Acer Aspire 5920G screen problem

[Necrolicious]

So here is my problem with Acer Aspire 5920G: (also I don't understand much about computers, bear with me)

One night I turn off my laptop like normaly, the next morning I turn it on for a surprise. The screen remained pitch black even though I could clearly hear windows boot up, along with other programs like skype popping up. Pressed a few random keys and thought I should restart. Same thing, no reaction from the screen what so ever, but I can still clearly hear windows starting up.

So I browse the internet and here's what I've tried:

- I removed the battery, held the power button for a while, re-inserted the battery, turn it back on >No help
- I switch my RAM cards with one another > Doesn't work
- Turn it on and point a flashlight at the screen to check the backlight, nada
- I check if the magnet for detecting if the screen is up or down is working, and it is, when I lower my screen it goes to hybernate mode, boots up if I click something
- I plugged in an external monitor (new and functional) and press the switch screen button combo, but its not reacting, the external monitor stays black too

It doesn't flicker or anything, its giving off no signs of life, but I'm puzzled because if the screen died it should clearly work on an external monitor, which it doesn't.

Has anyone encountered a problem like this? Any ideas on how I might fix it myself, and even if I can I'm still wondering about what it might be before I send it out to find out the repairs are too expensive. I'd rather buy a new one.

 

[raybay]

Try running one memory at a time... first one module, then the other..

Then test with a different hard drive, to see if you can boot to an install screen with your recovery disk...

 

[Arris]

I remember a post here about how to reinstall drivers for the display device without being able to see the display in windows. It was to resolve a problem where the user had uninstalled the display device from the Device Manager. I know you haven't done this but its possible that the device driver has failed and following these instructions might get it functioning again., which would explain why no signal gets output to the external monitor either.

Although when you say it stays black, does anything show on it at all? Do you get the post information/system boot screen and then just black during windows bootup? Or just black the whole time with nothing ever displaying? Sounds more like a hardware fault if you don't see anything on screen at all.

 

[Necrolicious]

Already tried running one memory at a time, on both sockets.
But I didn't test it with a different hard drive, but I have no idea how I can even try this...

@Arris - No, it doesn't show anything at all on it, no information / system boot screens, no nothing.
I am convinced its a hardware problem.

 

[birdman1945]

Hi, I'm new but do believe your problem is the video chip right on the motherboard. I had an Aspire 9500 that died the exact same way. Some models of the Aspires had a video board which can be replaced by folks without great technjcal skills. See if you can get a service manual on google and check what arrangement your model has. Hope this was helpful...Good Luck!

 

[jimy27]

Hi, did u get it fixed?

I'm having the exact same problem earlier this week, no screen..blank.
about a month before this happened, the screen turns black from time to time when i use my laptop normally then it recovers. then same story like the first post, i shut it down at night and in the morning i turned it on.. nothing shows from the screen til this day .

 

[Necrolicious]

I sent the laptop for repairs a few days back, and what I found out is:

The screen isn't the problem. The guy fixin' it still doesn't know whats wrong, but when he calls me I'll let him know about the video chip so he can check that too.

@jimy27 nop, still isn't fixed. Mine turned black once and isn't working from then on. If you found out anything, be sure to let me know.

 

[raybay]

We have seen three nearly identical at the repair shop... one sent all the way from Hawaii...

Diagnosis: Bad motherboard. Replaced the motherboard, repaired the problem.

Acer fixed the ones that had been registered, and they were returned to the owner's registration address... So change your registered address if now different. And hope it hasn't been more than a year.


Be interested to learn what you find on yours..

 

[Necrolicious]

@raybay But if the motherboard didn't work, would Windows still load normaly?

I still have no idea whats wrong with it, still at the shop and waiting to be heard from them.

 

[raybay]

Hard to say. Failing motherboards offer a myriad of strange behaviors.
Let us know what you learn, though.

 

[swank99]

Hello just wondering if you have your pc fixed? my monitor went black as well just about a week ago. i have an aspire 5920G. i have no idea how this is happening. However it did happen once before and it had something to do with the wiring that time. I took mine apart this time and looked at the wires nothing wrong so i looked at if my wires where connected properly and they where. so i was just wondering if you knew what was wrong with yours now. because i have a feeling it might be similar to whats wrong with mine now. the only difference i see from what you said to what mine is able to do i can hook it up to an external monitor.

 

[Necrolicious]

No its still not fixed, I'm out of town and for the time being unable to contact the guy, but when I'm back in town first thing I'm gonna do is go and check up.
If he didn't fix it / doesn't know what the problem is, I'm gonna find someone else to fix it.

Gonna let you guys know what I find out.

 

[Necrolicious]

Turns out the problem is the motherboard, now I just have to find a place to buy one.
Any shops online that sell used / spare laptop parts you guys know of?

 

[asriel]

I have the exact same laptop and exact same problem. Mine started with the nvlddmkm driver crashing and recovering, then BSOD'ing. I tried rolling back drivers, uninstalling windows updates, and even safe mode. In the end, after hours of work, I only get black screen.

I found a techie to diagnose my laptop, since I clearly couldn't fix the problem. He narrowed it down to motherboard or graphics card (8600M GT). I'm going to pick it up later today and take the graphics card and insert it into my Dell laptop that has the exact same graphics card. If the card works, it will mean my mo/bo is fried.

In case it is my mo/bo, anyone find the cheapest place to buy one? If it's over $200 then I may as well buy a new laptop.

Hope this info helps some folks. Acer should fix this for free -- even out of warranty. There's no reason for this board to overheat and fry, except for faulty craftsmanship.

 

[obiwanbrny]

I just pull out 2gb of ram and computer started working normally!

 

[terry5880]

Read most comments here and if I was you I would get a 2nd opinion as very strange and rare that it would be the mother board if you have laptop back 1stly open screen turn on laptop and with a torch shine it close to screen and see if u can faintly see anything if not then plug into a external monitor turn off then back on if no screen then use the fn key and which ever f key it is for external if still no screen on monitor then its bigger problem like mother board but if u do see pic on monitor then there is problem with your laptop screen

 

[tipstir]

Although have 3x ACER (netbooks & laptops) and two ACER monitors. One of the Monitors had a yellow line running from the top to the bottom. So got it to work again. Let see what happens. Odd the yellow line was present with power off without cables attach to it and connected with cables attach to it to PC. ACER hardware also have 3x desktops well Gateway/ACER they have been odd with their glitches two. Easy to fix but still.