[SiriuslyInNeed]

Hi,

I have a Dell Inspiron 1545. When I booted it up the screen was blank. I'm not sure what's wrong with it. I'm having an issue connecting it to an external monitor as well (I may just be doing that part wrong). I ran the LCD BIST, as one site suggested, and my screen appears to be fine. But, still no display shows on start up. Also, it beeps. Help.

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Could be the video card.Is it integrated or in a PCI slot?This a Laptop? BIOS's beep patterns usually tells you what is wrong.Do you know what BIOS you have?AMI,Pheonix? Had this issue once was video card.

Edited by jds63, 18 October 2013 - 08:26 PM.

[jds63]

Could be the video card.Is it integrated or in a PCI slot?This a Laptop? BIOS's beep patterns usually tells you what is wrong.Do you know what BIOS you have?AMI,Pheonix? Had this issue once was video card.

Edited by jds63, 18 October 2013 - 08:26 PM.

[SiriuslyInNeed]

Yes, this is a Laptop.
No, it does not have a video card, it's built in.
I'm not sure what BIOS it is, it's whatever came with the computer.
Could the beeping have to do with the memory?

[phillpower2]

SiriuslyInNeed

If I may ask a few questions to help clarify the situation please;

Has the Fn and the appropriate F1 to F12 key been pressed down together to toggle between the notebook and the external screen (possibly Fn + F8).

I have a Dell Inspiron 1545. When I booted it up the screen was blank. I'm not sure what's wrong with it.

Do you see the BIOS screen or Dell logo at all.

I'm having an issue connecting it to an external monitor as well

What type of issue as in are you saying that you get no display on an external screen when you hook up the notebooks VGA port.

I ran the LCD BIST, as one site suggested, and my screen appears to be fine.

So you get a display when you run the Dell diagnostic tool.

But, still no display shows on start up.

Have you tried booting into Windows in Safe Mode by tapping the appropriate key (often F8) when you power up the notebook.

Also, it beeps.

How many beeps and are they long or short beeps.

[SiriuslyInNeed]

Thanks for the welcome!
1. I did use the Fn +F8 key and I got no display on the external monitor.
2. I did not see the BIOS screen or Dell logo at all.
3. I get no display on an external screen. But, the monitor recognizes a connection when I connect to the VGA port. (This relays to #1 above.)
4. Yes. I got the flashing colors display when I ran that diagnostic. Nothing appears to be wrong with the screen.
5. I have tried. But, I don't see a display, so I can't get to Safe Mode.
6. Two short beeps.

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update SiriuslyInNeed

Possible memory problems so I suggest that you remove the Ram, blow out the slots, reseat the Ram** and see how it goes.

** If you have more than one stick of Ram initially try a single stick.

A guide to help with adding/removing Ram

[jds63]

Hi Phill,I recently had a issue with RAM on an older PC i was working with, but it beeped continuously,no set pattern and had no picture too,but i thought it sounded like a video problem because they did not specify yet the pattern of the beeps.

I tried cleaning RAM too and putting it back in.I had no luck.RAM was bad.This was a desktop PC.

Edited by jds63, 19 October 2013 - 12:18 PM.

[phillpower2]

Hi jds63

Notebooks and MBs that have an integrated video chip but no add on video card rely on the Ram to support the base video memory that they have - problems with the Ram leads to problems with the MBs integrated graphics solution.

(2 - 3 beeps is commonly a memory issue and this includes the video memory)

[jds63]

Ah,o.k. i never had a laptop. Always had a desktop.My older PC was continuously beeping when RAM was bad.

I am a long time owner of many desktop PC's.

Well i was just trying to help, i was close to it,RAM and video,thanks and good luck helping on this post.

Edited by jds63, 19 October 2013 - 03:28 PM.

[phillpower2]

Not a problem jds63 your input is welcome

[jds63]

[SiriuslyInNeed]

I reseated the rams and there was no progress
Does this mean I need a new ram?
Also, would switching the two rams make any difference?

[phillpower2]

As per my reply #6
** If you have more than one stick of Ram initially try a single stick.
Did you try one stick at a time.

[SiriuslyInNeed]

Yes.
I tried one stick at a time.

[phillpower2]

Remove both sticks of Ram and then power up the notebook to see if the beep pattern changes, if it does is suggests that the problem is possibly with the video chip if the beep pattern is the same then the memory or memory slots could be bad, trying a known good stick of Ram is the only way to confirm if it is the present memory or the slots themselves.