laptop screen broken

[stevejohnson1985]

Hello,

I have a dell inspiron 1525 laptop and a few weeks ago it was dropped and the screen was broken. I have bought a new screen from ebay (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DELL-INSPIRON-1525-15-4-LAPTOP-LCD-SCREEN-WXGA-/260537450874?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccess_RL&hash=item3ca93e017a#ht_5732wt_1165).

I got a computer specialist to fit it, but it is too dark (i.e. it is as if I have it on power-saver mode) and the brightening function using the 'Fn' button and the up-arrow doesn't work properly (it doesn't show the bar on the screen and has only two levels of brightness, both of which you can see what is on the screen ok, but as I said, the brightest level is only a bright as on power-saver mode).

I rang the company that I bought the screen from and they said I could return it and they would send me a slightly different model. However, this new screen was no different.

What do you think the problem is? The backlight? Or is the screen not fully compatible? I don't think the way it has been fitted is a problem because it was done by a professional.

Any help would be much appreciated!

steve

[mrrigga]

Hi
If you still have the old screen or can lay your hands on it you will find the make and serial number on the back this is the screen you need.
There are different recsolution and  aspect ratios some screens will fit but will not be very clear. Check this article out at http://laptoplogic.com/resources/detail.php?id=38 I believe the right resolution for your laptop should be WXGA+ 1440 x 900.
Go back to the guy who fitted it he should have checked before fitting, I do when I fit screens

[stevejohnson1985]

Hi, thanks for the quick response,

the guy that fitted showed me the right screen to buy on ebay and says he checked the make and serial number first... so still unsure of what the problem is??

[funnyman_123]

Ok
you have INSPIRON 1525, Shutdown your computer & Press D + Power Key (System on/off key) together & check, if u can see colours on the screen clearly. ok. an also check in BIOS for clearness

[mrrigga]

As I said in my reply go back to the engineer who fitted the screen and explain your predicament. As he advised you and fitted the screen he should know the problem and fix it for free. Ask him the make and number of the new screen and you can check on the internet if you have the correct one.
Make sure you have all the updates from Dell. You may need to update your graphics card

[stevejohnson1985]

I've explained to the guy, but he doesn't know why its not bright enough, which is annoying. But I'm gonna pick up the old screen from him and check on the internet if i have the right part. I'm also gonna try these dell updates.

I tried the D+power button thing and the screen just stayed blank, no colours - I had to press the power button again to get the computer to boot.

BIOS also seems quite dark - it is usable, but its just not as bright as it should be....

[funnyman_123]

In Dell System there is a inbuilt Test
Call Preboot assesment Test u can run that check. if u get any error code in that contact dell with that error code they will tell u which part has gone bad & it will also check other parts in the system

to run the test press FN + Power key

[stevejohnson1985]

I've done that 'Fn+Power button' thing and it came up with no problems. I've also downloaded and installed all of the drivers from the dell website - the screen doesn't go any brighter BUT the brightness bar does now appear (with the little sun).

So my next plan of action is to contact dell, (I have got the serial number of the old, broken screen) and ask them what they think the problem is...unless anyone else has got any other ideas?

[funnyman_123]

is ur system is in warranty,,,,
Reply

[Lyniaer]

Laptops have something inside of the lip of the frame just beneath the screen.  It's a voltage inverter for the back-light and some of them also have a magnet in them to cut power to the back-light when the lid is closed (As opposed to a mechanical momentary button as was the custom up until about 2006).  When the laptop was dropped, this inverter could have been damaged.  I know for a fact when replacement LCD's are ordered, a new inverter does NOT come with them, however it's always been my policy to check that inverter with a voltage tester.

Also, adding on, the wires that lead from the mother-board to the display are VERY VERY VERY tiny and are woven through the sometimes STEEL hinges on the display frame.  A drop could very well have pinched one of these wires and it's either grounding to the frame and causing a short or it's been severed all-together.  Have your guy check on these wires for any damage while testing the inverter.

[stevejohnson1985]

The laptop is not in warranty unfortunately....

I will get the guy to check the inverter and the motherboard wires.

Also, do you think that this is relevant to what the problem is. The brightness bar that appears when I press 'Fn+Arrow' is faulty - while the bar moves up, the actual brightness of the screen doesn't correlate to it, i.e the screen will be dark, then a bit brighter, then dark again, then a bit brighter than before, then dark again (with only about three levels of brightness)....if that makes any sense?

[Lyniaer]

If something is physically damaged on a circuit board, but it still works to a point, it's a bit difficult to say exactly how the final product will react.  One bad resistor can brick the whole thing, or just make certain things act 'funny' because of a voltage irregularity.  How the back-light on an LCD screen illuminates correlates to only a few things; which one, how badly it's broken and how the back-light will react to the damage can easily vary and it's impossible for me to be specific without looking at the component that may be damaged.