bottom 1/3 of screen not showing! HELP!

so i installed windows 7 about a month ago but just yesterday started getting this issue where the bottom 1/3 of my screen is White and the other 2/3 works perfectly fine. I tried to take a screen shot to show what I meant but screen shots end up looking as if everything is normal.

I have a Lenovo Thinkpad T60p with ATI graphics card.

How can I tell if its my physical laptop screen that is having the issue versus my graphics card somehow screwing up? Does taking a screen shot and everything looks normal mean its my laptop screen??


This is giving me fits because I can't see my start menu so I have to guess where the search bar is to open programs. Plus I'd obviously prefer my whole screen works.

Seem like either your LCD or Cable (ribon) is defective, the fact that a screen shot work prove that the problem is with the display...

You did a perfect test to confirm this



Sorry!

i feel stupid for saying i cant see my start menu...through some guesswork i was able to open the properties and move start menu to the top so i can use my comp as it is right now although its still terribly inconvenient.

i tried doing a system restore and that didn't fix it.

also tried reinstalling driver software to no avail.


at times whatever is on the working part of my screen will "trickle" down the non-working part which makes me believe it might be my video card and not the LCD itself.

Does someone know of a test to check the video card??

If I hook up my laptop to a different monitor through VGA cables, would a faulty video card cause the image to be messed up as well?? I plan on testing this tomorrow as I don't have the cables myself.

also just wanted to say thanks for the responses so far...and in advance for any other help.


edited to add: i guess i should also ask, is it possible for the video card to be damaged? or is it just the drivers that affect display? sorry not very knowledgeable about graphics cards and how they work.

There is nothing wrong with the drivers or the graphic card itself.. Your LCD screen (the monitor) is defective.

You just prooved it by taking the screenshot and the screenshot shows everything normal :) - Take your laptop to where you bought it (take the receit/warranty with you) and have it looked at.
It may be a flaw/glitch in the LCD and in that case you should get a new one asap OR if you're unlucky and the warranty is out or not valid, you'll have to pay for a new LCD.