Gateway lt2032u no display

To me this is a hardware problem.

Let's diagnose, and see Shunka_Reid.
Connect a VGA monitor to the laptop.

A) Laptop OFF, monitor OFF, connect a VGA monitor to the VGA port, on the laptop.

http://support.gateway.com/s/notebook/2009/gateway/nv/NV78/NV78lv.shtml

Number 3 - External VGA display port

General example of VGA connector (port), and VGA cable,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_Connector

Scroll down a little for the VGA cable example.

You can use a CRT type of monitor, (Looks like a small TV), or a flat LCD screen monitor if it has a VGA cable.
General example of a CRT type of monitor,

http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-crt-monitor.htm

B) Turn the monitor on. If a CRT type allow it to warm up.
Turn the laptop on.
By factory default settings, the display should show on the external VGA monitor.

IF not;
There are at least 3 display options available;
1) Internal monitor of laptop ONLY
2) Internal monitor of laptop AND external VGA monitor.
3) External VGA monitor ONLY.

Press, and hold the Fn key down, and at the SAME time tap once on the F4 key.
The F4 key is the Display Toggle-Over key.

Still no?
Hold the Fn key down again, and tap on the F4 key once more.

Do you get a good display on the external VGA monitor?
Post back in a Comment.

Also, has the laptop ever been cleaned on the Inside, to your knowledge?

Regards,
joecoolvette

Make sure the vga cable is in tight on the kav-60 and the external monitor.

Try the keystrokes to toggle the display. Normally you would Press and Hold the FN function key located at the lower left on the keyboard then hit the key F1 thru F12 that toggles the display. The correct F1 thru F12 key to hit will have LCD/CRT on it or it will have the icon of a display. The display toggles in three stages ( laptop only, external only or both laptop and external).

Did you use a static mat or band to discharge any electrical activity out of the body, if not you probably had a static buildup and discharged it on the main board causing a disruption in the data flow, you may need to re-install your operational system.

See if the problem is the graphics chipset before going any further.

If it isn't then the problem lies with the Video Cable, (Gateway = LCD Cable), or the Display Assembly.

The heading states Gateway LT2104u Netbook PC. This is what I'll be basing the solution on. However the main part of the solution, will apply to all laptops/netbooks.

1) Laptop OFF, monitor OFF, connect a VGA monitor to the VGA port (Connector) on the Left side of the netbook.

[ External VGA display port.
This is an example of a VGA connector, (Port), and a VGA Cable,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector ]

The external VGA monitor can be a CRT type, (Cathode Ray Tube. Looks like a small TV), or a flat LCD screen monitor that has a VGA cable.

2) Turn the monitor on. If a CRT type allow it to warm up.
Turn the netbook on.

By default the display should be shown on the external monitor.
IF not;

A) Press, and hold down on the Fn key, and at the same time tap once on the F5 key.
(The Fn key is at the Bottom/Left of the Keyboard. The F5 key is at the Top of the Keyboard)

No display still?
There are at least 3 display options;

1) Internal monitor of the laptop ONLY
2) Internal monitor of the laptop AND external VGA monitor
3) External VGA monitor ONLY

You may have to hold down on the Fn key, and tap the F5 key more than once.

IF, NO display shows up on the external monitor, you have a bad graphics chipset.

[ Chip and Chipset are slang terms for I.C.
Integrated Circuit,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_circuit

The GPU is the graphics chipset,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPU

The GPU for a Gateway LT2104u Netbook PC is an Intel GMA950 ]

IF, display does show up on the external VGA monitor, you have either problems with the Video Cable, (LCD Cable), or the Display Assembly.

LCD Cable:

1) Connections;
The LCD Cable connects TO the motherboard, and TO the back of the LCD screen, in the Display Assembly.

IF, either connection is loose, you will have display problems.

Check both connections.
This requires partial disassembly of the netbook to access the motherboard side of the LCD Cable.

Also requires partial disassembly of the Display Assembly (Gateway = LCD Module) to access the connection at the back of the LCD screen.

