# Solved: Black Screen on Boot, Dell Studio 1555 Win7



## Plewes37 (May 27, 2009)

Hi guys, 

I hope this is the right place and I'm alright to post this. I couldn't find another thread relating to the exact same problem, as they have hijackthis logs etc. whereas I cannot get onto my laptop to do anything at all.

I am running a Dell Studio 1555 with Windows 7. When I turn it on I can hear it boot, but everytime the screen just stays black. I cannot start it in safemode or do anything. It is just black.

I would greatly appreciate some advice as to what I can do, the only possible thing I can think is that the other day I used CC Cleaner and it did some things to the registry. Otherwise I have not downloaded anything or done anything that should suddenly make it stop working.

Joe


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## SUEOHIO (Jan 30, 2007)

I would have to say if it did things to the registry you are probably going to have to do a complete reinstall of your operating system.because chances are things are so damaged or corrupted to the point that its not going to work right at all. cleaners are ok but not for the registries. you can see why we dont recommend registry cleaners at all.they can make a computer so messed up that it wont boot at all or will become an expensive paperweight.btw i also have a dell studio 1555 but mine is running windows xp pro.hope this helps.


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## Plewes37 (May 27, 2009)

Ok thanks, just wondering if when I put my operating system disc in (which I do not have at the moment, it is at my home while I'm at uni) anything will happen? Because at the moment it's just black...


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## SUEOHIO (Jan 30, 2007)

When you put the disk in just reboot it and have it boot from the dvd and go from there.hopefully it will reinstall your windows 7 and you should be good to go. i hope that you dont lose anything important because a reinstall will delete everything.hope this helps.


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## Plewes37 (May 27, 2009)

There is a disc in at the moment and I cannot get it out  When I press the eject button on the keyboard it doesn't come out and there's no way to do it like pulling it or anything is there? Help!?


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## bbearren (Jul 14, 2006)

Plewes37 said:


> There is a disc in at the moment and I cannot get it out  When I press the eject button on the keyboard it doesn't come out and there's no way to do it like pulling it or anything is there? Help!?


There should be a tiny hole on the CD drive tray or right beside the tray. Straighten out a paper clip part way and insert it gently into the tiny hole. When you feel it touch, put a little pressure on it and it should release the tray far enough that you can take hold of it and open it up gently.


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## Plewes37 (May 27, 2009)

There doesn't seem to be any such hole? I don't know if that's a Studio 1555 thing.


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## bbearren (Jul 14, 2006)

I've never seen an optical drive without one; it's a fail-safe ejection method provided in case of drive malfunction or power failure, etc.


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## Plewes37 (May 27, 2009)

Maybe previous poster could confirm as they mentioned they have a Studio 15, but I can't see anything at all. It's just a slide-drive thing, and there seems to be no hole either side or anything.


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## SUEOHIO (Jan 30, 2007)

Its a drive much like in a car stereo. you put the disk in and it slides. there should be an eject button by the top of the keyboard near the mute buttons etc. you might have to hit fn and the eject at the same time. or go to my computer then look for the dvd/cd drive which should be listed as D. then hit file then hit eject.if im not mistaken there is a driver for that so when you hit the eject button it should pop right out. sorta of like a hotkey on a lenovo/ibm computer which controls the volume. hope this helps.


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## Plewes37 (May 27, 2009)

I'm aware of both of those two methods, the first as I've said I tried and won't work and the second I clearly can't do as I have a black screen!

Any other ideas!?


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## bbearren (Jul 14, 2006)

If this is a laptop (which it sounds like) look on the bottom in the area of the CD drive for a small pinhole or other release mechanism.


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## SUEOHIO (Jan 30, 2007)

It is a laptop but it doesnt have a swing out or pop out drive drawer like in most laptops.i think you will have to take it somewhere to be fixed because something has clearly stopped working internally. on most cd drives there is a pinhole or release mechanism but with this type there isnt unless im missing something. ive had 3 computers with this type a studio 1555, a latitude 5500 and a vostro 1510.in a car stereo that plays cds you put in the disk and it slides in.i hope this clarifies and explains this for you.these type of drives are nice to have but when something goes wrong its not as easy a fix as if it had a pinhole where you could use a paperclip.


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## bbearren (Jul 14, 2006)

You can try rebooting while holding down the eject button. If that doesn't work, try rebooting while holding down the left mouse button.


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## Plewes37 (May 27, 2009)

Can't get the disc out by any of these methods. There definitely is no emergency release by the way.

My friend says putting the W7 disc in certainly work anyway, as I don't get any of the BIOS stuff. Just black straight away. So it's hardware rather than software, although there are tiny signs of life as it seems to boot just without the screen, and the lights come on...


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## SUEOHIO (Jan 30, 2007)

All i can say is if the disk is stuck and cant be removed at all and trying to force it out will just make things worse you will have to take it somewhere and have the drive mechanism repaired. and then they can also advise you on the black screen problem and go from there.


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## Plewes37 (May 27, 2009)

Fixed it. Took it to computer man (much cheaper and better than sending it off!)

Didn't take long. Opened up laptop which is out of warranty anyway, took out back up battery (I think that's it, is it BIOS? not sure, but whatever holds your system info.) Put it in again with some screw driver work, and it restarted the graphics processor thing and got it going. Easy, no new parts.


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## bbearren (Jul 14, 2006)

Plewes37 said:


> Fixed it. Took it to computer man (much cheaper and better than sending it off!)
> 
> Didn't take long. Opened up laptop which is out of warranty anyway, took out back up battery (I think that's it, is it BIOS? not sure, but whatever holds your system info.) Put it in again with some screw driver work, and it restarted the graphics processor thing and got it going. Easy, no new parts.


Yes, there is a small backup battery, usually in a small sub-compartment in the main battery compartment that is meant to keep the laptop in hibernation long enough to change out an exhausted primary battery for a charged primary battery; they're only expected to keep things alive for about 45 seconds. I've never really used the one in my Dell Latitude D800; I have the spare battery that fits in the D-Dock.

I'll admit that I had not considered the backup battery to be a culprit. But thanks for posting the solution so the rest of us will keep in mind that sometimes it the simple things...


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## parttimetechie (Jun 19, 2009)

I was going to suggest the total power down thirty second idea, but sounds like its working now


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