Laptop screen unreadable

[Chris S]

I started-up my laptop and the screen was so dark it was almost unreadable. I can just about make out large white letters and icons but that's all.

Does anybody have any idea what's wrong with it and what approximately how much I should pay for the repair? One of my colleagues suggested that it might be the video card.

Also, does anybody know a good laptop repair shop in the south or central Birmingham area? Thanks.

 

[Crackle]

Could be one of several things, none of them good. Videocard, normally on motherboard, so new motherboard, or it could be the screen backlight, the latter would be better and probably cheaper to repair, depending on age and type of laptop.

Before that I'd check all the obvious stuff and run some diagnostics. If you plug another screen into your laptop through the vga/dvi/hdmi port on the side and it works, then it's probably not the video but the backlight.

 

[Andy_R]

Check if it is covered for accidental damage on your household insurance, then get a small child, large dog, clumsy adult to knock it off a work top...purely by accident of course.....

 

[PatrickPending]

sounds like your screen backlight isn't working

 

[TheDoctor]

Does sound backlighty to me.

 

[Oldlegs]

Assuming it is the backlight (sounds like it) there are two possible causes. The actual backlight has gone = need new screen (£60 - 70 offeBay) or it's the screen power supply (weirdly called an inverter - about £20. Neither is difficult to fit (check on UTube for vids). You could end up paying a repair shop a lot so get a firm quote before you go that route.

One tip - if you shine a bright light on the screen (a head torch is good) you can see enough to backup any essential data - just in case.

 

[Crackle]

Those backlights are pretty fragile. I wouldn't like to try and replace one, having broken two whilst being nosey on a couple of broken screens.

 

[adamhearn]

Could also be a faulty light sensor (if you have one).

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

you can check the video card easily enough by plugging in an external screen & power on the laptop (assuming you have one or a TV/projector that can be used). If OK then it is the inverter board/backlight and they are pretty easy to replace. Never broken one myself and swapped litterally hundreds out (common fault on Acer laptops at the school I was senior ICT Tech at). Hardest part is usually getting the screen surround off without breaking any of those plastic fiddly clips.

 

[yello]

Once you've ascertained whether it's a motherboard problem or no (by seeing if an external monitor works ok) then the next thing to check is the inverter. They can be sourced pretty cheaply so it's worth a punt, and it's a pretty easy DIY job. Beyond that, it starts to become a question of whether it's worth repairing.

My wife's old laptop screen backlight went but sadly wasn't the inverter. I now use it headless as a server and my wife bought a new laptop.

 

[Chris S]

It turned out to be the backlighter - the shop have had my laptop for over a week now and still haven't got the part. It's a standard IBM machine so I'd have thought they'd have kept them in stock.

Does anybody know who long these repairs normally take? It's the first time I've had one done.

 

[adamhearn]

Depends on parts availability; they're not likely to be repairing anything with a soldering iron so it'll probably be fitted with a new screen. You'll be surprised just how many different variations of part will be used in a single model let alone across all laptops

Hop over to http://www.laptopscreenonline.com/ [for example] and check the availability & price.