Laptop screen fills with vertical lines

[Skiddy07]

Hi,

Can anyone help?
I am really a novice at computers, i own a Dell Inspiron 8500.
Ive had no problems with it other than the fan seemed to be working quite hard before this problem - coming on quite often for quite a time?
One day on turing on the laptop it didnt start up.
And i havent been able to start it since.
On turning on it either starts a black screen or a white one. Only the white screen starts to 'grow' vertical coloured lines, sometimes just pencil thickness other times they are approx 5mm in diameter and flash on and off.
With either the black or white screen the computer doesnt seem to 'fireup/load' its just quite, no programmes loading.
Can anyone help?
Only once did i get the computer to start up properly and that was when i opened the thin blue compartment at the top of the keyboard that houses the main on/off button. As soon as it started up correctly i pushed the compartment back into place and the screen went again with coloured stripes.
Appreciate any help - do i need it repaired or is it a simple problem i can fix with some guidance?
Thank you
SKIDDY

 

[Gareth]

Sounds as if there is something wrong with the video card on it?

 

[Skiddy07]

Thank you .....
Do you know how i can check if its a video card?
SKIDDY

 

[Gareth]

try hooking it up to a monitor, and try using it then, if no weird lines/patterns come on-screen, then there is probably a loose connection between the laptop LCD and the Graphics engine.

 

[javierislegend]

Well if you cant get anything up on the screen, you can do it the old fashion way lol have you also tried to see if anything was lose? ex. the video card? if thats all good try it in a different comp.. same problem=video card.