More specifically, the screen won’t talk to the rest of it, so we should still be able to get the data off it (THANK GOD), but to all other intents and purposes, it’s dead.
Which means I am writing this on the TV. Yes, really. Future posts may be somewhat sporadic until I get it fixed / replaced.
My grief will probably seem melodramatic unless you:
a) Write
b) Are a stay-at-home-Mum
and
c) Have the sort of mobile phone that does calls, texts and nothing else.
elmowrites 
I feel your pain! Thankful for technology that you have TV for emergency backup.
I know – if I didn’t, I there’s be an emergency trip to Best Buy on the cards, and never mind the expense!
Wow, I had no idea that writing on a TV was even possible! (Unless you mean you’re using a dry-erase marker…)
I’ve driven my laptops to the grave a couple times. Always a feeling of panic when the data might be lost. Glad your data is gonna make it!
Fingers crossed for the data, Juan; I’m glad I’m not alone in this level of panic! And yes, my TV is actually a desktop, slightly oddly.
My suggestion is to get the other half to get you an ipad. You can back it up to his PC, it is easier to move and use , but beware little fingers may want to use it.
Urgh! I hate to be all anti-Apple on you, but if I wanted something handily small but annoying practically in every other way, I’d get a smartphone! 😉
As for little fingers, they are as addicted to the laptop as to the iPad; I think we’re raising a technophile!
Hmmmm, had this issue with my last laptop, so I know whereof you speak (and mourn.) As you say, thank goodness for TV-as-monitor! I have an iPad and, now, an iPhone, but I prefer to work on my non-Apple laptop where I can have a real keyboard of a decent size. 🙂 Call me old-fashioned but there it is. As for Apple, I have a love-hate relationship with them that isn’t likely to ever be all love.
janet
I’m not actually anti-Apple, I just sound like I am – my husband has an iPad so I’ve used one and don’t have a problem with it; I just don’t see how it would benefit me either. I would like a smartphone (no preference of make), but the additional cost doesn’t make sense given my current lifestyle; I need (so to speak) a laptop with its combination of all-in-one-ness, full sized keyboard, portability etc … For personal uses, an iPad seems to be a mixture of both without really filling the role of either.
When my laptop went black it turned out to be the inverter board (a common issue with laptops, sounds like it may be your issue too). It’s a small thin circuit board, usually directly under the screen inside the casing. Ordered a new one for $15 on ebay. Took about 15 min to replace it once I had it in hand. (Had to open up laptop and get serial number off inverter board before ordering to make sure I got the right one.) An easy/cheap fix if you’re at all mechanically inclined, by which I mean you can handle screws and a removing/plugging wires back into the board and know how to work youtube for looking up how to take your laptop apart.
Oooh, I’ll check that out. Thanks Adam. I figured it probably wasn’t worth paying someone $$$ to work out what’s wrong and repair it, but this sounds like my kind of budget! How do I know if that’s what’s wrong?
I’m not sure how to tell for certain. I just figured I’d give it a shot and only be out $15 if it didn’t work. With mine I could tell the laptop was on, but the screen just stayed black.