Laptop Screen

[deltapapa]

Hi all

my laptop screen has started to flicker unless it's one certain place - I'm a bit bothered by this so haven't shut the lid for a while but cover it up at night with a lint free cloth.

I assume it's the connection somehow in the hinged area? - is there an easy fix or is it a professional job. I've never taken my laptop with me anywhere much but don't want it to get worse.

[Mr Optimistic]

5 or more years old ? (laptop not you :}) ?

[deltapapa]

Haha - 3 years in June

[Mr Optimistic]

seems awfully early for the cable to go then (which was my thought) especially if it has had an easy life. Tried googling the model to see if there is a history ?

[deltapapa]

No I haven't but thanks for the pointer

[green granite]

Realistically it's either the cable or the plug on either end of it, or the motherboard or screen socket, you may be able to determine which by some careful holding one bit still with one hand and wriggling with the other.

[jimtherev]

Certain lappys have a better record than others.

In answer to your first question, it's usually reasonably easy to get to the ribbon connector; a case of keeping your head, recording what screw goes where and maybe taking a few digital photos to remind yourself!

You *should* be able to download a repair manual, which will give you the order in which to dismantle.

Now then, it might be good news. In one case, where I had the symptoms you describe, the ribbon cable wasn't damaged at all; it had just begun to pull out of the connector. Gently push in, and reassemble. If the ribbon is 'going', then they're out there between a tenner and £20.

Good luck

[Tinstaafl]

It could also be the inverter board or graphics card. I've had a few that started like that. First an intermittent problem, often 'fixed' for a little while with a reboot or gentle flexing of the screen. Eventually the problem in the various laptops became permanent.

In a couple it was the inverter board. If you shine a bright light onto the screen with the laptop running can you see a faint image? If so then the inverter has died. Usually a cheap & easy fix.

Another couple had issues with bad soldering on the graphics card or the graphic's connectors into the motherboard. It was a common issue for the model series. Fixing it required resoldering the affected joints or replacing the parts. Not so cheap or easy.

My current laptop was one of these, as was my wife's (we had matching laptops). Both were around 5 years old. I'd previously bought a similar model for parts to replace a keyboard on my wife's one, and the screen on mine after I stepped on the laptop one dark morning while pre-flighting. Eventually the graphics problem hit both of ours + some other bits failing between them. I mixed & matched parts from all three machines to make one working laptop. Still going and Frankenputer is 9 years old now. Or would be if we counted from the purchase of the two matched originals.

[Mike-Bracknell]

If it's 3 years in June, check the warranty you bought the laptop with as some companies are following business best-practice and offering 3yr warranty as standard on lappies.

[Parapunter]

I put a new one in a Toshiba lappy a while back, the top & bottom of it is it's a fiddly but straightforward job to get into the screen - just be careful, take your time & do not lose any of the screws. Usually it's bezel, screws, maybe a steel frame & the screen itself.

[deltapapa]

Thanks All for your views and help - I will look for a manual and try the other tips too.