Laptop screen going black & computer freezing

[desidude]

Hi friends,

I am using a Lenovo Think Pad T43 laptop for the past 6 years. It is quite worn. I am running Windows 7.

I was previously having problems with my screen where the screen would go dim (not less bright but translucent black) and I would need to put the machine to sleep and awaken it to get the screen back to regular brightness.

Now, the screen goes black every so often (a couple of times a day) and I believe the computer is frozen, e.g. if I press the caps lock key when this happens, I do not see the indicator light go on/off.

When I try to reboot it usually takes multiple attempts, as many times nothing happens - I do not think the HD comes on.

Any thoughts on what may be going on?

Thanks,

desidude

[Wakers]

Sounds like a hardware failure to me, most likely the graphics chip (I'm guessing it's integrated?).

The fact that it won't always reboot successfully suggests to me that it might be overheating.

[Hum]

Clean out the dust.

[neoraptor]

Clean out the dust.

yep get canned air, that's the best you can do...

[c.grz]

Probably heat related. I bet if you wait a few minutes before turning it back on; it'll start without a problem.