Dell Latitude D520 blank screen

[bearhuglov]

Hello Friends,

I am working on a Dell Latitude D520 I inherited from a friend. The laptop powers up but there is no display. In other words, as soon as I power it up, I can see, for a fraction of a second, the Dell & Intel trademark on the screen although very faint ( not bright at all ), but after that the screen stays blank. I can hear the beep as it boots and hear the hard drive spinning, but everytime I reboot it, all I can see is that faint momentary flash.

I tried to connect it to 3 different external monitors, but those monitors would not connect at all - meaning I would continue to see the flash on the Dell Latitude screen itself. Changed the memory, same story.

My question is this : Is this a video chip problem? Or could it be the issue with the Dell screen back light, which may need to be replaced? Anybody? Thanks a lot! :- )

[Midknyte]

Did you press Fn+F8 to switch to the external monitor?
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...n/keyboard.htm

Display Functions

<Fn><F8>
Switches the video image to the next display option. The options include the integrated display, an external monitor, and both displays simultaneously.

<Fn> and up-arrow key
Increases brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor).

<Fn> and down-arrow key
Decreases brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor).

[bearhuglov]

Yesssss! Fn+F8 got me connected to an external monitor! The video / graphic is fine as I can see the display on the external monitor. Does this mean the entire laptop screen is bad? or just the LCD screen inverter? Thanks. :-)

[Midknyte]

it could be just the inverter, but it's hard to say without swapping parts. I'm not sure you want to spend too much money on an old computer.