Quick fix for Tech products
Gateway Laptop Screen Is Black
Imagine this scenario: You hold down your Gateway's power button to turn your laptop on. The
power button and other indicators illuminated, and the fan spun, so you waited for the system to
light up.
Nothing happened, so you tried again, but the same thing repeats— the laptop has a black screen.
Many users have experienced this issue; it is a problem that disrupts activities and is no doubt
very infuriating, but what causes it?
A black screen issue results from a malfunctioning graphics driver or faulty display light. It
could be software & hardware problems, bad connections between your Gateway system
and its screen, or more. In some cases, troubleshooting the problem and finding a quick fix
resolves the Gateway laptop screen issue, while other times, an advanced problem requires
laptop servicing.
Why Is My Gateway Laptop Screen Going Black?
Most times, your laptop screen turns black in sleep mode, which isn't a problem as clicking any
key will awaken it. But in severe cases, it might be due to hardware defects, faulty Windows
updates, viruses, and startup applications.
Below are some causes of a black screen issue:
● Windows update causes a black screen in laptops because the update might only be
halfway through. Due to this, your system starts as an update step but remains black even
after some indicators are illuminated.
● A faulty startup application could be the cause, particularly when a hardware failure or
even drivers are infected with virus programs.
● Outdated or corrupted device drivers cause slowed-down performance and black
screens. It could also happen during installation and update processes.
● Connection complications between your Gateway laptop and its monitor cause a black
screen.
● The video ports and wires may be damaged; such cases require professional repair.
● Software glitches and faulty hardware components and drivers cause black screens in
laptops.
● Graphics cards are responsible for image display on a laptop; any fault or failure in these
cards automatically renders a laptop screen black.
● Loose or disconnected wires running through your Gateway laptop can cause black
screens or irregularities as they control the monitor's adaptation.
How Do I Fix a Black Screen on My Gateway
Laptop?
There are several steps to resolve a laptop's black screen, which are listed below, but before
doing any of that, ensure to initiate a data recovery software to prevent loss of crucial
information.
Restart the explorer.exe process
The explorer.exe is a startup application on your system that could cause a black screen if
infected with a virus. Steps to resolve this problem are:
Click on the Ctrl, Shift, and Esc function keys simultaneously to allow you access to the task
manager.
Move to the details menu and search for the explorer.exe; if you find it, end the process and
restart your system. Confirm it solved the screen issue.
If that didn't work, run an explorer process from the files tab and click the task option to run a
new one. After that, create a new task dialog, input the startup application (explorer.exe), and
Enter. It will run, then you can check if it restored your screen. You'd have to reset the Gateway
laptop if it didn't.
Enter safe mode and undo recent changes
You may have installed or modified programs incompatible with your laptop's OS. Try removing
them by entering safe mode and troubleshooting the problem. If you're unsure of what changes to
clear or don't know what updates you previously made that caused this problem, reset your
Gateway to factory settings or a system restore, depending on the severity of the problem.
Check your connections and wiring
The wiring of your laptop connected to the display monitor might be the primary cause. Remove
all cables and blow out any dust before reconnecting them; try a different cable as the previous
ones may be faulty. Go ahead and connect to another display monitor to determine where the
fault is from.
Disconnect every unnecessary component attached to your laptop, update your RAM, and
change the graphics driver.
Gateway Laptop Black Screen With Cursor?
You may experience a black screen on your laptop with the cursor still present but unresponsive
due to hardware and internal components faults, but here are steps to fix it.
Update the drivers using the windows function key and P to change display monitors. Click on
the up or down arrow a couple of times and clock the Enter key; it might work the first time, or
you'll have to repeat it till it does.
Remove your graphic card. Click the Ctrl, DEL, and Alt keys simultaneously to open the task
manager menu or go to safe mode to access it. Continuously press the f4 and f8 keys while your
laptop is powering on. Select the troubleshooting option> advanced settings> startup menu.
The laptop will reboot; choose 'safe mode' from the list of options and delete the graphics card.
Deactivate the graphics on your system and the dual-display monitors. Connect an extra monitor,
particularly if you have HDMI and DVI cable connectors. Update your BIOS and delete faulty
applications.
Gateway Screen Black With Flashing White
Dash?
A flashing white dash on your system is a blinking cursor, and such issues result from errors in
windows startup, corrupt or obsolete mouse and keyboard & video drivers, and virus attacks on
software.
Fortunately, you can fix this issue by:
Restarting the Windows explorer and revamping your mouse and keyboard drivers is necessary
as damages to them can make a laptop screen turn black. Also, check for issues in your video
ports and drives and repair them as they cause flashing lights from cursors. Or it could be
incompatible video drivers and updates.
Finally, check for problems in your antivirus programs by scanning them first before resolving
them. If there are none, but the problem persists, perform a factory reset on your Gateway laptop.
My Gateway Laptop Screen Is Black, but the
Power Light Is On?
Your laptop screen is black even with the power light on due to malfunctioning elements, and a
low battery or the system is inappropriately connected to external power sources.
But not to worry, you can fix this by:
Unplugging the system and taking the battery and memory module out, try booting it again, and
if it doesn't work, you may need to change the motherboard.
Disconnect all external components like USB routers etc
Use an HDMI cable to connect your laptop to another display monitor; if it works, you have a
faulty laptop screen. You might need to change the motherboard if the fault is from the GPU or
check the wiring connection of the display monitor.
Check the status of your AC adapter in the bios settings to know the issue. If it says unknown,
you've got yourself a dead or malfunctioning laptop battery.
Take out your battery and attach it again; if it doesn't work even while using the system solely on
a laptop battery, it is fully damaged, and a replacement is needed.
Conclusion
Gateway laptop black screens are typical issues every user experiences, although it is frustrating.
However, you need not worry as there are instructions to help you fix them at no cost or simple
troubleshooting you can perform to figure out the problem. Regardless of your method, ensure to
launch the data recovery software program to avoid data loss.
Reference Links
● https://www.easeus.com/data-recovery/laptop-turns-on-but-no-display-screen-black.html
● https://www.avg.com/en/signal/fix-windows-black-screen
● https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/how-to-fix-laptop-black
-screen-issue/amp/
● https://windowsreport.com/windows-10-black-screen-cursor/
● https://appuals.com/how-to-fix-cursor-blinking-in-windows-10/