Screen on my Toshiba Satellite A215 goes blank
I have a problem with my Toshiba Satellite A215 laptop. The screen goes blank intermittently. I know this is not related to settings because the screen goes blank even when I’m working on the laptop or watching a movie. Do you know what is wrong and how I can fix this problem with my laptop?
First of all, find out which version of BIOS you have installed on your laptop, then go to the Toshiba website and find out if they have more recent version available for downloads. I’ve seen this problem with Toshiba Satellite A215 laptops before and it looks like Toshiba addresses this issue in the latest BIOS release. They do not explain what exactly is wrong but the BIOS change history says: “Corrected an intermittent black screen issue”. Update the BIOS and see if it fixes your problem.
If the problem is still there and the screen still goes blank, apparently there is something wrong with the inverter or backlight. Read this posts for more information on how to troubleshoot backlight issues.
May 10th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I am having the same problem. However, when I try to install the BIOS update (to 1.7) I receive an “error in the launcher.exe file”. The error states “3074: Expression continues past expected end. On line 90 of D:\My_docu…uncher_html\launcher.wbt” In the associated text box it has “linkName = ‘C:\Users\Spivey’s\Desktop\BIOS Launcher.lnk’ ”
My hard drive is c:\. My CD is d:\ and has nothing in it.
When I look for additional error info, it states “check for extra ) on end or missing ; before a comment or other extraneous characters after logical end of line.”
Any ideas?
May 13th, 2008 at 9:11 am
I had the same problem. Here’s a sure way to fix it:
1. Open Control Panel >
2. On left click classic view >
3. Click POWER OPTIONS >
4. Under BALANCED click on CHANGE PLAN SETTINGS >
5. Click CHANGE ADVANCED POWER SETTINGS >
6. Scroll down and double click PROCESSOR POWER MANAGEMENT >
7. Under MINIMUM PROCESSOR STATE change both the on battery and plugged in percentages from 5% to 100%. >
8. Click APPLY the OK
9. Restart
There ya go!! Piece of cake. I did this a couple months ago to mine and ever since it hasn’t had the problem.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Shawn Spivey,
Are you trying to update the BIOS from Windows?
Is there an option to create a bootable CD? Maybe you should go this route?
1. Download the BIOS
2. Create a bootable CD with the BIOS update
3. Boot the laptop from this CD and update the BIOS
I usually run updates from a floppy disc but for this method you’ll need an external USB floppy drive.
May 16th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
The bios update fixes the issue with the screen going blank and the computer still running. I just upgraded my satellite 215 and the issue is gone. I had to create a CD and boot from it to make it work.The “upgrade bios from windows” option did not work for Vista, but the upgrade utility can make the bootable CD for you.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
As unfamiliar with Vista that I am, I think I need a little help with creating a bootable disk. I can’t seem to find a utility to do this (thought I remember one in the older versions of Windows). Can you help?
July 5th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Just download the BIOS upgrade and unzip to local drive. Then use TOshiba CD/DVD creator to burn a bootable CD/DVD from image file (.iso). Reboot your computer and it will show BIOS upgrade screen. Once it complete, your blank screen will complete go (according to Toshiba website)
July 7th, 2008 at 7:53 am
i did what allyson says and i still get the same problem now what do i do ?
July 7th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
cally,
Did you try updating the BIOS to the latest version?
August 31st, 2008 at 10:14 am
my laptop screen is pitch black, the power button is on, and i can’t do anything at all with it.
August 31st, 2008 at 12:33 pm
can i get the link for the bios upgrade thing i can’t find it on the toshiba website
September 9th, 2008 at 2:29 am
my laptop screen is pitch black, the power button is on, and i can’t do anything at all with it
November 10th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
My Toshiba sat. A135-s4527 is still under warrenty so I guess I’ll just take this misarible thing back, AGAIN. I’m getting very sick of this Toshiba. I’m thinking of getting some thing other than vista.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:36 am
just an interesting FYI. I flashed my BIOS late last summer via the Windows flash program on an A215 series. Previously I had upgeaded the memory to 2 2gb sticks. They had been running fine for several months up to the point of the flash. I had tried everything to resurect the machine.
Several months later after sitting on the shelf the machine would not boot. Just for fun I pulled both the 2 gig sticks , replaced them with the original 1 gig stick and was able to boot into the BIOS screen, save the BIOS settings and boot to vista. Go figure. I did it on a whim and it worked. I then returned the 2 2GB sticks in the machine and all was fine. The 2 GB sticks are Corsair memory.
I have been working on desktpos and laptops for many years and had never seen this scenario before.
You may also try pulling the current memory, then powereing on and off the machine several times and putting the memory back in. That may or may not do the trick as well.
