
I have decided to take it over to the shop that does most all the laptop repairs in this area and get their quote for repair, then I will decide what to do with or about it.
I have built many computers from scratch and repaired everyone I had that broke as well as most of my friends and neighbors but........I have never seen the inside of a laptop and after reading the posts above, I am not sure I ever want to.
thanks again to all who helped here.
Bebop

edt: sorry i misread your post.

if you can see a picture on the external monitor your graphics chip is fine, your screen has had it and needs changing. the backlight has gone too.

at the moment you probably have the computer set to "extended desktop" which is why you have no icons on the external screen.

here is what i posted before...but you can disregard this:

I repair laptops as part of my job.

First of all its not the screen as the problem happens on the external monitor too.

so it has to be either the software driver (go to toshibas website and download the driver for your laptop) or a problem with the graphics chip/ graphics memory.

1) if the problem occurs after its been on for a few minutes it could be the graphics chip overheating. You need to clean out the fans if thats the case.

2) if the lines come and go if you flex the laptop then you most likely have a graphics chip that has dry joints, it means having to reflow the main board and probably not something you want to do.

3) shared memory for graphics?...try removing, cleaning the pins and refitting the ram.

[This message has been edited by Tonewheeldude (edited 07-03-2010).]

the screen of the laptop monitor lights up to gray but nothing else is on it until the hard drive finishes booting up and then it has verticle light blue stripes from 1/8 inch to an inch wide. No curser either internal or external. No control of any kind to do anything with.
the external monitor only has the desktop graphic on it and no icons, but it does have a curser but it won't do anything.
Bebop

BEBOP,

When you get the report back from your repair shack, I think you will find it will be uneconomical to repair, in the last 4 years laptops have reduced 30% in the UK, I have just bought a 3 core for £330.00. They are throw away items sometimes you do get a goody that last years, if you throw it around in the car it doesn’t help, screw come loose, pcb tracks breaks and Oh that cable that joins the base to the screen they break too.
Let your local shack engineer take a look don’t go at it with a screwdriver!
Tony

thanks tony,
I have decided to take it over to the experts that do all the laptop repairs here in San Jose, and let them evaluate it.
It has never been off the wife's desk in the dining room, so it hasn't been banged around. On the other hand my toshiba laptop, that was the best they made also 4 1/2 years old costing 2970.00 USD has been on every motorhome and car trip we have made, which is many and it is loaded with everything and has yet to miss a beat.
go figure ?????
thanks to all for your replies.
Best to all and have a great Holiday weekend here in the states and Canada.

Good laptops with a good track record...are never throw away items...fix it..even if it cost a few hundred bucks...it will still be better quality than the cheap "modern" laptop folks are talking about..
Sure you will find cheap laptops..the $300 -$600..laptops you find today are made as cheap as possible with lower quality components..You get what you pay for...even today...

I have a high end Toshiba laptop (almost 2 years old) and it out performs any other laptop I have seen (my friends buy cheap laptops.. )..from people I know..

I am not a throw a way person..all things have value to someone..or someone else...)

BTW: My long time thought has been ..you never lose a dime as long as you still own it....Buy something and you "dump" it...You have lost big time...

Donny could be living in a mansion with what he didn't receive for his way of "dumping".....Justifying dumping a tool as a wise decision..because you made money with it...holds no water...think about how much more you could have made with the dumped item...and that would be all gravy...

I am glad you said that, Fran. Now I feel justified with my two rooms of gear. You never know when something will come in handy, and sometimes it does.

Yes Fran,

And when you die your wife and kids will need to clear up the mess, it will all be put in a skip and sent down the tip. I have had a go at clearing my loft out (roof space) and I have binned 50% and it's still knee deep. I have a Kodak 35mm projector brand new only been used 5 times cost £750 about 16 years ago, worth nothing now, because of digital! Keep on hoarding Fran.

Tony

Hoarding...not at all...My point was..not to dump something that was quality..but to fix it and continue to use it....NOT replacing the device...and than it would be hoarding...That being said..I have my toys and keep what ever I want..They are my toys....but on the other hand..if it is something I don't want (more than don't need)...I won't dump it..I will sell it (and get most of my investment back if not indeed making a profit...I buy right..I use right..I sell right...

thanks Fran for posting what I have always believed.
So let Jann deal with it all when I am gone.
she can just call an auctioneer or a consignment company and it all will magically turn into money. No problem. I choose to keep the quality stuff, maintain it and use it.
Bebop