Laptop Screen Won't Come on Unless Laptop is Cold!

[jason.batley]

I have a very peculiar problem with my Alienware M17x.

The screen won't come on or come out of sleep unless the laptop is stone cold. An external screen works fine. I have tried removing the battery and holding down the power button for a minute (someone told me this depletes any residual power.) I have tried removing the memory and also the internal battery and this had no effect.

The only thing that works every time is letting the laptop cool down for several hours in a cold room or putting it in the freezer for 10 minutes and then it works fine every time.

Literally pulling my hair out over this so any help is gratefully received...

Jay

 

[webworkings]

If that is the case, something is overheating. It could be the display itself, or it could be the graphics card/GPU. Using the following to try and test it to see which it more likely is (I am leaning towards the GPU).

Try this...

1. Turn the laptop off (not sleep or hibernate but off).
2. Connect an external monitor to the laptop.
3. Turn on the external monitor.
4. Turn on the laptop.

NOTE: You may have to press an "external monitor" button. Could be the f4 button or a button with two monitors on it, for the external monitor to work.

If you can see fine on the external monitor, then your attached display, or the ribbon cable that connects it, are your problem.

If you can't see on the external monitor at all, or the problem occurs on the external monitor as well, then it is probably the graphics card/GPU that is the problem, which may require the motherboard be replaced.

 

[jason.batley]

Hi thanks for your reply.

I am not sure that it is something overheating as I can leave the laptop on for days at a time and it works fine.

Also it won't switch on if left at room temperature even if it has been at that temperature for hours, it seems it will only switch on if it's cold i.e freezer or unheated room in winter - anything at normal room temperature doesn't work.

 

[Scottray]

It sounds like you have loose or partial broken connectors somewhere, especially in the power path. Thermal expansion/contraction is just enough to get the contact made so the laptop will boot. My first guess is the power port versus the adapter plug from the power brick (since once you get it powered up, it stays powered up). Looks like you're going to need to visit a PC repair shop. Or, if your comfortable opening and repairing laptops, replace the power port and potentially the power brick.