SOLVED: No Display on Laptop LCD after Login - External displays fine.

[bmcgonag]

I use a Dell Laptop issued by my work. I normally dock it with two external monitors (which work fine), I occasionally need to take it to meetings for notes, web connections, etc. It was working fine up until about a month ago, and I noticed the built-in laptop LCD won't display anything beyond the login screen.

Let me break ti down.

1. External monitors work fine with the Dock, or just connected to the VGA connector.
2. Cycling through the fn+F* (used to change displays) works somewhat. I can see the backlight turn off an on when I change settings, and the external monitors all behave accordingly, but still nothing on built-in screen.
3. Backlight is functioning, I can increase and decrease its brightness with no issue.
4. When I first turn on the laptop, I see the Dell splash screen, the bios messages, and the windows 7 Enterprise logo come up. It won't display the logon screen.
5. Starting in Safe Mode, the LCD Works fine, which leads me to believe it is a driver issue.

The driver will be my next stop. If anyone has any other suggestions I would appreciate any help. It's really annoying not being able to use it without it being connected to an external monitor.

Thanks,

 

[Proximon]

That would certainly by my first guess.

 

[tsnor]

Driver would be my first guess too. Start with the one from Dell.

An alternative. 'Extended Display mode' with two monitors. One is your external monitor showing your normal desktop display. the second is your LCD happily waiting for you to drag something over to it.

"...Extend your displays. This spreads your desktop over both monitors and lets you drag items between the two screens. This is how most people use two monitors, and it's the default setting for desktop computers. After your monitor is set up, you can use your mouse to grab the title bar (the top portion) of a window and drag it to your new display. If a window does not move when you drag it, double-click the title bar first, and then drag it. ... " http://www.microsoft.com/athome/organization/twomonitors.aspx

 

[tsnor]

To change your display settings to/from extended

Open Screen Resolution by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, and then, under Appearance and Personalization, clicking Adjust screen resolution.

Click the drop-down list next to Multiple displays, click/unclick Extend these displays, and then click OK.

There is also a click box that says "show desktop only on 1" and "show desktop only on 2"
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Move-windows-between-multiple-monitors

 

[bmcgonag]

I appreciate all of the help, and tips. I have put the dell drivers on it, and it did not help. I have cycled through the different settings such as Extend Display, Show desktop only on 1 and the same for 2, and tried activating and deactivating the Projector mode that says Windows Key + P, and unfortunately none of it has worked.

I've run Malwarebytes, no issues found.

I've unplugged it, removed the battery and repeatedly pushed the power button, and then held it down for 30 seconds. Replaced the battery, and restarted...no change.

My next step is to start up in Safe mode tomorrow and check the MSConfig, and turn off anything third party from startup. Hopeuflly that will do it. Still more than open to any more suggestions.

 

[bmcgonag]

Tried it, with no luck, still....it's just odd. I'll keep working on it.

 

[Proximon]

The other option would be that your screen is being sent a signal that it can't process. The refresh rate or resolution it's getting is wrong. This should be resolved by completely removing the graphics drivers and settings, and then re-installing.

 

[tsnor]

The other option would be that your screen is being sent a signal that it can't process. The refresh rate or resolution it's getting is wrong. This should be resolved by completely removing the graphics drivers and settings, and then re-installing.

+1

Suggest you uninstall your video driver completely. Use control panel--> prgrams and features. highlight video (for me, there are 4-5 nVidia things I'd deltete, not sure waht video you have). Then delete.

Reboot.

This will force the laptop to the genric win driver which should now work past teh logon screen if it was a settings issue wiht your old driver. Then download/install the right driver for your laptop video. It should pick up the current running settings at time of install.

good luck.

 

[bmcgonag]

Uninstalling and re-installing the vide driver worked. Finally I have a normal screen function back. I had done this several times before with no results to speak of, and finally it worked.

Not sure what happened to make it go all wonky, but thanks to everyone for your help.

 

[Proximon]

You are welcome. And don't forget to select a best answer. Feel free to choose someone other than me if you like I have enough of those.

 

[bmcgonag]

Best answer selected by bmcgonag.