Cost to repair laptop (screen)?

kini_mini · 8th July 2005, 4:59 PM

Hi all

I have a T20 here with dodgy power delivery to the screen. When it boots up, the screen is almost completely black, you can only just see the IBM logo. It comes to full power after a bit of flexing back and forth etc, but over the last couple of months it's taken longer and longer to do so, and sometimes it flickers alarmingly. I suspect it's some kind of power regulation problem rather than a problem withthe LCD itself.

Does anyone know how much it would cost to get this fixed? My IBM warranty has run out, and I don't think it's possible to get a quote out of them without sending it off to them first and having them charge by the hour to diagnose faults etc. I paid $750 for this refurbished about 15 months ago, so I'm not prepared to throw that much money at it.

geelen · 8th July 2005, 5:24 PM

It's probably the backlight, which as far as I know is a pretty cheap replacement part. Depends on the make how easy it is to fix, though. I knew someone who had to replace his, and he was able to do so himself...

You know it's a problem with the backlight when you can still see detail in the screen, but there's barely any contrast. I'm pretty sure laptops use a fluorescent bulb, so that could explain the flickering...

Take it to any decent local repair store and show them the problem. They should be able to fix it pretty quickly, once they've ordered the right parts...

Yamamanama · 8th July 2005, 5:44 PM

Got exactly the same problem myself with my T22. Well it was having the same problem.. the backlight is completely dead now. It has to be one of three things. The inverter, the cable or the backlight. Got hold of an inverter... nope still dead as a dodo. Time for me to grab a new cable and/or backlight.

kini_mini · 8th July 2005, 6:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geelen

You know it's a problem with the backlight when you can still see detail in the screen, but there's barely any contrast. I'm pretty sure laptops use a fluorescent bulb, so that could explain the flickering...

Awesome, thanks! I'll look into that then

Yamamanama, where do you get those parts from? IBM or what?

Yamamanama · 8th July 2005, 7:49 PM

The inverter came from a very helpful OCAU member who replied to my post in the wanted to buy forum. Now finding a cable and backlight will probably be a hell of a lot harder.. bah.

kimnkk · 8th July 2005, 8:15 PM

You're in luck - i had the same problem with my T21 but mine didn't flicker or i couldn't see the logo or anything, at all. I bought the inverter and a dead IBM screen from which i took out a working backlight but that still didn't fix it. I finially sourced a cable from USA which fixed the problem.

I still have the inverter and backlight for the IBM Thinkpad T series.

Yamamanama · 8th July 2005, 8:22 PM

If by any chance kini_mini doesn't want the backlight I'd be interested

. Assuming it's for a 14.1" screen that is.

kimnkk · 8th July 2005, 8:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yamamanama

If by any chance kini_mini doesn't want the backlight I'd be interested

. Assuming it's for a 14.1" screen that is.

Yeah, i got it out of a 14.1" screen and i have tested the backlight to make sure it works.

I'm not expecting much for it, but do you think i should make a post in the 'for sale' section just in case this is against the rules (trading outside of it). I doubt there would be many other people interested so you don't have to worry about 'competition'

I also have a dead IBM T21 mobo if anyone needs it

.

kini_mini · 8th July 2005, 10:29 PM

Hehehe I'd definitely be interested in the backlight. How much do you want for it? I dunno about the forum rules regarding sales though

aokman · 9th July 2005, 1:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yamamanama

The inverter came from a very helpful OCAU member who replied to my post in the wanted to buy forum. Now finding a cable and backlight will probably be a hell of a lot harder.. bah.

You will be able to get spare parts like that from eBay cheap, you may have the USA site though if you dont find what you are looking for on Australia ebay.

kimnkk · 9th July 2005, 9:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kini_mini

Hehehe I'd definitely be interested in the backlight. How much do you want for it? I dunno about the forum rules regarding sales though

If this is against the rules, i will open a thread (well, add it to my Laptop thread) in the sales forum. But i'm not sure what i'm after for the backlight - make an offer?

If you need the inverter, i guess i will let it go for 10 bucks.

Cheers,
Kim.

Yamamanama · 9th July 2005, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aokman

You will be able to get spare parts like that from eBay cheap, you may have the USA site though if you dont find what you are looking for on Australia ebay.

I've seen the cables and inverters floating around on ebay but backlights seem much more scarce.

kimnkk · 9th July 2005, 11:39 AM

I reckon you should try your luck with the cable first - i tried everything then the cable last, and the cable worked for me!

