Computer help forum: Monitor Won't Turn On

If you restored the OS from the Dell CDs.

When I see a machine like that I reach for my Ubuntu LiveCD (see bing, google) so I can boot up another OS without installing that OS. That helps determine if it's an OS or hardware issue.

Given so few parts in laptops to change, you always do this test.
Bob

About installing XP on machines that came with Vista. Last month I've started to see even more issues as the DVDRW drives are now connected with SATA as well. XP fails hard now unless the person has done their homework. I can't fit all you need to know in one paragraph.

This is why we do the test with a LiveCD like Ubuntu. This will boot and run on just about 99.99% of the machines and can give us a quick test if the hardware is OK or not.

Again, on new machines you are seeing XP CDs boot and then the laptop or machine just shutdown.
Bob

I tried booting from a Ubuntu CD, but then I got to the boot order settings and realized that it wouldn't allow me to keep it on the DVD drive for any successive tries, so I would have to do it blind every time the monitor didn't work.

As for USB devices, I have a mouse and I tried with it in and out but no difference. I tried several other devices but nothing changed.

Today, the last two times I turned it on nothing went wrong.

I'm going to try wiping the drive and reinstalling Vista, although the fact that the problem has vanished suddenly leaves me kind of stumped.

Anyways, thanks for the suggestions.

Indeed, but I was going to try it anyways.

However, I'm back to the temperature idea. When I turned it on an off yesterday it was at the usual operating temperature, but when it's been off for a while and it's cooled down, the screen doesn't turn on. So today I figured I'd leave it on for a while, turn it off and try again. I closed the lid after another failed attempt and waited, and when I reopened it, the screen was on, although it was on the minimum brightness and I can't increase it.