Dell Inspiron 9400 Backlight Problem

Hiya,

Here's the deal: I've had my laptop (inspiron 9400) for a couple of months now. It's been superb. I'm really happy with it. Compared to my last dinosaur of a computer, this laptop is so fast. I haven't had one single problem, apart from a slight niggle.

Occasion the backlight doesn't come on when I open the lid. This never happens upon log in, it just happens when I'm using the comp, I proceed to close the lid and then open the lid.

The screen just stays black and no matter what I do, the screen just will not unfreeze. It's probably the backlight, but I'm not 100% sure. It has only frozen about 8 or 9 times, so it's not exactly a regular occurrence.

It's a brand new laptop.

Just to make sure that there's nothing wrong with the laptop I've run the diagnostic check. The computer passed every test with flying colours. I would appreciate it if someone gave me a reason why the backlight refuses to come back.

Thanks.

 

Have you tried closing and reopening the screen when this happens? I've had this happen a few times on me when I had an e1505.

I think perhaps something is wrong with the sensors/software.

 

Yeah. I've tried closing and opening the lid. Doesn't work, though.

sensors/software problem? Oh hell. What does this mean?

 

it could be a loose connection

 

A loose connection in the laptop or an external loose connection?

 

I had the same problem and all i did to fix it was to press any keyboard button repeatedly every time i open the lid, since then it works prefect.

 

vespoli: OK. It happened again, so I closed and then opened the lid again. It came back on!

Thank you! I know that it was a simple solution, but it worked a treat! (it turns out that I never tried it)

Thanks wannabeapilot

and thanks very much, Sneakyasiankid. I'll definitely take a note of that, if it ever happens again. *touches wood*

Thanks all.

 

a slight niggle?

haha. fooshooo negroo

 

Could someone please lend me a moron to English dictionary?

 

I'd like to help, but usually each moron has a specific dictionary. The ones I use on a daily basis wouldn't help you at all, sorry.

 

Thanks anyway.

I'll try ebay.

 

It is not your backlight. There is actually a registry fix for this. Let me locate where to change the registry key but the key is LidBehavior and it needs to be changed from hex 11 to hex 10. This will fix that. As a temporary fix you can press Fn+F8 and that should make the backlight kick on.

Please look at this post for how to fix this issue with the dell drivers. After you do this your laptop will continue to turn off the backlight when you close the lid but it will come back on when you open the lid now.

 

Wonderful!

I'll give it a whirl and I'll get back to you with the results.

Thank you very much!

 

Update:

I followed the instruction but I couldn't locate the file labeled "LidBehavior"

I even searched for it using the "search" function, and nothing. Could you please tell me where I could locate this file. I mean, is it normal that it's missing? Should it be there? Could it be there, but under a different name? Can I download it from somewhere?

Thanks.

 

Did you follow the instructions in the post?

A step-by-step version of the instructions in the post.

1. Start -> Run -> regedit
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Video

One of the subkeys here will be for your video card. There will be several. If you wish you can do a search for LidBehavior from here so that it doesn't take very long. When you find it change it from hex 11 to hex 10. Then reboot.

The subkey that it will be located in will vary from system to system so I won't really be able to tell you where it is at but if you wish then you can export the above key and include all subkeys and send me the registry file that results from it. I will send back a registry patch that should fix the issue.

 

I did the search in the registry editor and found the LidBehavior file. Does it matter that it wasn't in the destination that was written down in the post?

This is where it was located:

HKY_users>S-1-5-21-842925245-1303608-725345543-1003>Software>Microsoft>Search Assistant>ACMru>5603

Name: 000
Type: REG_SZ
LidBehavior

----

Could you please tell me what to do with it now. I'l pretty much computer illiterate, so could you please be as basis as you can.

Failing that I'll give you my email address so that I could send the files to you: [email protected]

 

That is not the correct key. Could you please tell me what driver you are currently using?

 

Driver? I haven't a clue.

How do you find out what driver you are currently using?