Possible Inveter Problem, Advice Needed.

Buchanan0204

Buchanan0204

Buchanan0204

Soldato
Joined
10 Jun 2010
Posts
5,158
Location
Scotland
Hi everyone,

My friends laptop screen is playing up. I presume this is an inverter problem and would like anyone to clarify this for me. I have connected the laptop into an external display and it appears absolutely fine.

I read somewhere it could be a loose connection, but I doubt it to be honest. He's very careful and everythings looked after, it won't have been man handled or thrown around.

If this is the case and it does need a new inverter. Where is the best place to pick one up. It is an Asus X53S laptop.

I have attached a photo to show.

Any help would be much appreciated?

DSC_0022.jpg
 
Not an inverter problem, could be a screen but most likely a graphics problem as I am pretty sure that laptop uses an nvidia graphics chip.
 
Edit: Ah, works fine on a external monitor, I might say it's a ribbon cable gone between the gpu and screen
 
Bubba said:
Not an inverter problem, could be a screen but most likely a graphics problem as I am pretty sure that laptop uses an nvidia graphics chip.
Click to expand...

It's actually an HD 2400 chip. You said that like it was common for nvidia chips to go?

If it was a graphics problem, I wouldn't be able to see an image on the external monitor, correct me if I'm wrong?
 
Buchanan0204 said:
It's actually an HD 2400 chip. You said that like it was common for nvidia chips to go?

If it was a graphics problem, I wouldn't be able to see an image on the external monitor, correct me if I'm wrong?
Click to expand...

Nvidia chips are very common to fail on laptops, the ATI still fail but not as often, the graphics chip can fail and still display on an external so do not rule this out as a possibility.
 
RJC said:
I might say it's a ribbon cable gone between the gpu and screen
Click to expand...

100% this ^^ I've seen it myself literally hundreds of times. The vga cable has become loose either from the board or behind the screen, or worse case scenario it's failed (worn out), an easy fix tbh.

If it was the inverter the backlight would have gone. If it was a video card problem you'd usually get some sort of corruption not a completely blank screen.

This is not a video card issue I can guarantee you that, especially as you can get a video output from the external vga.
 
Last edited:
Definitely not the inverter.

Working on an external display means probably not the graphics chip.

It might just be a simple enough job of reseating the monitor cable.
 
Ok. I have spent a good few hours stripping the entire laptop down. I checked every cable and connector. All are absolutely fine. Reseated the monitor and inverter cables. Took the screen completely off to check for any foreign objects pressing against it. Everything looked fine.

The graphics chip is well ventilated and has a good heatsink on it. I doubt this is a problem especially with an external monitor working fine.

So does this mean the screen is at fault? I can't understand how an lcd screen can just go after only 2 years of hardly being usesd. It was only a secondary computer when working away from home. It's never been dropped etc. Not even a scratch on it.
 
When you say checked the cables, did you try unplugging them and plugging them back in, including the one going into the motherboard?

Have you tried moving the ribbon cable while the machine is on? Try applying pressure to the top of the screen and see if anything changes.

Screen is going to be the easiest to change and they are not very expensive, about £70 depending on what screen is in it, do you have the part number from the back of the screen, it will have 154 in it somewhere.

If a screen does not fix the issue then you can try a cable, but if it shows no sign of stress or damage then is very unlikely and is going to be a motherboard issue either with the graphics chip or some other possible component failure.

I would still say this is a graphics chip as I have seen this fault a lot, a quick test which sometimes work is take the back cover off and apply some pressure to the heatsink on the graphics chip while turning the machine on, if it works fine then you know it is a bad connection with the BGA chip and will need reflowed/reballed.
 
Bubba said:
When you say checked the cables, did you try unplugging them and plugging them back in, including the one going into the motherboard?

Have you tried moving the ribbon cable while the machine is on? Try applying pressure to the top of the screen and see if anything changes.

Screen is going to be the easiest to change and they are not very expensive, about £70 depending on what screen is in it, do you have the part number from the back of the screen, it will have 154 in it somewhere.

If a screen does not fix the issue then you can try a cable, but if it shows no sign of stress or damage then is very unlikely and is going to be a motherboard issue either with the graphics chip or some other possible component failure.

I would still say this is a graphics chip as I have seen this fault a lot, a quick test which sometimes work is take the back cover off and apply some pressure to the heatsink on the graphics chip while turning the machine on, if it works fine then you know it is a bad connection with the BGA chip and will need reflowed/reballed.
Click to expand...

I had absolutely everything off. I took all the cables out and put them back in, checked for damage or stress. Everything seemed fine.

I did try applying pressure to the screen when it was on and it made absolutely no difference.

I've seen instances of the graphics failing on HP laptops, which need to be reflowed or reballed, but these never display an output on an external display, where as this does. I don't understand how the graphics chip can be damaged and still display an image on an external monitor?

I never took the part number, it's all back together now so it's not within easy access. I did notice it was a samsung display however. I priced one around the £70 like you said. I've never known an lcd to go like that within 2 years with no physical damage.

Cables are the least likely thing to go, there usually built to last, and having been hardly used aren't likely to be worn out.
 
I've seen this problem before and tried changing the inverter and it made no difference. It's your LCD panel which is faulty.
 
Buchanan0204 said:
I had absolutely everything off. I took all the cables out and put them back in, checked for damage or stress. Everything seemed fine.

I did try applying pressure to the screen when it was on and it made absolutely no difference.

I've seen instances of the graphics failing on HP laptops, which need to be reflowed or reballed, but these never display an output on an external display, where as this does. I don't understand how the graphics chip can be damaged and still display an image on an external monitor?

I never took the part number, it's all back together now so it's not within easy access. I did notice it was a samsung display however. I priced one around the £70 like you said. I've never known an lcd to go like that within 2 years with no physical damage.

Cables are the least likely thing to go, there usually built to last, and having been hardly used aren't likely to be worn out.
Click to expand...

The reason the chips go faulty is that the solder breaks on some of the contact points, the graphics chip will have seperate outputs for the internal and external display and sometimes just the points for the internal display will be affected. 99% of the time the chip is actually OK.

It could be either your LCD or the graphics, it is impossible to tell which without trying another part.

Do you have an old laptop you could swap the screen over from, does not need to be the same, most will plug in and work.

If you screen is a single lamp (1 connection from inverter with 2 prongs) and is WXGA (1280x800) then there will only be one type of display for your laptop. Check out a company called LCDS4U they are very good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom