Laptop Screen Guru Reqd

[AndrewJ]

Gday All

Just been looking at getting my old laptop repaired ( HP Compaq nx6120 ).
( Its old, but has a real LPT and COM port and runs XP, as i need that for some old legacy apps and hardware, so if not too costly, i would like to fix it. )
Over time, i got vertical pixel errors, some of which morphed into into solid bars. One white and one black. The white one is always white and never shows info. The black one sometimes shows data at boot and after the screen is woken from powersave/sleep mode, but then dies again.
I have used an external monitor, and it shows a perfect display.
Most sites say this indicates it is only the LCD screen thats dead and not the GPU. ( But others say different )
Soooooooo, has anyone seen this sort of problem and is it likely to be only the LCD????

Andrew

[noeyedeer (Matt)]

I reckon you've answered your own question.

if you've plugged an external monitor into it and it's showed nothing wrong then you can bet it's the LCD on the laptop that's dying. just run it off an external monitor

Matt

[luka]

Try pressing on the bezel below the LCD. I had similar issues with my old Lenovo laptop and it was actually the cable/connector from the LCD to the motherboard (very common issue for my Lenovo model). Pressure on the bezel would help temporarily. Eventually I reseated the connector which fixed the issue for a week or two. Then it started again. In the end I decided it was not worth the trouble.

[AndrewJ]

Gday Luka

Ive tried all the "press here" tricks. Utterly no effect :-)

Andrew

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Originally Posted by luka

Try pressing on the bezel below the LCD. I had similar issues with my old Lenovo laptop and it was actually the cable/connector from the LCD to the motherboard (very common issue for my Lenovo model). Pressure on the bezel would help temporarily. Eventually I reseated the connector which fixed the issue for a week or two. Then it started again. In the end I decided it was not worth the trouble.

Possibly correct but you'd need to pop the keyboard up most likely to access the plug. Normally they are on the topside of the board.
The other possibility is the cable between the plug and screen has given up as well, opening shutting the screen and flexing over time, in which case replacement, if you can find one, is the only answer.
See this sort of thing on our engineers laptops quite often...

[Tandum (Robin)]

I'd replace the screen, it looks terminal to me.

You can get most screens off ebay for a little under $100. If your lucky, there's a utube video on how to dismantle your model enough to get the screen out. There's normally just one flexible ribbon cable going into a locking connector on the screen. Normally a flap on the connector flips up to unlock the cable. Some older ones have a separate DC cable running to them. Probably older LCD screens.

This video looks close?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbFBDcqchec


I done several and never had to remove a keyboard but I've never done a Dell or HP either so who knows

[AndrewJ]

Gday Robin

I was thinking of getting an ebay one, but then again, i want to be sure it works, so paying a bit extra to someone who knows what they are doing is sometimes a better choice, esp with something as fragile as an old LCD screen.

I actually took most of it apart to see if i could 100% confirm the screen part no, ( as i had found the factory disassy pdf on the net ). Only prob is it lies
I removed the 8 listed screws that hold the front plastic cover on, and couldnt get it to move.
I applied a little force and sprung one corner and noted it was also held down with double sided tape, so used a bit more force to go slowly around.
Finally got the cover off and noted some small bits of plastic fell out
Seems there were also 4 undocumented screws in from the sides, and these went through little plastic hoops on the sides of the front bezel. Ah well, didnt need them anyway.

Andrew

[Tandum (Robin)]

The screens are pretty sturdy, they don't shatter they crack in all directions from point of impact. It can be very hard to see that until it's plugged in, switched on and lite up. The only ones I see on ebay are from the UK.

They normally arrived well packed in a strong flat cardboard box but the UK is a long way to travel in a sack It's a risk.

If the Bezel had double sided tape in there then it's been done before. You alway break off some clips on the bezel. I guess they want you to pay for a new one. I've used tape and sometimes a drop of superglue to get em back on straight. Superglue can turn black plastic white so it needs to be on the inside only. And that always happens, right

Those extra screws show why people like me avoid these things. They are built like a watch and everyone of them is different. But its a lot cheaper doing it yourself than at a repair center. They'll charge the bomb for the screen, double at least and labour costs are high.

So long as the screen is a worker and well supported on the hinge arms, you can basically throw the front and back away but don't quote me and don't carry the thing around

[AndrewJ]

Gday Robin

If the Bezel had double sided tape in there then it's been done before.

Nope. I've had it since new.
I suspect the tape was fitted to stop moisture getting in between
the plastic bezel and the screen surface.

Superglue can turn black plastic white so it needs to be on the inside only. And that always happens, right

Im not fussed re that. I was just going to seal the outside edge with gaffa tape as reqd

They'll charge the bomb for the screen

Tell me about it
I guess they need to get a payrise somehow.

Andrew

[silv (Annette)]

do you need to use the built-in-screen for being mobile? external display not an option for your purposes?

[AndrewJ]

Gday Annette
I do use an extra screen at times, but its awkward to position it at times
and when i go mobile on batteries only, its no use.

Andrew