Laptop screen keeps shutting down

[bobboberts]

I have an old Dell laptop (probably about 10 years old now) which I only use for internet browsing, and it has started having an odd issue where the laptop screen will just shut off - but the laptop itself isn't shutting down. A switching off and on doesn't seem to cure it, even multiple times, but it will randomly work some other time and then be fine for sometimes days, sometimes weeks. It's not a sleep issue (everything is set to keep the machine on all the time on mains power, which is how I use it) and I assume it isn't a PSU issue as it happens on battery power too.

I've googled for a long time trying to find answers, but can't find anything with the same problem and because it has a nice 15.6" screen, I'm keen to resolve the issue if I can. Anybody got any ideas how to try and troubleshoot? There's nothing in the BIOS (which is incredibly limited anyway) which would lead to it, and it was never a problem for years. It's the complete randomness of it which I find particularly puzzling.

 

[R.C.Anderson]

Is it definitely 100% random? I heard a story a while back of similar behaviour & it took ages to work out what was causing it. Turned out the user had something on their wrist/hand that was activating the sensor that detected if the screen was closed. The sensor is often a reed switch or similar, so something else magnetic could set it off.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Define off
If you look very closely
Probably with a torch,phone etc
Is the screen on but just not illuminated?

If you connect an external screen what happens?

Common issues
Backlight /little control board for it
Is faulty

Screen ribbon
Sometimes these get micro fractured
From constant opening and closing off the lid
And heating and cooling down over the years

Graphics chip same idea these can get micro fractures
In the soldering

Actual backlight itself can be faulty
Or screen can be faulty

Connecting an external screen would be first solution
To eliminate some of the problems and determine
What's at fault

You can probably find a replacement screen
But other parts may be hard to source
For such an old laptop