Fixing Popular Computer LCD Monitor Issues

Fixing Popular Computer LCD Monitor Issues

Author: pcxmedics

If you own a laptop computer or a flatpanel monitor, most likely you have encountered a few problems with the screen.  If you haven’t yet, then you probably will.  LCD problems are definitely the most common laptop problems besides hard drive crashes and loose power connectors.  Broken LCDs, lines on LCDs, a strange plasma effect, dark LCDs, dead pixels, backlight difficulties, and trembling LCDs are rather standard.
 
Following are some easy tests to determine what’s damaged with your screen and to calculate the price and trouble required in fixing the screen.  As a disclaimer, this is not repair advice, so please don't try to service your computer if you're not experienced, as you can very easily produce more damage than there already was. Absolutely don't dismantle your laptop if the battery is plugged into a power source.   

Broken Screen

There is not much you can do in this case; you will have to replace your monitor.  Your other option is tobuy an external flatpanel. 

Markings on Screen

This problem is more often than not due to a damaged LCD or internal LCD video cable.  Sometimes if you drop your laptop hard, it can impair the LCD and the hard drive if it’s connected.  Plug the laptop computer into an external monitor or LCD tv.  Does the image have lines?  If not, either you have an LCD cable or LCD problem.  If you can find lines on the external monitor (if the external is working well), you most likely have a graphics card problem. 

Plasma, oozing, octopus ink, turning plume

More than likely your LCD is damaged and must be replaced.  This problem is usually caused by a physical malfunction of the glass sandwich on the LCD.  As with the previous test, check to see if you experience a smooth picture on another monitor.  If you do, it’s time for a new LCD.   

Dead, stuck, hot, or otherwise funky-looking pixels

These can be caused by manufacturing defects which produce transistors to break or stop responding within your LCD.  Sometimes you can fix a dead pixel, but also you can make the problem deeper if you’re not careful.  A safe bet is to attempt to repair the problem with computer software.  Programs such as UDPixel and JScreenFix can try to diagnose dead, hot, or stuck pixels and also attempt to fix them.  If these aren't successful, as a last resort, you can gently press the involved area with an eraser to try to coax oil around the pixel layers.  Again, this attempt is not guaranteed to work, and might make the problem worse, so be careful here. 

Weak display

This could be caused by two common issues: inverter failure or backlight failure.  An inverter conditions power for the LCD, and mostly sits near the laptop hinges under the LCD case.  Inverters are very dangerous because they mainly work between 4-7 amps of current.  One amp of current can easily kill you, so don’t deal with these if you don’t know what you’re doing.  If the monitor is ever bright, it's likely that your inverter is fine.  Backlights are challenging and hazardous to replace, so don’t try unless you know how.  Most backlights are fragile and have mercury, which is a carcinogen. 

No display

If you get no display entirely, check it with a flashlight.  Hold the flashlight at different angles to the screen.  If you truly can’t see anything, try to plug it into an external monitor.  If you get a smooth image, several things could be amiss.  You could have a loose cable if you tend to drop your laptop a lot.  The cable could be pinched in the joints and severed.  Rarely do you get an absolute failure of the LCD, but it’s possible. 

Display works while booting, but ends running at one point

You probably have a software issue.  You should check the drivers and check for viruses. 

Display shuffles in time

This is generally produced by memory problems or an overheated video chip.  If memory is the problem, you can try to replace one or two modules of RAM from the bottom of the laptop, ordinarily behind a panel.  If this fixes the problem, time for a new stick of RAM.  If overheating is the problem, there are commonly two reasons.  Either the video processor is frying, or the entire laptop is overheating.  You will require to have the laptop taken apart to clear out dust, test all the fans, and check the thermal compound under the heat sinks.

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