Help! Laptop Screen Broken??!

[Smowball]

Son has Dell laptop, 15 months old. had it in lounge showing me and his big sister a music video. Then turned it off and left it in sideboard and went to bed. Lastnight we decided to go through his holiday maths homework. Got laptop and pressed power button to turn on.Immediately the screen filled with what looked like a smashed screen image, like you had dropped black ink on it and a smashed glass look, though glass isnt actally smashed so it must be the ink behind the screen. Son freaked out and asked what had happened. havent a clue. It hasnt been dropped/moved etc.

Any ideas??

[Zacs-Master]

There is no Ink in a screen so it could be a settings issue.

[Smowball]

So what to do?? have pressed lots of buttons and cant get anything to actually come up screen to check anything

[vascop]

Was the laptop connected to the mains when you switched it on? Just thinking that the battery might be totally discharged.

[Zacs-Master]

I'm sure Chris will emerge from beneath his duvet with some practical advice quite soon.

[Smowball]

Erm, no laptop wasnt plugged in when turned in. it actually looks like when son recently did a joke with his Kobo and downloaded a screensaver of a wrecked screen and i went mental then he said"joke!". but this is real. If I hadnt seen it in the lounge myself overnight I would have said that he must have dropped it but he hasnt. It is absolutely vital for things such as homework, oh and youtube, FB etc ; )

[Smowball]

*turned ON! lol

[Zacs-Master]

Any chance you could take a photo and post it on tinypic or some similar website?

[vascop]

Are you saying that it's working now you've plugged it in to mains?

[Smowball]

I actually havent tried plugging it it! I turned it off and then back on half hour later and saw same wrecked screen.

[Zacs-Master]

Does it look exactly like any of these
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=broken+screen+image+prank&;hl=en&client=safari&;tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=KFLhUPGkKY610QXulIDgDg&ved=0CDMQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=672#biv=i|0;d|uk984Hzz1JZvyM:

[vascop]

Please try plugging it in to mains and then switch it on.

[pinkyboyid]

If possible, try connecting the laptop to an external video screen such as your tv or another computer screen to determine if it will display ok externally. If this works then the Laptop screen may indeed be broken.

[Smowball]

Yes it does Zacs, hence why I asked son if it was a prank again but he was so freaked out that I knew it wasnt. Am going to try and find lead and plug the laptop in!

[Zacs-Master]

Mmm.

[Smowball]

he is still asleep with lead in his room so am going to try it on this lead - bear with me a sec!

[Mosaic]

Whether a prank (which I think) or damage, the longer term answer is to replace with a nice clunky old desktop and monitor, in the living room where everyone can help him not drop it.
He'll come round like lightning when you break this news to him.

[lilacben]

Its not just the screensaver is it.?

[vivandorron]

Hi Smowball...I am a little confused. You appear to have questioned your son as to whether he is playing a prank and yet he remains in bed whilst you try another lead on the laptop.

If you have tried another lead, I hope it had the correct transformer attached because, in my opinion, you could do further damage if the voltage is too high.

Anyway you may find the following thread useful if the screen has been shattered and has to be replaced. :-

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Technology/Question989176.html

Ron.

[Smowball]

No, I havent tried another lead. I waited till he got up and tried the correct lead, and screen is still the same.

[vivandorron]

It is very strange that the screen should shatter if the laptop has not been dropped or violently closed. I am thinking that for some unknown reason the actual screen is damaged and the fact that running a finger over it's surface does not indicate such would be because the glass is covered by a plastic film.

Replacing a screen is not unduly complicated, providing one has the courage to have a go.



Ron.