eMachines M5310 Screen Problem - Tech Support Forums

Dan729 · March 18th, 2006, 12:59 PM

Help! I have a problem with my eMachines M5310 laptop that seems a bit strange to me, but maybe somebody out there has a solution for it....
The laptop works fine on battery operation, but with the power supply plugged in, the LCD screen goes off. By touching the "close lid" button and letting it up again, the screen comes up again for a second, then off again. The power supply (adapter) charges the battery fine, and all other functions of the computer seem to work okay except the screen. Any suggestions for a fix??? Thanks, Dan

johnnyis42 · March 18th, 2006, 03:38 PM

does it behave this way while booting, or just while in windows?

Dan729 · March 18th, 2006, 05:37 PM

It is doing it all the time.... while booting and when system is up in windows. I just tried and found it is also the same when booted up to the A Drive with the CD Rom. While booting, or while it is running in windows xp, I can touch and then let loose of the button that turns the screen off when closing the computer...and it will bring it up for a second and then it goes off again. I have to do this repeatedly to see the screen long enough to shut the computer down properly. I don't have a clue what's going on!

johnnyis42 · March 18th, 2006, 05:52 PM

it sounds like you've got a problem with the lid switch... odd that it only happens when the AC adapter is plugged in. makes me wonder if it's a wire inside connecting the switch to the circuit that detects whether you're on power or battery.

there is the circuit that determines whether you're on battery and then as a result will alter the brightnes of the backlight to save power. i'm wondering if you alter the brightness settings from the keyboard (usually an Fn key function) when on AC poer, you might notice a change and that it displays somehting rather than strictly cutting off.

might want to check the bios setting for brightness on abttery and AC as well (if it gives you that option). see if changing the AC setting helps any.

Dan729 · March 19th, 2006, 09:34 AM

johnnyis42, Well, the operating satisfactory on battery was apparently just a fluke... now the screen is going off whether it is on AC adapter or battery. I suspect it is the circuit that regulates the amount of time that the screen stays on during idle periods. I don't know of any adjustments that I can get to for that, but will keep looking into it. Thanks for your input. Dan729

johnnyis42 · March 19th, 2006, 09:17 PM

if you rattle or shake the laptop, will the scren coflciker on and off?

Dan729 · March 20th, 2006, 08:08 PM

Hadn't done so before, but now have tried shaking it...upright, upside down, sideways, etc... Also, tried tapping each corner of the laptop gently on the desktop. No flickering of any type. It doesn't act like a loose connection or wire. It is is very consistent. It seems more like what ever makes the screen go into the sleep mode is set at a second instead of "minutes." During start-up, and while the computer is running, if you press down the button that shuts the screen off when closing the lid... and then let it up...the screen comes on perfectly for a second or less, and then goes off again. By repeatedly tapping the button quickly, I can see it well enough to use the mouse to shut off the computer properly. So far, I have not come up with a plausible reason for it acting the way it does. Thanks again, Dan

johnnyis42 · March 21st, 2006, 02:58 PM

well, i would try to see if there's a bios update that might address the power management ACPI featueres of the laptop. that's my best guess for anything that would be avaialble aside from warrenty replacement.

Dan729 · March 21st, 2006, 04:32 PM

Hi again johnnyis42, I don't know anything about updating the bios, but I guess it is a good time to learn???!!! But, the alternate suggestion won't work...the machine has been out of warrantee for quite some time. Otherwise, they would have gotten it back quickly. Thanks again!

johnnyis42 · March 21st, 2006, 06:07 PM

if you go to the e maichines site under support downloads, you should be able to find all the specific downloads for your particular model of laptop.

usually bios updates for laptops are simple executeable files you can run in windows, and you just wait for it to do its thing, and usually it will reboot your machine or shut it down when it's done. then you boot back up and your bios is updated.

other times they have ISO images you burn to cd, boot from that cd and it walks you through the bios update.

these are the usualy ways i have seen laptop manufacturers issue bios updates, but you'll have to read their instructions to know for sure.

not all manufacturers release bios updates for their laptops, however i have seen enough of them from dell, HP and compaq that usually deal with power management issues to know it's at least worth a try to look.