I found that on closer inspection, the cable was a bit torn where it bends on the hinge. I was suprised to find that this little bit of a tear prevented the backlight from working!

Yamamanama · 9th July 2005, 12:23 PM

Yeah I'm looking for a cable first. I had a customer's T22 in last week.. should have nicked their cable and told them theirs was knackered

-=Alfonzo=- · 9th July 2005, 3:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yamamanama

Got exactly the same problem myself with my T22. Well it was having the same problem.. the backlight is completely dead now. It has to be one of three things. The inverter, the cable or the backlight. Got hold of an inverter... nope still dead as a dodo. Time for me to grab a new cable and/or backlight.

It's the LCD cable. After a lot of opening and closing the cables that sit directly on the hinge go weak and start to fault. The inverter is most likely fine, and if you flex the screen back and forth to get it to work then that's telling you that the cable will only work at certain angles now.

If it were the inverter then you wouldn't get _any_ light at any angle. It just wouldnt' work, period.

Quote:

I've seen the cables and inverters floating around on ebay but backlights seem much more scarce.

I've never seen an individual cathode backlight. They've always been part of an LCD screen, so if the backlight is dead, the whole LCD screen is dead.

8th July 2005, 4:59 PM	#1
kini_mini Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,649	Cost to repair laptop (screen)? Hi all I have a T20 here with dodgy power delivery to the screen. When it boots up, the screen is almost completely black, you can only just see the IBM logo. It comes to full power after a bit of flexing back and forth etc, but over the last couple of months it's taken longer and longer to do so, and sometimes it flickers alarmingly. I suspect it's some kind of power regulation problem rather than a problem withthe LCD itself. Does anyone know how much it would cost to get this fixed? My IBM warranty has run out, and I don't think it's possible to get a quote out of them without sending it off to them first and having them charge by the hour to diagnose faults etc. I paid $750 for this refurbished about 15 months ago, so I'm not prepared to throw that much money at it.

8th July 2005, 5:24 PM	#2
geelen Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 29	It's probably the backlight, which as far as I know is a pretty cheap replacement part. Depends on the make how easy it is to fix, though. I knew someone who had to replace his, and he was able to do so himself... You know it's a problem with the backlight when you can still see detail in the screen, but there's barely any contrast. I'm pretty sure laptops use a fluorescent bulb, so that could explain the flickering... Take it to any decent local repair store and show them the problem. They should be able to fix it pretty quickly, once they've ordered the right parts...

8th July 2005, 5:44 PM	#3
Yamamanama RIP Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The Riverland, SA Posts: 109	Got exactly the same problem myself with my T22. Well it was having the same problem.. the backlight is completely dead now. It has to be one of three things. The inverter, the cable or the backlight. Got hold of an inverter... nope still dead as a dodo. Time for me to grab a new cable and/or backlight.

8th July 2005, 7:49 PM	#5
Yamamanama RIP Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The Riverland, SA Posts: 109	The inverter came from a very helpful OCAU member who replied to my post in the wanted to buy forum. Now finding a cable and backlight will probably be a hell of a lot harder.. bah.

8th July 2005, 8:15 PM	#6
kimnkk Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 2,075	You're in luck - i had the same problem with my T21 but mine didn't flicker or i couldn't see the logo or anything, at all. I bought the inverter and a dead IBM screen from which i took out a working backlight but that still didn't fix it. I finially sourced a cable from USA which fixed the problem. I still have the inverter and backlight for the IBM Thinkpad T series.

8th July 2005, 8:22 PM	#7
Yamamanama RIP Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The Riverland, SA Posts: 109	If by any chance kini_mini doesn't want the backlight I'd be interested . Assuming it's for a 14.1" screen that is.

8th July 2005, 10:29 PM	#9
kini_mini Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,649	Hehehe I'd definitely be interested in the backlight. How much do you want for it? I dunno about the forum rules regarding sales though

9th July 2005, 11:39 AM	#13
kimnkk Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 2,075	I reckon you should try your luck with the cable first - i tried everything then the cable last, and the cable worked for me! I found that on closer inspection, the cable was a bit torn where it bends on the hinge. I was suprised to find that this little bit of a tear prevented the backlight from working!

9th July 2005, 12:23 PM	#14
Yamamanama RIP Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The Riverland, SA Posts: 109	Yeah I'm looking for a cable first. I had a customer's T22 in last week.. should have nicked their cable and told them theirs was knackered