My computer screen won't turn on!

[hopeless14]

Here's the deal:
My mom gave me her old computer when it was about 2 years old. it was working fine except that sometime the screen wouldn't come on when you started up the computer. the lights and fan would start running and then the fan would turn off and the computer screen would stay black. well usually you could just wait a few minutes and it would start on it's own, now it won't turn on at all! the start light around the start button will come on and then fan will start like normal but before the screen will come on the fan will turn off and the screen will stay completely black but the start light will still be on. i have left it on for an entire day and still nothing. i really can't wipe the whole computer out because i have important information on it. i desperately need help. I am not good with fixing things and need to get my computer running before finals. i can get additional info if needed.

any help would be amazing. Thanks. 

[scrolljoe]

I am wedded to the idea that your power supply is on the bonkers . There
seems to be insufficient  power to the motherboard hence not enough to
drive the display card. The lack of proper voltages result in the CPU resetting
itself to off- mode hence stopping the fan and power supply.
 
Much about the PC is diagnosis - sometimes right sometimes wrong - and
swapping hardware that you know is good. Just borrow a good power supply
and see what happens.

While you're at it , take a peek at the capacitors on the motherboard...see if all
the tops are flat...bulges will spell a headache !

[hopeless14]

Thanx. but how do i "borrow a good power supply?

[BC_Programmer]

have you tried turning the monitor on?

[JJ 3000]

Is this a laptop?
Can you give us some more info about the computer? Like the brand and model.

[hopeless14]

sorry about that. yes it is a laptop. it is a Toshiba Satellite M35x-S329.

Thanks.

[hopeless14]

Does anyone know anything??

[matsonusa]

I'm just another reader but I've been wrestling with laptop issues for years.  There are a few things you might check to shed some light on your dilemma, or at least eliminate some possibilities and give the experts some more information...

1. When you switch the laptop ON, does the CHARGE indicator come on?  Does the CHARGE indicator extinguish when you remove the power cord?

2. Does the screen ever "glow" at the borders, as if a black sheet is covering up the desktop and light is slipping through on the sides?

3. Does the keyboard have a FUNCTION key, such as one labled with "fn" near the lower left-hand corner near the "ctrl" key?  (I'm guessing at the location.)

4. Are the F-keys (f3, f4, f5, etc) labled with extra functions?

5. Is the battery in place?  If so, is the battery a Lithium-Ion or a Ni-Cad type?

6. When you switch the laptop ON, can you hear the CD-ROM drive "cycle"?  Is there a CD in that drive?

One of the tricks my laptop's "support" group told me to do to RESET the thing... was to switch OFF and remove power, remove the battery, hold the power button on for 10 seconds, then reconnect everything and power-ON again.  Don't know if that applies to the Toshiba or not but it's worth a try.

[hopeless14]

Thanx.
Ill give it a try.