My toshiba satellite pro 4600 laptop display screen,,, ummm...accidentally broke.I have a extra home pc monitor,Does my laptop support an external monitor? If so,can i just plug it in and windows will recognize the monitor? Thanks inadvance for your help. Jon

Jeff, connect an external monitor for a diagnostic test.

Laptop OFF, monitor OFF, connect a VGA monitor to the VGA port on the back of the laptop,
(RGB/Monitor connector,

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

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

Turn the external monitor on. If a CRT type allow it to warm up.
Turn the laptop on.

By default the display should show on the external monitor. If not press, and hold down on the Fn key, and tap the F5 key. (One of the Hot Key's)

If the display still does not show, hold down on the Fn key, and tap the F5 key again.
There are three display options;

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

If graphics show on the external monitor, you have a problem in the Display Assembly, and/or the Video Cable.

If graphics do Not show on the external monitor, you have a problem with the graphics chipset on the motherboard.
(ATI Radeon 3100)

http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/Toshiba-Satellite-Pro-L450-L455/laptop-disassembly-1.htm

Video Cable
1) Could be the connections. The connection of the video cable TO the motherboard, and the other end of the video cable TO the back of the LCD screen. (In the Display Assembly)

2) Could be damage to the video cable. Check the sheath of the cable for obvious signs of damage. If so, the thin tiny wires inside may be damaged also.

Cable should be checked for continuity of each wire in the cable. (Ohm's with a multimeter)

Video Cable condition, and tightness of connections check out, it's on to the screen Inverter.

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

A Backlight is a CCFL, or a series of LED lights.

The Toshiba Satellite L455D-S5976 Notebook PC, uses 1 single CCFL for a Backlight.
Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp.

Similar to Fluorescent lighting used in homes, and businesses, but on a MUCH smaller scale.

A screen Inverter is used to convert the power (Electricity) from the laptop, for the LCD screen, and Backlight.

90 PERCENT OF THE TIME the fault is the Inverter.

The screen Inverter is a small rectangular circuit board, and is located behind the Display Bezel, an at the bottom of the LCD screen,

Example of screen Inverter,

http://www.battery-stores.co.uk/laptop-inverter.php/toshiba_Satellite+L455D-S5976_205_5226.htm

Link to a free Service Manual for the Toshiba Satellite L455D series of Notebook PC's,

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

Under the main Toshiba heading go down to the subheading -
Satellite A10. (A10 is in blue)
In this 'paragraph' go down to the third line, and scroll across to -
L450D, in blue.
Click on L450D.

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 { L450D } it may take up to 30 seconds before the first page comes up.

Would appreciate it if you would post back in a Comment with your findings.
Regards,
joecoolvette

Check to see if the problem is the screen Inverter, or the graphics chipset, or the LCD screen.
Use an external monitor as a test.

If the screen of the external monitor shows a scrambled display you have a problem with the graphics chipset.

If the screen of the external monitor does Not show a scrambled display, you have a problem with the screen Inverter, or the LCD screen.

90 PERCENT of the time the fault is the screen Inverter.


External Monitor;
1) You can use a CRT monitor, (Looks like a small TV), as a VGA monitor,
Or
2) You can use a flat LCD screen monitor that has a VGA cable.

A) Laptop OFF, and monitor OFF, attach the VGA cable from the External monitor, to the VGA port on the Toshiba Satellite A205 series Notebook PC.

This is an example of a VGA cable, and it's connector, and a VGA connector on the laptop,

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

B) Turn the monitor on. If it is a CRT style let it 'warm up'.
Turn the laptop on.

C) The display is supposed to automatically show up on the external monitor.
If it does not, press, and hold down on the Fn key, and also press the F5 key.

Still no?
Holding the Fn key down, tap the F5 key again.

Display good on external monitor? Problem lies with the screen Inverter, or the LCD screen.
Either OR.

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

A Backlight is a CCFL.
Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp.
Similar to Fluorescent lighting used in homes, and businesses, but on a MUCH smaller scale.

An Inverter (screen Inverter) is used to convert the electricity provided by the laptop, for the LCD screen, and Backlight.

As previously stated, 90 PERCENT of the time the fault is the Inverter.

Laptop open looking at the display assembly, the plastic thin frame in front of the LCD screen, and surrounds the LCD screen, is the Display Bezel. (Resembles a picture frame)

The Display Bezel is removed to access the screen Inverter.
The Inverter is right behind the Display Bezel, and located at the bottom area of the LCD screen.