2) Damage;
Observe the LCD Cable on the motherboard side. See if there are any obvious signs of damage to the LCD Cable's sheath.
The most susceptible area to damage is the area under the left Hinge.

However, the LCD Cable should be removed, and a continuity check of the cable should be performed with a multimeter, set to Ohms.

(By checking the connections, you are at a point anyway, that removing the LCD Cable should be no problem)

LCD Cable checks out OK?
LCD Module problem; (Display Assembly)

The LCD Module consists of the;
1) LCD Bezel,
2) Camera Module,
3) LCD Module Brackets, (Includes Hinges)
4) Microphone Module,
5) Wireless 3G Antenna,
6) WLAN Antenna cables, (Wires),
7) LCD Screen Assembly,
8) LCD Module Cover.

Primer:
An LCD screen does not produce light. It needs an additional light source.
A Backlight is the additional light source.

A Backlight can be a CCFL, or a series of LED lights.
(CCFL = Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp. Similar to Fluorescent lighting used in homes, and businesses)

The Backlight for the Gateway LT21 series of Netbook PC's, is a series of LED lights.

There is no screen Inverter that is replaceable by the consumer.
The repair is to replace the entire LCD Module.

http://support.gateway.com/s/notebook/2009/gateway/lt/lt21/LT21sp4.shtml

To conclude:
If the problem isn't the graphics chipset, (Motherboard replacement), and it isn't the LCD Cable, the problem is the LCD Module.

Gateway LT21 series of Notebook PC's, Service Manual, (Free),

http://www.tim.id.au/blog/tims-laptop-service-manuals/#toc-gateway

Go to where it states Gateway 400. Drop down to the second line, (EC54), and scroll across to LT21 in blue.
Left-click on LT21.

This is a PDF file. The computer you are using now has Adobe Reader on it, which uses PDF files.
After you click on the file name (LT21) it may take up to 30 seconds, before the first page comes up.

{ You can save this Service Manual to your computer. This way you can burn it off to a CD disk, AND remove it from the computer to save harddrive space, and not have to temporarily download it again }

For additional questions please post in a Comment.

Regards,
joecoolvette

1.Confirm the Gateway notebook is not powered off or in standby mode. Tap the power button to turn on or wake the computer.

2.Check the screen brightness. Hold down the "Fn" key, then tap the up arrow on the directional pad to increase the brightness of your Gateway 400's display.

3.Toggle the notebook display. If you have an external monitor hooked up to the laptop, hold down "Fn." Press "F3" until the display switches to the laptop, or until both the laptop and the external monitor display an active screen.

it should just fine. My wife has an MSI Wind netbook with the same processor as yours and she uses an external CD drive all the time... she will rip CD's for her MP3 player, and create her own CD's for use in the car.

The processor on the netbook isn't all that powerful, so you may not want to multi-task a bunch while using the CD burner.

Plug the laptop into an external monitor and see if the screen comes up. If it does than you have either a connection issue with the LCD display of the monitor or an issue with the graphics card of the monitor. Either way you might have to open it up and "re-seat" the connection or check if there are any damaged wires.

Please rate if this helps

It's likely that your screen is "fried" (faulty) ... try to connect your laptop to an external VGA monitor, and see if the screen shows up (on the external monitor) properly. You may have to toggle the output display (device) from computer screen to external monitor ..using Fn+F3.
If it displays on your external monitor properly, it means your laptop screen is no good. You can replace the laptop screen, or just continue to use the external monitor.
If it does the same (blurry & different color, etc.) on your external monitor, then, your video card/module on your laptop is bad. This usually happens less often.

It may not send a signal to an external monitor automatically. Look closely at your function keys for anything that remotely resembles a monitor. Press Fn and the Function key that you think might be it. This will toggle between just the laptop // just the external monitor // both screens.

If you can't get a display on an external monitor either, then it sounds like a motherboard issue. If you can get video on another device, then troubleshoot the display itself or the cable connecting the display to the motherboard.

Hope this helps!! If so, please leave a rating.

On most notebooks, switching between the internal display and the external display is done by pressing Fn+F4.