Troubleshooting and Maintenance
Troubleshooting Your Computer
Reference Guide 99
Display Problems
If the computer is on, but the screen is blank
• Move the mouse or tap the touch pad. This will wake the display if it is in Display-off
mode.
• Press Fn+F5 in case the internal display was disabled. (Do this three times to return to
the state you started from.)
• If the computer is cold, allow it to warm up.
If the screen is difficult to read
• Try setting the display resolution to its default setting of 1024×768 or higher,
depending on your model: click Start, Control Panel, Appearance and Themes,
Display.
• Try adjusting the size of the desktop icons and labels—see “To adjust the display” on
page 34.
If an external display does not work
• Check the connections.
• Press Fn+F5 in case the external monitor was disabled. (Do this three times to return
to the state you started from.)
• The external monitor may not be detected. In the BIOS Setup utility, try setting Video
Display Device to Both in the System Devices menu.
• If you’re using a TV connected to the S-video port, you must activate the TV—see
“To use a TV set as a monitor” on page 83.
• Test the display with the e-Diagtools diagnostics. See “Testing the Hardware” on
page 115.
If HP Presentation Ready does not switch to your video settings
• If you’re using an external monitor that isn’t a plug-and-play device, open Control
Panel Display and set up a monitor that supports the video settings you intend to use
for your presentation.
If one or more display pixels look bad
TFT display manufacturing is a highly precise but imperfect technology, and
manufacturers cannot produce displays that are cosmetically perfect. Most, if not all, TFT