JL
April 12th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
QOUTE______________________________
I had the same problem. Here’s a sure way to fix it:
1. Open Control Panel >
2. On left click classic view >
3. Click POWER OPTIONS >
4. Under BALANCED click on CHANGE PLAN SETTINGS >
5. Click CHANGE ADVANCED POWER SETTINGS >
6. Scroll down and double click PROCESSOR POWER MANAGEMENT >
7. Under MINIMUM PROCESSOR STATE change both the on battery and plugged in percentages from 5% to 100%. >
8. Click APPLY the OK
9. Restart
There ya go!! Piece of cake. I did this a couple months ago to mine and ever since it hasn’t had the problem.
__________________________END QUOTE
YESS!!!! this works!!!! thank you.
April 29th, 2009 at 4:13 am
The screen on my Toshiba Satellite A215 was blacking out and locking up the computer 2-3 times a day. I would have to hold the power button down to shut the computer off and then restart it. I checked the processor power management setting and mine was already set at 100%. I then updated the BIOS to version 1.8. It has now been 2 days and the problem seems to have been resolved. I have not had another blackscreen lockup.
May 15th, 2009 at 11:00 am
I have a dell inspirion 1505 and I have the blue screen of death can somebody please give me some help I have no idea what to do have had this laptop for 3 years and this is the first time this happened,.
May 15th, 2009 at 11:03 am
tiffiney,
There is no simple answer to your question. This could be software or hardware related problem. Will it boot in Safe Mode you you still getting BSOD error?
May 15th, 2009 at 11:20 am
tiffiney,
I posted some suggestions in this post: I have the blue screen of death error
August 25th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I have the same problem with my Toshiba satellite m55 series laptop. I am trying to follow Allyson’s steps but I can’t get a PROCESSOR POWER MANAGEMENT option in the power options in my Windows XP. I was wondering how do I change MINIMUM PROCESSOR STATE on win XP? Thanks!!
November 25th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
My tosiba satelitte L300 was doing a bios update when it froze.
Had to turn it off as it stayed frozen ofr more 30 minutes. When switched back on i have a black screen, the only thing i get is the ON light and the fan sound. No Hdd light please help
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:36 pm
I updated my BIOS as well as done the battery thing actually it was always on 100% and my computer is still going to a black screen and I am freaking tired of this. THere is something wrong with the system and there is something else that can cuase this black screen
Can anyone help
January 23rd, 2010 at 12:36 pm
fururedoctor328,
Take a closer look at the screen when it’s black. Is it completely black you you still can see a very faint image? If the faint image of the desktop is still there, most likely you have a problem with the inverter board. I would try replacing the inverter board first.
January 25th, 2010 at 10:38 am
I have a Toshiba Satellite L10-102, after 5 years of trouble free service, iam getting the following problem. After pressing the power button the Toshiba Logo comes on with the option of F12 to enter setup, but then the screen goes blank, it is not black but greyish. The problem is that i have some very important data which i need to save so do not want to format the disc. Any solutions please?
January 25th, 2010 at 10:42 am
abid,
You can back up important files from the hard drive using an external USB enlcosure:
http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2007/04/17/access-hard-drive-using-usb-enclosure/
August 15th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
I am having this issue now. I have checked the power mgmt settings and all of them are at 100%. I have updated the BIOS to the latest version and I have even changed the invertor board. I can see the screen it just isn’t lit up. Am I going to have to replace the backlight lamp now? Please advise.
September 18th, 2010 at 8:48 am
i really need help! i just turned on my laptop but everything is not moving-the pointer, time..even my keyboard doesn’t work! what happened? how can i fix it?.i tried turning it off but didnt work. its been two hours..please help
September 25th, 2010 at 11:54 am
My wife’s Toshiba is having the same issue. I did one extra step and that was to attach the laptop to an external monitor. As soon as I did that, the screen on both came on. She was able to complete the work using the monitor, until the next morning when she restarted the computer and the same thing happened. I then reattached the external monitor and again…she was in business. I have been working with computers for 30 years…this is an interesting one. No answer yet…but will keep troubleshooting.
September 29th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
TC,
Turn on your Toshiba laptop (do not connect external monitor) and take a closer look at the LCD screen. Is it really black AND blank, or you can see a faint image?
December 27th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Hello,
I am having a problem with my screen going blank but and I can’t get to anything. it is a white screen and at first it was intermittent with the screen slowly fading away and I would adjust the angle of the Screen and it might come back. now it is not responding at all and I don’t know what parts to get or anything so that I can fix it. will I need a new screen or is there a way I can buy a cable and replace that? Please help!!! I need my computer!
Thank you!