I'm about to lose my mind...

**Dan the Man** · July 17, 2011, 03:07 PM

I have a very odd sort of computer problem that is beginning to drive me absolutely insane. I have an HP Touchsmart laptop that has served me well for nearly two years now. Aside from occasional overheating (which was usually remedied quite easily by simply allowing the laptop more airflow, either by suspending part of it over the edge of a table or otherwise), I have never had any real problems with it up until yesterday. Without any warning or reason, the computer screen will randomly turn off completely while the computer itself stays on and works just fine. Thinking that this may be another overheating issue, I grabbed an old window fan and set it on my lap so that it pumps air into the bottom of the laptop while I use it. This worked for some time yesterday, but when I got up this morning and tried it again the problem had mysteriously returned. Thinking that the laptop was finally about to meet its end, I borrowed the external monitor from my dad's computer and gathered up any important files that I might need to salvage. To my extreme bewilderment (and frustration) the laptop screen did not once shut down in the entire 30-45 minutes that the computer itself was hooked up to the external monitor, even without the fan running underneath it!

The only deduction I can make from this is that I need to buy a new external monitor of my own just to get any kind of result either way. This is, however, something that I would like to avoid at all costs due to how expensive external monitors tend to be. So, in short, my question for you, dear readers, is whether or not any of you have heard of a problem like this and if there is a better way to fix it than going out and blowing a bunch of money on a brand new monitor and turning an otherwise perfectly good laptop into a glorified keyboard?

EDIT: I should also add that simply closing the screen, waiting a few minutes until it goes into sleep mode, and then opening it again does fix the problem, but only for a few minutes to a few seconds at a time. In fact, I started typing out this thread on my laptop orignally but had to move to a different computer because it wasn't lasting long enough to even get a full sentence typed. Rebooting the computer seems to "reset" the time at which the screen dies as well but, again, it never lasts more than 20-25 minutes at a time and continues to last for shorter and shorter durations each time I put it into sleep mode and start it back up again.

**Taiji** · July 17, 2011, 03:50 PM

Weird problem.

Try removing the battery, and power cable, and then holding down the power button for 3 or so seconds. Then replace the power cable only and see how long the screen lasts.

The only other suggestion I can think of is one you've probably tried - Try running the screen while tilted at different angles.

And lastly, external monitors aren't so expensive. You'll probably get a good second hand CRT, or a smaller TFT/LCD, for 40 quid.

**Dan the Man** · July 17, 2011, 04:37 PM

First off, thank you for responding and for the recommendations!

Originally Posted by Taiji

Weird problem.
Try removing the battery, and power cable, and then holding down the power button for 3 or seconds. Then repalce the power cable only and see how long the screen lasts.

While it's unplugged and the battery is removed?

Though, I should also add, the battery has gone bad as well. It only lasts about five or six minutes unplugged.

The only other suggestion I can think of is one you've probably tried - Try running the screen while tilted at different angles.

I'm doing that at the moment and it seems to be lasting longer than usual. I'll keep it this way and see what happens.
EDIT: Ironically enough just as I finished typing that it died again.

And lastly, external monitors aren't so expensive. You'll probably get a good second hand CRT, or a smaller TFT/LCD, for 40 quid.

I'm sorry, being American I don't quite understand what a "quid" is.

As for the rest, my dad has a friend who's looking to get rid of a monitor that I might be able to get my hands on for a decent price.

**Doono** · July 17, 2011, 04:44 PM

40 quid is £40 or about $60

**Dan the Man** · July 17, 2011, 06:36 PM

Ah, thank you. I thought it might be something like that.

**Dan the Man** · July 17, 2011, 08:09 PM

Double post but as a bit of an update I came back from church a few hours ago to find that the computer had gone into hibernate mode on its own. I re-opened it and, miraculously, the problem now seems to be gone (I've been using the computer for the past few hours and haven't encountered any issues). Your guess is as good as mine...

**Taiji** · July 18, 2011, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by Czarist

Your guess is as good as mine...

If it happens again then try going to church!

**Comrade_Rory** · July 18, 2011, 09:02 AM

I had a Dell (never buy a Dell... ever) and the screen pretty much fell off... it was hanging by it's hinges and wouldn't work... so i just taped it all down so it wouldn't ruin the rest of the laptop and i plugged a monitor into my laptop and it served a great remedy until i could get a new laptop.

I was lucky that i had a monitor lying around... saying that though, i have 3 monitors in my room, 4 laptops (only the VAIO works) a custom built PC and a piece of crap Packard Bell desktop from 6 years ago! Looks like a bomb hit PC world.

**Dan the Man** · July 18, 2011, 05:12 PM

I guess so, seeing as we are now on day two of it working perfectly, even without a fan! I've never seen anything like this with any computer ever...

I had a Dell (never buy a Dell... ever) and the screen pretty much fell off... it was hanging by it's hinges and wouldn't work... so i just taped it all down so it wouldn't ruin the rest of the laptop and i plugged a monitor into my laptop and it served a great remedy until i could get a new laptop.

I was actually considering taking a saw to the screen and just keeping the computer part, if it ended up being that it really had stopped working. That would, however, force me to forfeit the touchscreen part. Probably not worth it.

**Taiji** · July 18, 2011, 06:48 PM

Hibernation, or 'suspend to ram', can cause odd stuff to happen. And maybe simply removing the battery helped to solve the issue, if you did that - You didn't say so I don't know. Or else removing the battery and power cable and holding the power button in did it - Again you didn't say.

If I had to place money on it I'd bet on that scenario: The laptop was not resuming properly. But now that it, apparently, has resumed properly you might not get another problem.

Anyway, it's great to hear that it's working for you now