Black screen = bad gpu card ?

[75cent bleacher seat]

Monitor on my laptop lost it's display, however if I hold a flashlight to the screen the image is visible, barely.  The screen began to flicker a couple of days ago. Adding a monitor via VGA cable now allows access. I'm guessing the graphics card is shot. tried all the brightness adjustments to no avail.  thoughts/suggestions? 
 
edit to add: Google search suggests it may be an inverter.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

If it works on an external monitor but not the laptop display, it's probably the display itself.  If the graphics card was bad, an external display wouldn't work, either.

 

[JerBear]

If you can see a dim display it is most likely something with the back-light on the laptop display. Inverter seems reasonable.  If you get output to an external monitor the graphics card (which is likely integrated into the chipset and not discrete) should be fine.

 

[zenter]

This was a consistent issue with the first couple generations of iBooks (when that was a laptop). IIRC, the power cable for the backlight was soldered badly and came loose, thus rendering the display nearly useless.
 
As others have said, the GPU controls all display outputs, so it's good. Which means your repair is MUCH cheaper.
 
If you don't want to deal with warranty repair type things (or it's out of warranty), find someone who can open up the machine and reattach the loose cable.

 

[75cent bleacher seat]

If you don't want to deal with warranty repair type things (or it's out of warranty), find someone who can open up the machine and reattach the loose cable.

 
Why leads you to believe a cable is loose?
 
thanks for the replies.

 

[JerBear]

 
Why leads you to believe a cable is loose?
 
thanks for the replies.

The wiring for the backlight has to pass through the hinge on the laptop and is typically a wear point that will occasionally create the problem.  Sometimes the cable comes loose, sometimes the wires break.  Its also possible that the backlight it toast and needs to be replaced.
 
What kind of laptop is it?

 

[75cent bleacher seat]

Compaq cq70-120us

 

[75cent bleacher seat]

I unplugged the laptop a couple of months ago and set it aside...Yesterday I checked to see if it still worked w/external monitor....nope.  Any thoughts as to why?
 
add: monitor says no signal...