# Acer Laptop Screen Has Gone Black



## ssnakesonaplane (Jan 4, 2009)

Hi people.

Please help if you can....

I bought a new Acer Aspire 7520 17" Laptop just over a year ago when I was in London. It has worked pretty well up untill now but my screen just went black & I can't get it working normally again.

Typically if I leave the laptop for a while & don't want to shut the whole thing down, I'd just hit the FN F6 key combo, which on this Acer simply turns the screen black. To exit this mode, I'd simply hit any key upon returning to work on the computer.

I've done this heaps of times without any malfunction, however a couple of days ago the screen just went black by itself & stayed there. Now if I hit the FN F6 key combo, then ESC (or any key), the desktop can be seen for just a second or so but then flashes back to black.

I suspect that the screen backlamp has burned out?? But if this were the case, surely I wouldn't get any visible desktop image at all, ever. It has me stumped. I have tried adjusting the system display options in control panel as well as using the Nvidia GeForce display controller, but without any success. Along the way it appears sometimes to think that there is NO laptop screen there to adjust, like it can't see it.

Anyway I have side-stepped the problem temporarily by purchasing a stand alone Samsung 20" flat screen monitor but I'd still like to solve this laptop screen problem some time.

Before rushing out & buying a whole replacement screen (approx $300) I'd like to be fairly sure it's not something that can be fixed simply.

Can anyone out there advise.

KP


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## shibumams (Dec 19, 2008)

Can try a power drain !! 

take the battery out n disconnect from the external power . 

Hold on to the power button for 30 sec . 

Try connect to external power source(AC adapter) without battery. 

Later u can put the battery back and use as usual.

hmm .. Its just a try to drain the static charge from RAM slots ..which can potential cause a blank display.

Give a try n let me know !!


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## ssnakesonaplane (Jan 4, 2009)

Hi shibumams,

Thanks for the reply & the suggestion. I have followed your instructions & tried your power drain idea. Unfortunately the screen is still black.

Any other ideas? What about reloading the graphics drivers? ie. run the setup.exe from the Chip32 DRV folder on the hard drive &/or try reloading the Nvidia GeForce drivers.

Do you think this problem could be attributed to the drivers?

LMK

KP


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

shine a torch on the screen and see if you can then see anything on the screen


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## ssnakesonaplane (Jan 4, 2009)

dai,

Hi. Yes I have done this & yes I can see what is on the screen... just.

Also as mentioned above, when I hit FN F6 & then ESC the desktop flashes up bright & visible just for a second, then goes back to dark.

LMK if you can advise further, thanks.

KP


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

looks like the backlight has gone


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## ssnakesonaplane (Jan 4, 2009)

Thanks dai. So far most of the feedback I'm getting suggests I need to replace the whole LCD screen. Come to think of it, the other day there were some power failures in the area, some 'brown outs' etc. I suppose this power fluctuation period could have damaged the LCD.

Can anyone suggest a good economical source for LCD replacements?

I know of lcds4less.com which have refurbished screens for my Acer at approx $200 (new $300).

I am in Toronto so a source inside Canada would be preferable.

Any ideas people?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

you don't appear to need to replace the screen just the inverter/backlight which is appox one tenth of the cost


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## ssnakesonaplane (Jan 4, 2009)

Cheers dai, I shall investigate a source for that then, thanks.


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## geminianstar (Feb 26, 2009)

shibumams said:


> Can try a power drain !!
> 
> take the battery out n disconnect from the external power .
> 
> ...


Thank you so much Shibumams, 
I found your thread on this forum and 5 minutes later I had a functional laptop again! 
Keep up the good work


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

shibumams

i have stickied your post in laptops


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

ssnakesonaplane

see if shibumams post works for you


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## shibumams (Dec 19, 2008)

Hey geminianstar, 

Nice to know that this trick worked  

Thanks Dai for your help


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