What to do with a black screen?

No need to apologize, we learn by asking questions.
Toshiba laptops were very easy to work on, the battery and the upgradeable parts, HDD and RAM were easily accessible with just a a couple of screws on the bottom of the laptop without having to take it all apart.
New laptops make it more difficult. Replacing the battery or upgrading HDD to SSD, or adding more RAM requires patience and a little skill. There are Youtube videos with step by step video instruction showing you how to take them apart. If you are not particularly "Handy" or faint of heart, you may want to take it to a trained computer repair person. Usually it is removing all the screws on the bottom panel of the laptop, which gives you access. Replacement batteries can be purchased from Ebay, or the Manufacturers web site.
Newer computer batteries seem to have longer life, and rarely need to be replaced. A laptop can be run just off the power adapter if the battery has died. But a dead internal battery using just the power adapter may stop the computer from booting, until the battery is unplugged from the motherboard.

csun said:

I am using a 8 year old Toshiba which will soon need replacement.

It seems all new laptops have the internal battery.

- Can those be replaced by the user (with minimal tech skills) or must be taken to the repair shop ?

- Are the internal batteries as durable with longevity like the external batteries (generally speaking) ?

- Can the new laptops be operated with only the ac adapter and not use the battery ?


Thanks ! Please forgive my inexperience with new laptops. A lot has changed in 8 years.

It is rather a moot point as even with laptops with removable batteries, eventually you reach a point where replacements are hard to find anyway. My laptop can have its battery replaced but it is not a simple exercise. I do not think it is even possible with my HP travel laptop, as it is a sealed unit - no removable cover.


Most laptops will run off mains even if battery is dying. In the end, you can expect 3-5 years for a battery but beyond 5 years hard to say. Most will be ok but some will show signs of battery aging after a few years e.g. less time between charges.

I am pretty sure the fact is that it is planned obsolence by vendors for obvious reasons.

Most new laptops are very slim now (no dvd) and modern ssds are very flat To this end, easily removeable batteries are becoming a thing of the past.

They still do? 4 Best Toshiba Laptops - Dec. 2021 - BestReviews But not as easy to work on as their old models