Laptop screen black

[don]

My Dell INspiron 8600 laptop screen began flickering this morning, now the
screen is totally black but sometimes I am able to bring it back for a few
minutes so I Know the pixals are fine - what is the problem - how much would
it cost to fix? I had sent this laptop back to Dell the last time the screen
went black 4 years ago and the bill was $450?

I can't afford that anymore....... please help
I'm currently running another monitor off of the laptop so I know the video
card must be good.

 

[Barry Watzman]

The most likely cause is a bad inverter (power supply for the
fluorescent lamp inside the LCD panel). Not too bad, about $30 or so
(+/- $20) for the part, if you are handy you can replace it yourself
(CAUTION: It creates dangerous and in some situations potentially
lethal voltages).

Next most likely is the lamp itself. Normally, this means replacing the
entire panel, but they are much less expensive than they used to be, you
can probably find a replacement panel for about $80 (+/- $30). Actual
replacement, like the inverter, is not too difficult if you have some
technical training & experience.

The chances that it's something else entirely are slim.

don wrote:
> My Dell INspiron 8600 laptop screen began flickering this morning, now the
> screen is totally black but sometimes I am able to bring it back for a few
> minutes so I Know the pixals are fine - what is the problem - how much would
> it cost to fix? I had sent this laptop back to Dell the last time the screen
> went black 4 years ago and the bill was $450?
>
> I can't afford that anymore....... please help
> I'm currently running another monitor off of the laptop so I know the video
> card must be good.
>
>

 

[don]

"Barry Watzman" <WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
news:hmnc6e$ll6$1@news.eternal-september.org...
> The most likely cause is a bad inverter (power supply for the fluorescent
> lamp inside the LCD panel). Not too bad, about $30 or so (+/- $20) for
> the part, if you are handy you can replace it yourself (CAUTION: It
> creates dangerous and in some situations potentially lethal voltages).
>
> Next most likely is the lamp itself. Normally, this means replacing the
> entire panel, but they are much less expensive than they used to be, you
> can probably find a replacement panel for about $80 (+/- $30). Actual
> replacement, like the inverter, is not too difficult if you have some
> technical training & experience.
>
> The chances that it's something else entirely are slim.
>

Just as a follow up...... when I press Fn and F8 keys which switches the
display between external and laptop screens I am able
to see everything clearly on the laptop but only for a few seconds before it
goes black again forces me to switch back to the external
monitor.

 

[Barry Watzman]

Most likely, the inverter is starting and then failing. Follow the
advice of the previous messages.

don wrote:
> "Barry Watzman" <WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:hmnc6e$ll6$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> The most likely cause is a bad inverter (power supply for the fluorescent
>> lamp inside the LCD panel). Not too bad, about $30 or so (+/- $20) for
>> the part, if you are handy you can replace it yourself (CAUTION: It
>> creates dangerous and in some situations potentially lethal voltages).
>>
>> Next most likely is the lamp itself. Normally, this means replacing the
>> entire panel, but they are much less expensive than they used to be, you
>> can probably find a replacement panel for about $80 (+/- $30). Actual
>> replacement, like the inverter, is not too difficult if you have some
>> technical training & experience.
>>
>> The chances that it's something else entirely are slim.
>>
>
> Just as a follow up...... when I press Fn and F8 keys which switches the
> display between external and laptop screens I am able
> to see everything clearly on the laptop but only for a few seconds before it
> goes black again forces me to switch back to the external
> monitor.
>
>
>

 

[Sjouke Burry]

don wrote:
> "Barry Watzman" <WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:hmnc6e$ll6$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> The most likely cause is a bad inverter (power supply for the fluorescent
>> lamp inside the LCD panel). Not too bad, about $30 or so (+/- $20) for
>> the part, if you are handy you can replace it yourself (CAUTION: It
>> creates dangerous and in some situations potentially lethal voltages).
>>
>> Next most likely is the lamp itself. Normally, this means replacing the
>> entire panel, but they are much less expensive than they used to be, you
>> can probably find a replacement panel for about $80 (+/- $30). Actual
>> replacement, like the inverter, is not too difficult if you have some
>> technical training & experience.
>>
>> The chances that it's something else entirely are slim.
>>
>
> Just as a follow up...... when I press Fn and F8 keys which switches the
> display between external and laptop screens I am able
> to see everything clearly on the laptop but only for a few seconds before it
> goes black again forces me to switch back to the external
> monitor.
>
>
>
That is because it had cooled down and heats up again.
Repair, before it becomes permanent,
and takes other circuitry along with it.

 

[don]

"Sjouke Burry" <burrynulnulfour@ppllaanneett.nnll> wrote in message
news:4b904735$0$14117$703f8584@textnews.kpn.nl...
> That is because it had cooled down and heats up again.
> Repair, before it becomes permanent,
> and takes other circuitry along with it.

You will not believe this........... this morning I turn the laptop on and
now the screen is bright and clear except for a small dark spot on the lower
right edge.............. but I"m going to replace the inverter as soon as
the part comes from ebay............. maybe the inverter contacts just need
cleaning?

 

[hiiowa]

I have a similar problem. I did buy a new inverter for my laptop- hp
compaq nx9010 - and replace it with the bad one, however a strange thing
has happened, which is the screen goes bright when I lower it and goes
dark when I open it up. please help.

 

[BillW50]

In news:hiiowa.48hdgu@no.email.invalid,
hiiowa typed on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:13:59 -0500:
> I have a similar problem. I did buy a new inverter for my laptop- hp
> compaq nx9010 - and replace it with the bad one, however a strange
> thing has happened, which is the screen goes bright when I lower it
> and goes dark when I open it up. please help.

Very strange! That could be the inverter or the motherboard. Maybe you
got a bad inverter. You might find an used one on eBay for around $10 to
$20 and might be worth a shot.

--
Bill
Gateway MX6124 ('06 era) 1 of 3 - Windows XP SP2