Laptop backlight dim

[rfisher]

My Acer laptop has started to come on with a very dim backlight.

It gradually increases so that, after around 5 minutes, it's up to full intensity.

Is this more likely to be the fluorescent tube or the controlling electronics?

Ta.

[ThePassenger]

Could be either, although often the transformer will buzz and hiss if it's misbehaving (but not always). Hopefully googling your make/model of laptop with the words "inverter" and "backlight" next to it should lead you to suppliers of compatible parts. Also ebay for that make/model of laptop as you might find a spares/repair one that's had coffee all over the keyboard but the screen 'should be fine'.

After that it's just ripping the panel apart and swapping them over.

Can be rather fiddle to get a screen apart but dooable if you take your time with it (screens are usually under the rubber plugs).

[David Godfrey]

may seem silly but have you changed the power settings recently? - also if you take the pannel appart I'm certain you can get a good shock of it if your not carefull.

[rfisher]

Thanks for the replies.

No - not changed the settings.

Just wondering if it's something Xp is doing as it's fine after about 5 mins and there are no unusual inverter pops or hisses. No pinking of the colours either.

[ThePassenger]

Well one way to see if it's software or hardware. Boot the laptop in to the BIOS (F1, Del... it'll tell you when you first turn it on). Leave it sat there.

If it fades then it's hardware.
If it doesn't then it's Windows doing something very very odd.