Spares or repair ?

[T i m]

Hi All,

I have been given a Dell Inspiron 8100 laptop (PIII summat) with a 'faulty' screen'.

The screen flashes and flickers when first switched on then over about

60 seconds reverts to black screen (but images can be seen with a bright light etc)[1]. Video is good when plugged into (and viewed on) an external monitor.

As far as I can glean from other n/g's it is most likely to be inverter, backlight(s) or screen (so that's not ruling out something lurking elsewhere).

It would also seem a second hand interter could be found for (~£15 tubes would be more(?) and a screen a *lot* more and hence to my question ..

This seems quite a nice bit of kit (all the right ports etc) has a nice (and possibly good / unmarked) 15" screen and what appears to be a better battery than my new Tosh A60 ;-(

So, what are the odds on it being *just* inverter or backlights please? I would like get it sorted (myself of course) but not if it's gonna cost decent money (as I might be able to buy something similar on eBay quite cheap anyway?).

Sowhatdoureckon .. spares or repair?

All the best ..

T i m

[1] Turn on and you see the Dell BIOS screen at probably half brightness with a sorta mesh grid over it.

It then turns to the XP splash screen which (I'm doing this as I type) is pretty clear (not pixilated, evenly illuminated, fairly bright but has a red hue) and that starts off being mainly 'on' but flashes off quite constantly / quickly (maybe 1-2 times / second). By the time the machine displays the desktop the screen is now more off than on and by the time all disk activity has finished the screen is constantly black.

Shining a bright light on the display shows a perfect screen, allowing you to open apps/ shut down the machine etc?

[Harry Bloomfield]

T i m used his keyboard to write :

That would be a fault on the actual display screen or the ribbon cable linking display to the actual laptop.

That sounds like the screen illumination, the inverter and tube.

Both problems might be due to the ribbon cable.

[jrwalliker]

I am using an 8100 which had a faulty inverter. The symptoms were that the display was fine when the computer was warm, but it would not restart from cold. This gradually got worse until it was unusable. I fitted a new inverter and it has been fine ever since. (I also replaced the disc drive when it started making a whining noise and the fans when they slowed down too much.

Replacing the inverter is fairly easy - replacing the fans is a real pain because the computer has to be totally dismantled.

I agree with Harry B that the first step should be checking the ribbon cables. Try reseating them in their connectors. While you have the display open make a note of the manufacturer and all the identification numbers on the display in case you need a new inverter. Apparently the inverters are different according to the display manufacturer.

I failed to buy an inverter from Dell, but obtained it from another company (which I could probably look up if needed). Dell wanted to sell me a new display costing more than the computer is worth. Mine is the

1600x1200 with no defective pixels.

Another problem I have had with this computer is that the disc drive started to do get seek failures which made it really slow. This was fixed by removing the disc drive and reseating the connector in the disc drive caddy. Otherwise, it has been a totally stable and reliable machine (after a few BIOS updates).

John

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

This bloke is genuine and sells all makes of spares or repairs laptops, I've had a number of laptops off him and most have had minor faults.

Benjamin Middlethwaite

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Sorry about the wrap.

-- Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

[T i m]

Hi Harry,

Ok, well it sounds like I'm gonna have to strip some bits off to check the cables / connectors. I thought the generic 'ribbon cable fault' showed up better / worse when you opened / closed the screen (this one doesn't?)

Well I have an update to that if it helps. I just plugged it into an external TFT but the res was too high for it to take .. but .. as I did so the internal screen came up enough for me to see / reset the resolution and I could then use the external display (as well). For a while (and apart from a near constant light 'flickering' .. hmm, like a flouro on it's way out ..) I had both screens up ;-)

When the internal screen does come up it seems that it is *mainly* illuminated from the right but that illumination 'moves' across the screen sideways .. sorta leaving the left hand side dark first. Then it went bright then out!. A reboot brings it up flickering for a while again.

