[texastoy4her]

Hey Everyone,

I have a laptop that the screen will not come on. I took it to a repair shop and they replaced the screen but it still has the same problem. So basicly now they say they can't fix it.

So what I was thinking is selling it for parts or whatever. I would like to erase the HD before I do this though so that none of my personal info can be gained. How could I accomplish this?

Thanks
tex

[Elvandil]

Finally! Someone who wants to use one of these for the right reason!

Darik's Boot and Nuke
PCInspector e-maxx
Eraser
Terabyte CopyWipe (copy or wipe a drive)
Active@ Killdisk (Free version makes only one pass)
No File Recovery
HDD Low Level Format Tool

[texastoy4her]

Thanks for the reply!

My question now is, with any of these programs, wouldn't I need to install and run them on the laptop? If so, how could I do this without being able to see what I'm doing since the screen won't come on?

[Byteman]

Just wondering if you or the shop tried connecting a separate monitor to the video port on back of the laptop? Though your screen and the replacement screen may not display video it may be available to a connected monitor- any kind will do. Most laptops also have a Fn key you press and also press the display type key, that cycles video between the laptop LCD, an external Monitor, or both together (most models).


I will let my friend Elvandil reply to you about not being able to see a program run on the laptop, I am pretty sure he will be able to give you at least one way to get the job done.

[Elvandil]

Originally Posted by texastoy4her

Thanks for the reply!

My question now is, with any of these programs, wouldn't I need to install and run them on the laptop? If so, how could I do this without being able to see what I'm doing since the screen won't come on?

No. You can read about them, but most allow you to make a bootable CD or floppy. A program could not erase the drive if it were in use.

[texastoy4her]

Byteman,

I don't know if the shop tried that or not. When I first took it in to them they said it was the screen and replaced that. I picked it up and brought it home and tried it out only to have it still do the same thing. After taking it back in and having them look at it again they said they weren't sure what the problem was but said something about the wires going to the MOBO.

Also I myself had not tried that. ( Wasn't even aware that it could be done really lol)

Elvandil,

Thanks for the info and help. I will check into them and see what I can get. I have already purchased a new laptop and just don't want to throw throw this 1 in the garbage and don't want to sell it and take the chance on someone recovering my info.

[DoubleHelix]

If there's no ability to display anything on the laptop using either its LCD display or an external monitor, you'll have to take the drive out, connect it to another computer, and then run one of the above listed applications.

[Elvandil]

That's understandable. that is why these programs exist. But if no one is going to use that hard drive ever again, an electric drill through the side will be more effective in preventing anyone from using it.

[texastoy4her]

LMAO Elvandil I had thought about that but with me selling it for parts that will be 1 of the upper selling points I believe.

So either way I go I will need to get some kind of visual even before running 1 of those programs? And if I'm not......?

[Elvandil]

There's always the adapters that connect them to a desktop. You may be glad to have one around, anyway. If both are IDE interfaces, they cost around $5.

But I'm wondering if any of those programs would be usable without seeing anything. Possibly at least one could be made to execute by itself. But then the laptop may or may not boot from CD without a BIOS change that you can't see, either.

But you really ought to try another monitor. Usually, they work when the internal one won't. There is usually an Fn key on a laptop keyboard that let's you toggle internal/external/both for the monitors.

[texastoy4her]

Hi, Sorry it's taken so long for me to get back. I used a VGA cabled and was able to connect the laptop to an external monitor and it works fine. As said before I had not even thought of that lol.

Thanks for all the replies and help.

tex

[Byteman]

HI- That's good, now you at least can use the computer even if you can't be too mobile.

I would like to ask and I'm sure others want to know, how come the shop that replaced the screen cannot deal with what is still wrong?
It sounds like the replacement was not done correctly- I know how delicate a job this is, and I have dealt with the very small tape-like connector that carries the video signal- When you take the cover or keyboard off a notebook, you can easily pull this connector off and in worst cases, tear something. It's hard to describe, the "tape" is kind of glued on some machines, on some there is a push on pin connector.

What did they want to do, charge you a lot more?

I don't quite understand--they replaced the screen, and handed it back to you, without telling you they did not fix it, what was still wrong, and so on? Or did it work at the shop and break again when you used it at home?

[Elvandil]

...or was this "Uncle" somebody, or a friend, and you don't want to confront him/her about it?

[texastoy4her]

Yea at least now I can run 1 of those programs to erase the HD lol.

No it wasn't an uncle or friend. It was an actual shop lol.

Honestly I am not sure why they can't fix it. I am kind of pissed right now at them.

I took it in because the I couldn't get the screen to come on. They said the screen was bad and charged me 300 to replace the screen. Two weeks later I called they said it was ready so I went and picked it up. Brought it home turned it on and the same thing. Screen would not come on.

Took it back up to them waited 3 days called them and they said they would do a refund and something about the wires going to the MOBO and basicly couldn't fix it.

So went and picked it back up, got my refund, brought it home and went to look at it only to see that there is no screen at all in it now.

Called them back this morning and they say the screen was bad. I said if it was bad then why didn't replacing it fix the problem. So now they are willing to put another screen in it, but said that it won't work. They are basicly saying they will put a bad screen in if I want just to cover the space where the screen goes.

[Elvandil]

Sounds like they broke something and can't fix it now. Too bad they can't just be straight with you and tell you exactly what happened.