Dell laptop backlight kaput???????
Discussion
Hi all,
I am typing this from Mrs. W Racer's laptop....
This morning I was using my Dell inspiration 6000 laptop, which is around 18 months old when suddenly the screen went dark....
I asked my son, who is away at Uni studying software engineering, and he said try shining a torch into the screen, so I did, and the computer seemed to be working OK, because you could see everything VERY faintly if you looked hard enough......
Any idea what the problem might be, and are we talking big bucks
...???
The laptop otherwise is like new....
Thanks in anticipation.......
Wacky...(A computer numpty)
I am typing this from Mrs. W Racer's laptop....
This morning I was using my Dell inspiration 6000 laptop, which is around 18 months old when suddenly the screen went dark....
I asked my son, who is away at Uni studying software engineering, and he said try shining a torch into the screen, so I did, and the computer seemed to be working OK, because you could see everything VERY faintly if you looked hard enough......
Any idea what the problem might be, and are we talking big bucks
...??? The laptop otherwise is like new....
Thanks in anticipation.......
Wacky...(A computer numpty)
Jared_m said:
Did you not take the extended warranty? With Dells its kind of a good idea to.
If not, then I suspect they'll replace the screen (Dell service engineers dont usually repair, they prefer to replace). So I'd guess around £200-250 if out of warranty.
If not, then I suspect they'll replace the screen (Dell service engineers dont usually repair, they prefer to replace). So I'd guess around £200-250 if out of warranty.
Hi, thanks for the prompt reply..
No, because off memory the warranty was around £150, and you can usually get a lot of repair work for that...
I am hoping it might be a lose connection or something, maybe a bulb blown, that my local small PC repair shop (who are very good and helpful) can sort out.....but as I say I am a numpty when it comes to these things......
I certainly hope it doesn't need a new screen..........
Swapping the backlight is a pain in the ass on most laptops as you need to strip the laptop down enough to detach the screen and then strip the actual screen assembly down... find a compatible backlight, order it, reassemble. It is doable so long as your paitent though. However if it's a cheap Dell... the cost of a computer shop's hourly rate and official parts from Dell might well push past the amount of money needed to but a similar machine new. I'd advise getting an estimate from them.
Hunt around fleabay for one that's had a hammer put through the keyboard or similar damage but is sold with the screen working as a spares job. Or google D600 backlight and see if you can find a 3rd party vendor selling compatible stuff and a service guide.
Othersise it's time to buy from Dell and out of waranty you might want to put bows on the first born.
Hunt around fleabay for one that's had a hammer put through the keyboard or similar damage but is sold with the screen working as a spares job. Or google D600 backlight and see if you can find a 3rd party vendor selling compatible stuff and a service guide.
Othersise it's time to buy from Dell and out of waranty you might want to put bows on the first born.
Edited by thepassenger on Sunday 24th September 21:36
ad551 said:
Just one suggestion, I'm sure you've tried this already but...the brightness isn't turned right down is it?
Thanks, yeah checked that.....
Oh! One thing I forgot to mention....
When you switch the power on, after about 2 seconds the Dell logo comes on perfectly, nice and bright,
and then after about half a second the screen goes dark, but you can still see things OK if you shine a torch into the screen, (But very faintly)an uneducated guess says that doesn't sound like a bulb has gone (which would have been a fairly common fault). The backlighting on most laptops is a provided by a couple of gas discharge bulbs that work along very similar lines to the strip lighting people seemed keen on in the 70s. The laptop's bulbs work of a high voltage, so they have a module which steps up their 12V (or 7.3V or whatever) battery to something a bit more sparky (pure guess ... perhaps 5000V?). I'd hazard a guess that either a bulb works or it doesn't, so if your's works initially the problem is probably elsewhere. Next candidate I'd suggest is the high voltage module ... and I'm just guessing that it would be an identifiable, self-contained "module". I'm familiar with basic electronices, and I'm not averse to high voltage shocks ... so if I was in your position I'd be seeing if I could find a knackered version of your laptop on e-bay with a working screen and would rate my chances of resurecting the original machine at about 50:50.
Edited by ATG on Sunday 24th September 23:16
ad551 said:
Ah, thought you'd have tried that :O
Any chance you could try this...press Fn+F8 (or F7, can't remember which one). Press it a few times (this should turn the display off and back on again. Does the backlight come back on for a few seconds?
Any chance you could try this...press Fn+F8 (or F7, can't remember which one). Press it a few times (this should turn the display off and back on again. Does the backlight come back on for a few seconds?
Well, tried that and nothing happens...
Can I just say to everyone who has replied (so far) a big thank you........
It seems that whatever is wrong with it, I am not going to get away with £20 or £30...........
ATG said:
Next candidate I'd suggest is the high voltage module ... and I'm just guessing that it would be an identifiable, self-contained "module".
It will be, and it sounds like it's kicking into life then shutting down again for some reason... which could be something as simple as a bad connection, or a dud capacitor perhaps... or it could be that the tubes are on the way out, the cathode emissivity is down and the ballast is shutting down when the tube voltage doesn't fall to a reasonable level within a reasonable time of striking.
Pity you're such a long way away or I'd come round and fiddle with it...
Pigeon said:
ATG said:
Next candidate I'd suggest is the high voltage module ... and I'm just guessing that it would be an identifiable, self-contained "module".
It will be, and it sounds like it's kicking into life then shutting down again for some reason... which could be something as simple as a bad connection, or a dud capacitor perhaps... or it could be that the tubes are on the way out, the cathode emissivity is down and the ballast is shutting down when the tube voltage doesn't fall to a reasonable level within a reasonable time of striking.
Pity you're such a long way away or I'd come round and fiddle with it...
Thanks for that Pidge......
I'll see what happens later on today.........
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