Laptop screen turns black, but programs still run

[jf12]

Hey guys,

I have a Satellite A200 Toshiba laptop running Windows Vista, and a couple of days after I tried to update the graphics card (I'm not great with computers), the screen started turning black every 10 minutes or so. Programs are still running normally, only the display is affected. If I close the laptop the display comes back on if I open it 15 min later, but then turns black again shortly after. Also, twice it's crashed with a memory parity error.

I had a computer technician look at it and he updated the graphics driver, but it's still crashing. He said the display problems are a result of damage to the motherboard from the overheating (there's something wrong with the fan; the laptop always crashes when running games/virus scans), and that it's not related to my attempt at updating the graphics driver. He said if the display continues to have problems, which it has, my only solution is to buy a new laptop.

Does that sound right? It's less than two years old!    I know correlation =/= causation, but it seems highly coincidental that all the problems started happening after I attempted to update the graphics card.

[Quantos]

Can you run system restore and restore it to a point before the driver was updated?

Why did you update your display adapter?

[jf12]

Thanks for the response,

For some reason it's gotten worse now (haven't tried system restore yet - i've been unable to) - first it went black two minutes after I entered my password, and now it won't even make it to the intial Vista password entry screen when I turn it on (yet I can hear that it's loaded).

Any advice? Even if it's broken beyond repair, I still need to take all my files off somehow.

Why did you update your display adapter?

A game was lagging and I was trying to improve its performance - ironically, now I can't play at all 

[jf12]

For some reason it's gotten worse now (haven't tried system restore yet - i've been unable to) - first it went black two minutes after I entered my password, and now it won't even make it to the intial Vista password entry screen when I turn it on (yet I can hear that it's loaded).

Update - there was another memory parity error, and it crashed... screen turns black shortly after I entered my password... argh

[Computer_Commando]

Update - there was another memory parity error, and it crashed... screen turns black shortly after I entered my password...

Laptop graphics usually use shared memory; could be one of the memory modules is defective.  Get MemTest, create a CD, boot from the CD & test.  http://www.memtest.org/

[patio]

I'd like to know how the graphics chip wa upgraded as most of them are soldered in on laptops...
More info,,,

[Computer_Commando]

He probably means "update the graphics drivers".

[nips101]

My guess is it was compatibility. There are some cases like this. I suggest system restore like
the others are saying.

[jf12]

Woo! I ran system restore (shining a torch on the screen so I could make things out), and it started working again. Also, the second I started system restore the display went back to normal. Unfortunately the restore point was only a few days old, from after I updated the graphics driver, so it's possible the problems will start again.

Thanks for all the help! 

I'd like to know how the graphics chip wa upgraded as most of them are soldered in on laptops...
More info,,,

Sorry, I meant graphics driver 

[jf12]

Update - spoke too soon... display went to black again. 

At least I know how to get my stuff off now...

Second update - it randomly came on again. 

[Computer_Commando]

Update - spoke too soon... display went to black again. 
At least I know how to get my stuff off now...
Second update - it randomly came on again. 

Laptop graphics usually use shared memory; could be one of the memory modules is defective.  Get MemTest, create a CD, boot from the CD & test.  http://www.memtest.org/