The Display Assembly has to be removed from the laptop, to remove the Display Bezel.
Toshiba's term for the Display Bezel is Display Mask.

The Toshiba Satellite A205-S5804 Notebook PC is one of the Satellite A205 series of Notebook PC's.
This is a link to a free Service Manual for a the Satellite A205 series of Notebook PC's,

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

Scroll down to the second Satellite heading. The one that begins with Satellite A10.
Scroll across, and click on A200.

After you click on A200 it may take as long as 30 seconds before the first page comes up.
It may also take additional time for the file to fully download.

At the top of the PDF file is the page number box. It is to the right of the Down Arrow.
Go to Page 146.
4.10 Display Assembly

Page 151 shows how to remove the Display Mask.
4.11 Display Mask

Page 153 deals with the screen Inverter.
4.12 FL Inverter Board

Takes a really sensitive (Read fairly expensive) multimeter to test an Inverter.
Due to the low price, and ease of replacing, the screen Inverter is replaced to test whether the old one is bad.

Example of a screen Inverter (FL Inverter Board) for a Satellite A205-S5804 Notebook PC,

http://www.batterysupport.com/toshiba-satellite-a205-s5804-inverter-p-216526.html

Compare to the price of a replacement LCD screen,

http://www.laptopscreen.com/English/model/Toshiba/SATELLITE~A205-S5804/

To summarize so far;
1) Display shows good on external monitor. Replace screen Inverter. Still the same problem? Replace the LCD screen.

2) Display on external monitor is scrambled also?
Fault lies with the graphics chipset.

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

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

The graphics chipset is a GPU.
Graphics Processing Unit,

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

The GPU for a Toshiba Satellite A205-S5804 Notebook PC (Part Number PSAF3U-0NR00V), is an Intel (Mobile) GL960 Express,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets#Core_2_mobile_chipsets

It is soldered directly to the motherboard, therefore it is Integrated Graphics.

{Integrated Graphics is also known as OnBoard graphics.
ON the motherBOARD.
The GPU is soldered to the motherboard.

In comparison if the GPU were soldered to a removable adapter card, it would be a graphics card, and Not integrated graphics }

This means if the graphics chipset is found to be bad, motherboard replacement is the solution.

{ Disassembly guide,

http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/toshiba-satellite-a205/laptop-disassembly-1.htm }

For additional questions please post in a Comment.

Regards,
joecoolvette

Didn't quite get your question. Please elaborate.

yes youre right, the power supply or the motherboard is not working. You can try to press and hold the power button for 8 secs to turn it on. If it is still did not work, call toshiba for possible power supply or motherboard laptop repair...

Memory Upgrade for Toshiba Satellite Pro 4600 800 Laptop, the Toshiba Satellite Pro 4600 800 Laptop takes the PC100 SDRAM SODIMMs. 256MB module must be 1" in height or less Memory Type, and comes installed with 128 MB (removable) of Memory. You can upgrade your Toshiba Satellite Pro 4600 800 Laptop to up to a maximum of 512 MB Memory, the system has 2 sockets to install Memory, already with 128 MB (removable) standard Memory installed. For best Laptop performance use the maximum amount of allowed Memory per slot for your Laptop.

You can obtain your models service manual with instructions for how to replace and upgrade memory from this link. http://www.givemefile.net/smanuals/notebooks/toshiba/file/31033.html

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Buy a new screen and replace it, here is a service guide to help you in your endeavor. You can buy screens fairly inexpensively on Ebay stores that sell laptop parts.

http://tim.id.au/laptops/toshiba/satellite%20pro%20m10.pdf

You can download any/all the Windows XP or Vista device drivers for your model laptop from the Toshiba WEB site from their download page. Make sure you enter the model of your laptop so you can get the correct drivers. Use this link :-. http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/home.jsp#

have you tried either switching between external and internal monitor usally Fn + F5 on toshiba or try plugging a monitor into the back and see if it displays.
if you get a display on the external monitor then its probably a screen or inverter fault if you donot get a display to an external screen then it is likley t be the graphics on the board itself.
hope this helps

1. Go into Start->Control Panel
2. Open up Display Properties
3. Navigate to the last tab
4. Enable your second monitor from this tab.

You can also change your external monitor settings if you have the nVidia graphics chip by right-clicking on your desktop and selecting the nVidia Displays Manager.

THE WIRING OF UR SCREEN IS DAMAGED GET IT REPAIRED BY A PRO