The monitor on my laptop (Dell) does not function. The backlight is on, but no pixels. When I hook it up to an external monitor I can see, but the resolution is incorrect and there are extraneous characters throughout, like a background of snow. Magically the monitor started working again, and then quickly died. I am not sure if this is a hardware or software problem, I am assuming hardware. Using vista, how can I configure the external monitor so that I have an optimal picture. Are there any other diagnostics to try to pinpoint and fix the problem?
This happened to me on a Dell monitor. I could sometimes bring the screen up by pounding on the case. I eventually concluded that the motherboard had a hairline crack and parted the laptop out.
The fact that the problem comes and goes suggests it is a hardware problem. One thing that I do not understand is why the external monitor works fine when the laptop monitor is working, but displays at the wrong resolution, and with “snow” when the laptop screen is not working.
What model do you have? There is a known issue with Nvidia 8400M GS videocards on some Dell laptops. I have an XPS M1330 and I had the problem described in the link: the laptop screen was not working properly, but I could still use an external monitor at reduced resolution (though in the end the videocard crashed for good).
Dell fixed my laptop under the extended warranty.
The Vista video setup applet provides the means to set the separate parameters for an eternal and internal screen re resolution, freq etc. Make sure the external monitor setup is correctly configured for your screen.
Having said this the dead internal unit and the extraneous characters & snow on the external monitor make it sound like a motherboard onboard video issue, which means you are pretty much boned if the unit is not in warranty.