Sony Viao Fault, Hardware or Software Problem?

[RadiumLavans]

Hello
I need help, i was using my sony vaio vgn-ns20z laptop to browse the net and when i clicked a link on google the mouse cursor disappeared and the screen got distorted then went blank. I switched the laptop off and back on again and the backlight for the screen comes on but nothing else, no post test, no writing or anything. I connected a monitor to it to see if i could get a picture on that but nothing either. This sounds like a hardware problem to me but is it possible that a virus could have done this? I cant see how it could be a virus but a friend of mine said it could be. Any ideas?. Thanks for the help

 

[RadiumLavans]

Hi thanks for the replies, i tried the memory in turn but still nothing, so guess your right about it being the motheboard or graphics, im relieved it cant be a virus, my anti virus software expired last week so was worried it was my fault