Vga Port On A Laptop Not Working

[Digitalbanana]

When I plug in an external screen (more than one) to a laptop I have, there is now no image displayed - it used to work and now gives a dull display on one screen I have that then blacks out and no display on another that displays switching to low power mode. I suspect the VGA output port on laptop. Is there a way to fix this or does it mean changing motherboard = price of a new laptop? Any other ideas appreciated also.

[rakman]

If it's not a driver or configuration issues (most laptops have key strokes to enable / disable / rotate external and internal screens.

If you have the external screen plugged in and reboot does the external work? Have you looked in the BIOS settings?

And yes, if the external port is really dead, consider a new laptop. You get more for your money now than before. Repairing may not be economically viable, but also worth checking into, you might get lucky.

Also, have you checked the vga cable and monitor with another system? Or checked the laptop with another monitor/cable?

Edited May 19, 2012 by rakman

[Prichard]

Has the graphic video card driver been updated when you experienced this problem?

Something similar happenned to me last night but I got it resolved. My normal ASUS notebook display is my 32" Sony TV using PC port connected to the notebook VGA port. Last night my ASUS Auto Update downloaded and installed Nvidia driver update. After the installaion my Sony TV display did not work and my notebook display is limited to lower resolution. I learn (now) that ASUS Auto Update is not reliable so I uninstalled it from my system and downloaded/installed the latest Nvidia driver update directly from its site. After system restarted all is well as usual now.

Note that I run my system with my notebook screen lid closed at all times. Except when skyping then I have both displays on because I need to use the notebook web camera.

Just a thought. Cheers.

[welo]

If you have the external screen plugged in and reboot does the external work?

This is good advice!

[Digitalbanana]

Great replies guys and appreciate the pool of ideas. I think the issue maybe with a auto driver update for the graphics card if that is indeed possible as someone has said is, I will have to try and roll back somehow... still investigating.

Buying a new laptop is not on my list as this laptop is new high end model, under warranty, just that warranty is in USA and I cannot go back for several months until after warranty expires!

[Digitalbanana]

If you have the external screen plugged in and reboot does the external work?

This is good advice!

This post has me confused. Why is it good advice and how does booting with screen attached or not help in any way? It doesn't work booting either attached or not anyway. Curious. The manufacturer told me to download and reinstall latest graphics drivers and BIOS which I did but had already anyway. Made no differnce. Must be hardware I guess?

Edited May 21, 2012 by Digitalbanana

[astral]

If the external display is plugged in at boot time,

there is a good chance that the OS will detect it automatically.

[welo]

If the screen is attached at boot time than the Bios (=firmware of the motherboard/graphics chipset) will detect it and enable the signal on the VGA port. If you attach it at a later point then the (Windows) software driver is responsible for enabling the VGA port.

The goal is to find out if the hardware in your laptop is broken, or if it is merely a software (driver) issue.

If the VGA port is enabled during boot time then you know that the hardware is working.

But the reverse conclusion is not necessarily true because different laptops handle the VGA port in different ways. Meaning, if your screen is not enabled when an external screen is connected at boot time, it does not necessarily mean that you have a hardware problem.

Does that make sense?

[Prichard]

@Digitalbanana: I seriously doubt that your laptop VGA is at fault since you said "...this laptop is new high end model, under warranty ...".

Although I don't know details about your external screen (TV or computer montor model) but you may try to play around with these procedures:

If you haven't done it already (assuming you have Win7): 1. Set Win7 Power Options to the following values: Turn off display = Never; Computer Sleep = Never; Closing the lid = Do nothing. 2. turn off your external display, power off your laptop and close down your laptop lid. 3. Keep the laptop lid closed, turn on your external display then power on your laptop. You should have your external screen working. Note that it takes awhile to see anything on the external screen - probably when Win7 is loading if you don't set your BIOS to see the POST messages. If all is well, you can then set the resolution to the max resolution (native resolution) of your external display using either your graphics card option or Win7 Display option. (mine set to 1920x1080 for the 32" Sony TV).

