T43P complicated issue

[evonna_21]

I received a T43p laptop from a friend which turns on with a red screen and then the screen goes black. My first initial thought was the screen is bad so I plugged it up to an external monitor. In which, case the screen for the laptop never came on the external monitor but an error message about voltage came on the external monitor. The external monitor is good.

I don't see the harddrive green light display on the laptop moving even though the harddrive is brand new. I hear the harddrive spinning but no light for the laptop display. I checked the harddrive which it passed. Also, what puzzles me is that the fan is running like the motherboard is ok. Could the motherboard have a problem with the video. I'm at a loss.

[Neil]

First, let me welcome you to the forum.

turns on with a red screen and then the screen goes black.

No doubt about it, those are signs of a failing CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp). There is really nothing else that will cause those symptoms. As for the external monitor not working, it may be something as simple as the Fn+F7 switch to toggle the monitors on/off. The HDD, lights and fan are probably working because it's booting up normally, without a display.

That, or something else entirely.