Broken screen hinge/collar

If the screen is cracked, the capacitive traces are broken. In that case, you will have to replace the touch-screen part of the display.

Sometimes touch screens will fail to detect fingers with very dry or dirty skin. Try washing your hands and rubbing them with skin moisturizer lotion. Also, if the screen is heavily contaminated, the signal may be dispersed by whatever is on the screen. Put some isopropyl alcohol on a lens cleaning paper or facial tissue, and gently wipe the screen clean.

The next step is to determine whether it is a hardware or software problem. If your tablet can have its software uploaded through an external (e g., USB port) connection, get the latest operating system and install it. If that works, it was software. If not, then you have a hardware issue. It could be as simple as a bad connection at the touch screen connector (fix: unlatch the connector, remove the ribbon cable and gently clean the contacts on the cable end with a clean soft white pencil eraser). It could also be a failed screen scan circuit on the logic board (worst case), so you would have to replace the logic board. If it comes to that, try to do a remote sync/backup to another device first because otherwise you will lose any personal information or applications stored in the logic board flash memory.

Note 1: the electronics inside the table are vulnerable to damage from static electricity. If you open it up, be careful not to touch the circuitry with your fingers unless you can identify a circuit ground connection you can use to first discharge any static electricity.

Note 2: I have not seen this tablet model before, so any references to internal construction (screen connector) are generic and based on what in my experience is the most likely design. There are several designs for flat cable connector latches. Before you try to unlock the cable, Examine the connector (using a magnifying lens if necessary) to determine how it goes together. One design uses a flip-up tab that runs across the cable; it's hinged on each end of the connector. A similar design has the tab on the other side of the connector from where the cable goes in. In both cases, the hinge pins are toward the center of each end of the connector. Be careful; these tabs can be quite delicate. My favorite tool for unlatching hinged tabs is an expired credit card with one end filed to a 30 degree knife-edge. Cut the card end to the same width as the connector tab if necessary, then use it to wedge the tab up. A third design has a sliding collar that either goes all the way around the cable, or between the cable and the circuit board, Slide the locking collar away from the main connector body along the cable. Be very careful to pull it evenly, and do not move it more than a couple of millimeters. The barbed locking pins on the collar are easily broken, and it is difficult at best to get a broken collar to properly latch again.

I suspect it may be a problem with the video cable coming from the convertible tablet, up through the hinged support for the LCD screen, AND/OR the screen Inverter.

I would like you to connect a VGA monitor, to the VGA port on the back of the convertible tablet. The VGA monitor will now be an External Monitor.

[ Looking at the rear of the convertible tablet, start at the Left side.
Vent, USB port, Monitor port. The Monitor port is the VGA port ]

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

Notebook OFF, monitor OFF, connect the VGA monitor to the M275's VGA connector. (Port)
Turn the monitor on. If a CRT type, allow it to warm up.

Turn the notebook on.
By the factory default settings, whatever is shown on the convertible tablet's internal monitor, should now be shown on the external monitor.
(VGA monitor)

If not, press, and hold down on the Fn key (On the bottom row of the Keyboard, all the way to the Left), and tap once on the F3 key.
(Top row of Function keys. The F3 key is the Display Toggle-Over Key )

No graphics shown on the external monitor? Hold down on the Fn key again, and tap the F3 key again.
There are at least three options available;

1) Convertible tablet's internal monitor - ONLY
2) Convertible tablet, AND external monitor
3) External monitor - ONLY

If graphics are fine on the external monitor, you have a problem with the video cable, and/or the screen Inverter. At this time we will bypass the LCD screen, and come back to it.

At the bottom/middle of the tablet's LCD screen, is the Hinge. The Hinge Cover is 'T shaped', and has one single Philips screw holding it on.
If you remove the screw, and the Hinge Cover, you will see two wire harnesses.
One Black, the other White.

See that these two cables are plugged in tightly to the connector.

After checking this step come back in a Comment, and state your findings.

Regards,
joecoolvette

[ Additionally;
Here is the Service Manual (Free) for the Gateway M275 Convertible Tablet,

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

Where it states - Gateway 400, go down to the second line, and across to M275. Left-click on M275.
This is a PDF file. It may take up to 30 seconds before the first page comes up.

Assuming the screen is physically cracked, you need to obtain a new screen, remove the screen bezel by popping off the rubber caps and undoing the screws under them. The screen is fixed into position by two rails with small screws holding it into place. Remove these and the screen will be freed.
Disconnect the VGA cable and the smaller two wire plug that connects the inverter to the screen, replace the new screen and re assemble

Yes, the hinge needs replacing.
You may be able to get the part from one of these WEB sites -
LAPTOP PARTS
http://www.nylaptopparts.com/ www.laptoprepairco.com/ www.laptopparts.com.au/ www.laptopking.com/ www.lappy.com.au/ www.excelcomputerinc.com/ www.laptoprepairparts.com/ www.lapzone.com/servlet/StoreFront www.laptoppartsexpert.com/ www.sparepartswarehouse.com/

If you look at the buttons on the lower left of the display, the 3rd from the left is screen brightness, press it a couple of times and see if screen changes.

you can replace the glass by taking it too the nearest glass store as long as the screen still works

Standard spec doesn't show bluetoooth but if you have a bluetooth dongle yes it is possible but the Windows standard bluetooth driver doesn't do it. There is a better bluetooth driver available on the Toshiba website which works with many hardware devices.

I have this same laptop. It is pretty simple to tear apart. Is there any specific areas you wish to access or did you want to just take it completely apart? If you are going ofr the keyboard ribbon or the touchpad ribbon, just undo the two screws out that are located behind the pivot point of the screen, then open the laptop and remove the small plate. This reveals access to two more screws (2 silver, 2 black). Remove the silver ones not the black ones. The black screws remove the lower shell assembly. Once the silver screws are removed the accessory bezel can be removed. ( the one with the power button and lights)

There are yet two more screws that lock down the keyboard. Remove them and pivot the keyboard toward the touchpad. You can now safely remove the keyboard.

There are 4 screws on bottom too.

If you have a Windows XP or Windows Vista CD (or if you can borrow one), insert it into the CD Drive and restart the system. Boot from the CD, and choose the "R" for Repair console.

Log onto the Windows installation you want to repair.

At the prompt, type FIXMBR and answer yes.

Type exit.