Note that I run my system 24/7 and I turn off my TV screen as needed.

Also another thought: If your external monitor has 2 inputs (DVI-D and VGA), what is the default input on your external monitor? I have 2 additional monitors with those 2 inputs and, when connecting with one of my desktop systems (with same 2 outputs), one of them is giving me a terrible time connceting using VGA while the other never gives me problem because it has "a switch" to select its source. You may need to check your external display connection option (DVI-D or VGA).

I wish I can be at your place to fool around with these discrepancies. Good luck on your effort. Cheers.

[barryw52]

Have you tried setting the resolution of the laptop screen /external screen to a lower setting maybe the external monitor is not able to display at the resolution and frequency selected?

[Digitalbanana]

Thanks guys. Really appreciate it. I am going to try these ideas esp Prichards, who really wouldn't want to be where I am at the moment, upcountry Cambodia!

A bit busy at the moment working so no time to look at these ideas yet. I have been emailing tech support (laptop in as HP ENVY 17 2280NR model bought in US). They have suggested upgrading BIOS and graphics drivers to latest off their web site, which I had done already. Now they suggest a complete system restore which will take all day, so I'll try that if the ideas on this thread don't work next month when I have some time off.

[Digitalbanana]

If the screen is attached at boot time than the Bios (=firmware of the motherboard/graphics chipset) will detect it and enable the signal on the VGA port. If you attach it at a later point then the (Windows) software driver is responsible for enabling the VGA port.

The goal is to find out if the hardware in your laptop is broken, or if it is merely a software (driver) issue.

If the VGA port is enabled during boot time then you know that the hardware is working.

But the reverse conclusion is not necessarily true because different laptops handle the VGA port in different ways. Meaning, if your screen is not enabled when an external screen is connected at boot time, it does not necessarily mean that you have a hardware problem.

Does that make sense?

Thanks for that, makes sense. I cannot get the screens to come on so I am thinking on rolling back BIOS to earlier date to see if that helps. Will try next month as no time now.

[Digitalbanana]

If the external display is plugged in at boot time,

there is a good chance that the OS will detect it automatically.

Yes, O/S detects it ok on Screen Resolution options. Just cannot seem to power on the actual external screen. HP suggest I do a complete factory system restore. Will try next month.

[Digitalbanana]

@Digitalbanana: I seriously doubt that your laptop VGA is at fault since you said "...this laptop is new high end model, under warranty ...".

Although I don't know details about your external screen (TV or computer montor model) but you may try to play around with these procedures:

If you haven't done it already (assuming you have Win7): 1. Set Win7 Power Options to the following values: Turn off display = Never; Computer Sleep = Never; Closing the lid = Do nothing. 2. turn off your external display, power off your laptop and close down your laptop lid. 3. Keep the laptop lid closed, turn on your external display then power on your laptop. You should have your external screen working. Note that it takes awhile to see anything on the external screen - probably when Win7 is loading if you don't set your BIOS to see the POST messages. If all is well, you can then set the resolution to the max resolution (native resolution) of your external display using either your graphics card option or Win7 Display option. (mine set to 1920x1080 for the 32" Sony TV).

Note that I run my system 24/7 and I turn off my TV screen as needed.

Also another thought: If your external monitor has 2 inputs (DVI-D and VGA), what is the default input on your external monitor? I have 2 additional monitors with those 2 inputs and, when connecting with one of my desktop systems (with same 2 outputs), one of them is giving me a terrible time connceting using VGA while the other never gives me problem because it has "a switch" to select its source. You may need to check your external display connection option (DVI-D or VGA).

I wish I can be at your place to fool around with these discrepancies. Good luck on your effort. Cheers.

Tried the power settings options to no avail, thanks for ideas. Most of my external monitors have VGA or DVI-D. I have set monitors to use VGA not auto or DVI-D as my laptop doesn't have DVI-D. The laptop has VGA (does not work now), HDMI (works ok) and Displayport output for video - the Displayport has never been tested as don't have a monitor with it!.