laptop monitor is not working

[Stig]

The laptop seems to work perfectly except that I need to use an External Monitor to see anything. Without it, the computer starts up as normal, but the

Drivers don't seem to be the issue, since I just updated them after the problem started up (plus the external monitor is working just fine).
HP trouble shooting doesn't seem to have anything on this (it recommends messing with the brightness settings :mad:), though it seems to be something that comes up fairly often (without any answers on it so far...)

Anyhow. The Laptop is a compaq nx9500. Pentium 4 3.0ghz, 512 MB RAM, GeForce FX Go5700... I don't think any of that information will be a factor.
I would rather not have to call HP support for this because they're first going to tell me to check my brightness settings and then tell me to reinstall windows and wipe everything on my harddrive.

Also, there seems to be some sort of connection between plugging the computer in and making the external monitor work. If I plug the computer in, the computer will refuse to give the external monitor priority, but if I unplug the computer and wait a few minutes, the external monitor activates itself and goes on as if nothing is wrong at all.
It might be an issue with my power supply or battery, but I have no idea how to check for that sort of thing.
Okay, power definitely seems to be the key here. Just before I could hit submit, the external monitor blipped out and lost priority. So, I plugged the computer back in and the external monitor popped back on. I am very confused right now.

[StandingCow]

errr... my first thought was power options, but that wouldnt cause something to work sporatically..

You might have to send your lappy into the HP repair center, it sounds like an issue with a loose connection or something with the power supply or from the laptop base to the monitor.

[Lord Kelvin]

Yes, it seems more like a hardware problem than software. Send it back, or get an authorized person to fix it, or something like that. But before you do, make sure to back up your important shit, since there's no telling when you'll get it back, or if you'll get it back at all.

[lucky644]

Eh, er, there should be a FN(function) button on your keyboard, and another button should say LCD/CRT or something similar....try pressing FN and that key and it should fix itself, there's usually 3-4 settings to cycle through.

Video out....crt....lcd....and a power related one.

[StandingCow]

Eh, er, there should be a FN(function) button on your keyboard, and another button should say LCD/CRT or something similar....try pressing FN and that key and it should fix itself, there's usually 3-4 settings to cycle through.

Video out....crt....lcd....and a power related one.

If he comes back and says that was it Im gonna LoL so hard....

[Stig]

Eh, er, there should be a FN(function) button on your keyboard, and another button should say LCD/CRT or something similar....try pressing FN and that key and it should fix itself, there's usually 3-4 settings to cycle through.

Video out....crt....lcd....and a power related one.
I hope that it's this easy.... but I don't see a LCD/CRT thing. There is one button which I think is for switching between multiple monitors, but hitting that didn't do anything earlier...
Okay, manual says that that's the button that would deal with that sort of thing. Four settings, huh...

Man, ain't that a kick in the Junk. Hahaha.

I swear that this did not work before, though. And it doesn't explain how the computer is managed to change modes when it it was turned off or how the external monitor was flickering in and out of priority for no reason (as in, I am on the other side of the room and it would come on on its own).

Hopefully, this fixes it.
+rep, Lucky, +rep.

[Stig]

It's back. Again, I'm working off of the external monitor.
This time, hitting the Video Changer button thing doesn't do anything. The monitor flickers, and then goes back to normal (broken).

This is really aggravating.

[Lord Kelvin]

I wouldn't think it was a problem with using the FN button, since you say that it does that at the start, when you didn't mess with it before. So I'm inclined to say that it's a problem with the hardware instead.

[Stig]

Anything I could just jiggle around with and it'll work again? Like some super secret fixer upper for laptops or something?

[StandingCow]

Well, I have NEVER done this before.. but you could try and figure out how to remove the monitor section from the laptop and look for loose wires.. if your lappy is under warrenty DO NOT DO THIS!

Your probly gonna have to send it in for repair.

[Lord Kelvin]

But as I said, make sure to back up everything on it that you need, since you don't know when you'll be getting it back, if at all.

[Stig]

It's back now. The only trend I can see at this point is that it does not like doing anything in the mornings or in the afternoon.

[StandingCow]

It's back now. The only trend I can see at this point is that it does not like doing anything in the mornings or in the afternoon.

damn them making computers more and more like people...

[Lord Kelvin]

Even so, unless you like it like that, I'd still get someone to repair it, in the event that you need to take your laptop somewhere else in the mornings or afternoons.

[Wallrod]

If you're able to open up the shell without breaking the warranty, the connection between the screen and the rest of the laptop may be loose. I'm not sure about newer laptops, but this old one i have has a kind of flex-like thing connecting the screen that slips into two terminals.

[siddy]

Even so, unless you like it like that, I'd still get someone to repair it, in the event that you need to take your laptop somewhere else in the mornings or afternoons.

if it's still under warranty fix it! If the warranty expires, and the wire falls off (if it is a connector problem) you're SOL.

[lucky644]

If you're able to open up the shell without breaking the warranty, the connection between the screen and the rest of the laptop may be loose. I'm not sure about newer laptops, but this old one i have has a kind of flex-like thing connecting the screen that slips into two terminals.

Yeah, and it can come loose pretty easy.