Noted but as I said the lid / display wasn't moved during the above and if @I do open / close the display it seems to make no difference (nor does tapping the main unit / display)?

All the best ..

T i m

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Sounds like the inverter? use the 'Fn' key and the brightness key together to take brightness up and see what happens?

-- Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

[T i m]

Ah .. ;-(

Sorta the opposite of this one then?

And I think this was how I got given this one!

Kool ;-) (the light at the end of the tunnel isn't an oncomming train then ?) ;-)

(I also replaced

I've seen the fans mentioned elsewhere and drives of all size / makes fail in the end .. ;-(

Ok, well I have the strip down notes now so that shouldn't be a big problem (just slow / cautious work).

Ok ..

I spotted that as well .. IBM / Hitachi etc ...?

Please John ?

That's what I'd heard elsewhere .. and probably how we come by such kit. The orig owner takes it to a shop who say 'the parts alone would cost more than the thing is worth' and they chuck it away. *We* on the other hand can often source parts elsewhere and don't mind having a go. If this were a desktop machine I'd would have had it sorted long ago because they are easy / robust / more modular to work on. I'm relustant to start to take a laptop to bits (without doing my homework) because they can be very fiddley / delicate / one-way .. (clips that snap off etc) ;-(

Mine is the

This display was set to quite a high res and looked pretty good (when it was on).

I'm giving it a 'cleanup' now (removing old apps / data doing A/V scan etc) and once it's screen is sorted might just reinstall XP Pro (it has the sticker). Did you get the 'restore' CD with yours John .. ... ;-)

All the best and thanks very much for your time (and positive words) ;-)

T i m

(email address is valid)

[T i m]

Ah, ok .. I'll give it a go now .. and thanks for the other link btw.

As mentioned when I plugged in the external monitor it seemed to 'wake up' the internal one and actually stayed viewable (ignoring the flicering) for maybe 2-3 mins? Then it went bright and off (but I could still make out what was on the screen as it was mimicking the external one) ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

[meow2222]

lighting fault, either invertor, tube, or connections to them.

so the screen is working, the light isnt

I'd repair the invertor rather than replace. Youve only got a dodgy connection in there.

The tube runs on evil high voltage btw.

NT

[T i m]

Hi fella .. ok .. worth a look first then ..

Seems so ..

Let's hope! ;-)

I'm sure they put such in these things as a form af tripwire .. just when you thought it was safe ... wafizzzsapt!

Funninly (and similar to a previous reply) the screen actually seemed to work 'normally' for a couple of mins a while ago (after being on for a couple of hours .. doing the outstanding 40+ updates and we haven't got to SP2 yet!).

Oh, and now I know the fans are working ;-)

And there's much better sound than my new(er) Tosh Sat Pro A60 (that sounds like a transistor radio) ;-(

But only USB V1.1 ..

All the best ..

T i m

About to pop ourt to a mates 'dead' PC .. the 5V 'standby's there apparently (he said the LED was on on the B/T dongle) but it wony power up?

[Hugh]

Tim, Hope you get your problem sorted out - just thought I'd post a link which could be useful, go to:

on 'Forums' and you'll find a mass of information as well as being able to post.

regards Hugh

[T i m]

I've since found out the 'grid' is supposed to be there but the Dell logo is supposed to be blue (not a red) ;-)

Thanks Hugh. I should be able to start on it tomorrow morniing ;-)

Looks interesting .. thanks .. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

[T i m]

Hmm .. didn't actually get that far .. and didn't actually need any tools .. ;-)

I removed the hinge cover with my fingers and removed and reseated (a few times) the screen ribbon connector at the mobo end and thought I'd give it a try .. and it works! ;-)

Well, I'll probably go over this machine over the next few days (maybe add some ram once it's proven to be stable) but it's looking good so far .. ;-)

I did that last night (A12 to A18 or summat)

Thanks again John, Harry and all those who have helped so far ..

T i m (with fingers still crossed) ;-)