Wallstreet Display Nightmare

robsterrobster
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Hi,

I have a problem with my Wallstreet....

When I turn it on, the chimes sound, the drive spins up and I can hear it booting OK, BUT the screen stays totally black.

Once booted I can press keys that make a sound like volume and power and make it restart, sleep, wakeup and most other normal things I just can't see anything.



I have tried it with an external attached and that doesn't light up either.



I then fitted a new, known-working motherboard and tried again. The problem persists even the external still refuses to be seen.



Since I think I can safely say it's not the video circuitry, I'm assuming that a faulty screen is what I have, but I'm confused as to why an external screen won't work either, is it dependant on the main screen functioning?



How can i fix this?



Cheers

Rob

[email protected]

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    alcimedesalcimedes Posts: 5,486member
    when you plugged in the external monitor, did you have it plugged in while the machine was powered off, then powered the machine back on?



    otherwise i'd say something is wrong with the video card, but you say you put in a new motherboard?



    where in the world did you get one of those, and how hard was it to put in? (i'm addicted to messing with hardware)



    if i had to guess i'd say it's the video on the MB, but like you said, you've replaced that so i'm out of ideas.
  • Reply 2 of 5
    der kopfder kopf Posts: 2,275member
    True, be sure to put your computer to sleep or shut it down before hooking up the other monitor. (on startup/wakeup, it will then auto-sense if something's there).



    Make sure you are a using a compatible monitor!!



    If you have an S-video out, you could also try if it works on your TV. (again, shutdown/sleep).



    Make sure that your brightness levels are not set to completely dim when hooking up another monitor.



    Check to see if your monitor still shows something by shining a powerful light on the screen why it is (or you suspect it to be) on. If you can make out some stuff, than you might have the backlight dead (and you will know that it's your screen, but might be fixable).



    If none of these things help, then I don't know, (maybe check out something new, I suspect a Wallstreet is what now, ffive years old?).



    I have had horrible experiences with my PwB screen as well. Often wake up at night still...
  • Reply 3 of 5
    alcimedesalcimedes Posts: 5,486member
    oh, that reminds me, there was a known issues with the wallstreets where opening and closing the hings would break the video cable to the LCD. that shouldn't affect the external output though, which is what's throwing me for a loop.
  • Reply 4 of 5
    robsterrobster Posts: 256member
    Hey thanks for the input...some things to try, which i'll do now...

    as for where i got the motherboard...it was from good old ebay...only cost me £30!

    I put it into my friends wallstreet and it was fine.

    I'll try strictly adhering to the process for externals and try again.



    also i understand the point about the wallstreet being 5 years old but it does have scsi, serial ports and 2 cardbus slots so its what i need for music.



    Cheers
  • Reply 5 of 5
    airslufairsluf Posts: 1,861member
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