LAPTOP-Fix.co.uk - LCD Faults

HERE IS A SIMPLE TEST THAT YOU CAN DO YOURSELF - If you have access to a desktop computer you can carry out this very simple test.

Remember, for your safety before disconnecting or connecting any computer parts or cables, you should make sure that all equipment has been shutdown and switched off at the mains.

If you have access to a desktop computer, connect the monitor from the desktop computer to the 'RGB (Monitor) Port' that you should find located on the rear or side of your laptop. Once the external monitor cables have been connected to the laptop, switch on the mains power to both the laptop and the monitor and then power up the laptop. Most modern laptops will automatically detect that the laptop has been connected to an external monitor and should automatically start to send the display images to the external monitor, but on older laptops you may have to press a key combination, such as "Function + F5" together so that the laptop knows it is connected to an external display (Check the operating manual provided by the manufacturer of your laptop for more information). If the external monitor displays the images correctly this would indicate that the problem lay with either your laptops inverter or LCD display.

SO IS THE PROBLEM THE INVERTER OR THE LCD DISPLAY? - Some faults can be fairly easy to diagnose, others may not be quite so easy. If the screen is physically damaged and you see 'splodges' on the screen then this means that the LCD needs to be replaced. Also, if you have random lines or patterns on the screen this would indicate that the problem was with the LCD and would need to be replaced. You can see below 2 different examples of LCD problems where the LCD panels had to be replaced. Once the panels on these laptops had been changed the laptops were back in normal working order.

Physical Damage To LCD Display

Faulty LCD Panel Generating Random Lines

BUT WHAT IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT AS OBVIOUS AS THIS? - Well that is where the fault diagnosis can get interesting. The other common physical faults that occur with laptop display are where the screen appears to be working properly, but suddenly will go blank and will not come back on, but may work again briefly if you switch the computer off and back on. This could be either a faulty inverter or the 'backlight' tube which provides the illumination behind the LCD display. The other common fault would be where the screen on powering up is completely blank or you can see an extremely feint image on the screen if you look very closely at it. This fault would be either a faulty inverter or the 'backlight'.

SO HOW CAN YOU TELL IF THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE INVERTER OR THE LCD DISPLAY? - There is a fairly simple test that we can perform which would indicate whether the problem is a faulty inverter or LCD Display. Before any parts are ordered we will connect to the inverter inside your laptop a 'backlight' bulb (which is like a mini 'fluorescent tube'), if the backlight bulb illuminates that would indicate that your inverter is working properly and that the problem is with your LCD display. However, if the backlight bulb fails to illuminate, that would indicate the the problem lay with the inverter. This test should then indicate to us which part needs to be replaced. Of course there will be rare occasions where the problem may be that both the inverter and the LCD display are faulty (this could be as a result of a random power surge during a thunderstorm for example.).

MY SCREEN IS FAULTY, WHAT SHOULD I DO? - Firstly, if you are in a position to do so, please carry out the simple self test explained at the top of this page. Then contact us via the 'Request An Estimate' screen. Please ensure that you give as full a description of the problem as you possibly can and please state if you were able to carry out the self test described on this page, and if so, whether the external monitor displayed the images correctly or not. To assist you with describing the fault, please see the example descriptions below:

If the screen image looks like the LCD has leaked - Describe the fault as "Resembles DELL image on left"

If the screen image has random lines and patterns on it - Describe this fault as "Resembles Windows XP on right"

Also, these descriptions for potential faults may assist you:

"My screen works for a while but then goes blank after a period of time, this happens every time I start my computer."
"My screen was working fine, then suddenly it went blank and will not light up even after restarting."
"My screen looks blank, but I can make out extremely feint images if I look very closely at the screen."

We will make an initial fault diagnosis based on the information that you provide us in your 'estimate request' and we will reply back to you with an estimate for the repairs. If you are happy with the initial estimate we will ask you to bring your laptop to us (We will provide you with our address and directions at this point) and once your laptop is in our possession we will then confirm our diagnosis. You must provide us with a £20.00 CASH deposit at the same time you bring your laptop to us, this deposit will then be deducted from your final bill once the repair work has been completed. Please be aware that it is our standard policy not to order any parts until a deposit has been paid.

We regret that we are unable to offer LCD or inverter repairs on laptop computers that are fitted with 'Touch Sensitive' screens.