Help..Laptop got sound but no display

[cub1061]

Hello all.

I have a HP dv2500 laptop. The problem is when I power it up I can hear everything including window7 start up but there is no display on the screen. The screen itself is not black, looks like there a light on (if you can get my meaning).

Any help or advice would be most welcome.

[Terbinator]

Hello all.

I have a HP dv2500 laptop. The problem is when I power it up I can hear everything including window7 start up but there is no display on the screen. The screen itself is not black, looks like there a light on (if you can get my meaning).

Any help or advice would be most welcome.

Try connecting it to an external screen if you can by one of the laptops video outputs, that way you can make sure the graphics chipset isn't borked. If this is up and running see if it will let you show the display on both the laptop and external tv/monitor - if the screen is still black/dead on the laptop i'd say it appears that your screen has broken somehow.

[cub1061]

Just connected to pc monitor, got display but with artifacts, no display on laptop screen. Does this mean its a graphic problem or screen id dead

[Terbinator]

Just connected to pc monitor, got display but with artifacts, no display on laptop screen. Does this mean its a graphic problem or screen id dead

If your getting artififacts i'd say its a graphic problem almost certainly. Sorry :\ Is it still under warranty ?

[cub1061]

Crap, its out of warranty. On the pc monitor I manage to get into device manager and its show a unknow device, looking through the list and reading between the different colour squares I can see there don't seem to be any drivers for the graphics.
Could this cause artifacts or blank screen?

[Terbinator]

Crap, its out of warranty. On the pc monitor I manage to get into device manager and its show a unknow device, looking through the list and reading between the different colour squares I can see there don't seem to be any drivers for the graphics.
Could this cause artifacts or blank screen?

Possibly, but unless you purposefully un-installed the driver it seems strange it would cause a blank screen and/or give you artifacts. From my own experience Windows still runs / works fine without GFX drivers - you may not be able to run at your native resolution though.

[dirky]

Try from a bootcd, but if you dont see any bios etc before it hits windows it sounds bad

[Rhythmeister]

You MAY be able to get a replacement gfx card via the bay of e. Good luck!

[cub1061]

Sorted. Done some reading up, found out these laptop had issues with GPU overheating and dying.
Took it apart and found HP used a thermal pad for the GPU which was all dried up. Can't believe cpu and gpu share same heat sink. Well cleaned it up artic silver 5 it and cut out some aluminum pieces from an old heatsink and sat it on the gpu so it touch the heatsink. Still running warm after a while but aleast it working again.

[[GSV]Trig]

Reseating and cleaning stuff often works on laptops, problem is most fan vents in the bottom get blocked either by a leg if its on your lap or smothered by bedsheets etc..
Desks or laptop trays ftw..

[cub1061]

Thanks to all who have posted so far. Though I sorted the problem but no. Its still works ok until i try to run a game or something and it overheat and shut down, need to find a better way to cool this beast. After reading reviews for this laptop and found that it is a common problem with the model.

Any suggestion welcome on possible ways to keep it cool, I love the spec and design so don't really want to get rid.

[robtbear]

You'll probably find the GPU has a damaged or has lost one of the connections due to the heat melting a solder joint. this can sometimes be fixed by reheating the whole board remelting the joint. but this can also completely knacker it.
You might what to try adding a bigger heatsink and fan to the heatsink already there.
In my old laptop I have removed the heatsink originally fitted for a old P2 HSF but I cant fit the keyboard back on.. runs tho lol
I found things like
This
are ok but noisy and work better without the fans on.

[cub1061]

Thanks robtbear I was thinking of getting a laptop cooler to see if it make any different. Had a play last night and it ran without any problem but gpu temp was a bit high, boot up at 60c then after awhile with a few explorer windows open it hit 97c, i soon as i closed all the windows it started dropping again.