"Black Screen" on laptop on which I replaced the screen recently

britechguy said:
I do know that, but I will be incredibly, incredibly PO-ed if a *second* one has "gone dead" this quickly. I've done screen replacements over the years and never had this much trouble. This isn't even a touch screen.

I am truly hoping that this is a loose cable, but no matter what I have a teardown to do, which is really irritating under the circumstances. I have to check the cable connection first.

Last night, when I was using an HDMI cable I was getting "intermittent quick blackouts" but that could be that particular cable, so I intend to test again using another I know to be absolutely rock solid before I start taking the machine apart. It seemed to occur when I had to move the machine slightly, so I suspect a wire going bad in the cable, which is an old one and ribbon style.
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What do you mean by a 'second' one gone dead? Have you replaced it before or are you counting the factory one?
 
nlinecomputers said:
The screen he purchased died a few hours after he installed it.
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I don't think it even lasted that long.

The seller has essentially told me to tear the machine down, remove the battery cable, discharge the machine by holding down the power button, and reseating the cable ends at the mobo and screen. (This, of course, is what I had intended to do anyway). They also recommended updating the display drivers (which I had already done in January, so I consider that done).

If I still have no screen display, then I'm to start an RMA with them.

I did determine that the HDMI cable that I had used for the quick test does have a short (or something) as the same weird behavior occurs with the video cutting out if you move the laptop on another machine and another big screen TV being used as a monitor. That is a relief to know, though it won't stop me from doing the test again using another known-good HDMI cable with the machine that has the black screen to be absolutely sure that I don't still get anything unusual through HDMI.
 
Update: Reseating the video cable at the motherboard has resulted in no change. This is unsurprising as the cable friction fit is very tight and, in addition to that has a metal wire clip to hold it in place and tape on top of that.

Last check will be removing the bezel around the display and reseating the connector at the display itself. I have no reason to believe the display cable would be bad, and don't keep a stock of every possible display cable out there as I've never had one fail. Even the folks at laptopscreens.com aren't suggesting an alternative video cable as a diagnostic step.

I think I'm saving that last check until tomorrow.
 
Porthos said:
Hope you used the correct tape strips and have some more.
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The tape is only involved if the screen itself is to be removed and reinstalled. I should not need to do this to reseat the cable. If that doesn't work, more tape will be reordered when the replacement screen RMA is sent.

Just as I don't stock replacement screens I don't stock the tape to mount same. When needed they're purchased.
 
britechguy said:
The tape is only involved if the screen itself is to be removed and reinstalled. I should not need to do this to reseat the cable. If that doesn't work, more tape will be reordered when the replacement screen RMA is sent.

Just as I don't stock replacement screens I don't stock the tape to mount same. When needed they're purchased.
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I do know this exact model but since the screen is taped to the lid, how do you check the connection on the back of the screen?
 
@Porthos,

The connection isn't exactly "on the back of the screen" but at the bottom of the screen on the back side. I was able to get to the connector well enough to "give it a gentle tug and shove" (which, honestly, I don't think it needed). There is no change. Given the nature of the connection at both ends of the equation, the probability of that being the root issue is very close to zero to begin with. These connectors have as close to a "death grip" as you're ever likely to get.

I've updated every blessed video driver, updated BIOS, changed resolutions up and down, drained CMOS, and reseated RAM. Nothing changes with the screen - the backlight comes on but the screen remains black (which was exactly the failure mode of replacement screen number one!). Those were all steps that laptopscreens.com tech support asked me to take. There is no indication of any damage to the video cable itself on visual inspection, and I certainly don't keep extras of these around as I have never once needed one.

Connection via a known-good HDMI cable to a 55" big screen TV works like a charm. The computer boots normally and works normally in all respects. It's just the *^%&^ed screen!

I have never had this much trouble with a "simple screen replacement" in all my years in this business!
 
@frase

There is "the back of the screen" but relatively accessible, which this is, and "the *back* of the screen" which could not be touched in any way without removal. That was my point.

There are certain simple checks that don't really require that the screen be pulled off the tape. I'll be doing that anyway for the RMA, but will definitely test one last time before shipping the screen back. I do not expect to find any change. I've been to this rodeo enough times to have a very good sense of what's likely to be "a simple fix." Nothing about this issue has suggested "simple fix." Had there been no backlighting, the first thing I would have suspected is a loose video cable, but not when there is backlighting.
 
seashore said:
Any chance of testing this screen with a known good laptop?
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Not for me. I don't have a fleet of "known good laptops" sitting around and the screen itself was "somewhat unusual" and I got help here and from laptopscreens.com in making sure that the correct one had been selected. The efforts here (which I appreciate and appreciated then) got me very close, but there were still one or two bits that the vendor had to sort out.

I don't work on gaming laptops with any frequency, either, and that's what this one is, even though it's not being used primarily for that purpose.

It's a Dell G15 5515 Ryzen Edition. First machine I've ever dealt with (to my knowledge, anyway) that has both AMD Radeon graphics and NVIDIA GeForce on board on the same machine.
 
wavey said:
I've just ordered a pack if 50 tape strips from AliExpress. Cost £30.56 Inc tax so £0.61 each
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The problem is that number would leave me with well over 40 langushing in the drawer for years. For high-volume businesses that do high volumes of screen replacements, this makes sense. For me, not so much.
 
britechguy said:
Yes, it is/was. I warned her when she asked me to replace the screen that it could possibly void her manufacturer's warranty, though I have no idea whether it would/did necessarily do so.

The computer is not even a year old. It was "born" last September.
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Most manufacturers learned from lawsuits in the late '90's early 2k's they can't make that blanket statement just because it was done. What they will do is make every effort to put the blame on something else. Which means they could easily blame the replacement screen. If it was me I'd get a DOA replacement from the vendor first. Then go from there.

And I'm with @mikeroq on extra stuff. I know it's a pain and occupies lots of territory. And to an OCD type can drive them nuts. But having all kinds of spares is what helps build success.
 
Markverhyden said:
If it was me I'd get a DOA replacement from the vendor first. Then go from there.
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Have already updated my ticket with laptopscreens.com and expect to get an RMA from them tomorrow. I'll keep reporting as events progress.

Sorry, but unless you have the volume to go through spares before they become obsolete there's absolutely no point in having them. That's one of the reasons I got out of smartphone repair. It's just impossible to keep spare parts and everyone wants the repair "yesterday." Things are a bit better in regard to "wanting it yesterday" with computer repairs, and for things like screen replacements I'll never stock screens. If I get a request for a screen replacement once every couple of years that's about it.

I do have a stock of spare screws (which are so easy to lose), cables, and other very commonly used bits and pieces but not any of the "once every couple of years" type materials. I just replaced the keyboard/mousepad top unit on my own machine that I'm typing from and got a brand new one for just under $50. It would have cost me 4 times that 2 or three years ago, which is another reason I don't stock seldom used parts. The prices always go down over time (at least if you're not getting into reviving truly vintage equipment, where rarity of spares comes into play).
 
britechguy said:
Have already updated my ticket with laptopscreens.com and expect to get an RMA from them tomorrow. I'll keep reporting as events progress.

Sorry, but unless you have the volume to go through spares before they become obsolete there's absolutely no point in having them. That's one of the reasons I got out of smartphone repair. It's just impossible to keep spare parts and everyone wants the repair "yesterday." Things are a bit better in regard to "wanting it yesterday" with computer repairs, and for things like screen replacements I'll never stock screens. If I get a request for a screen replacement once every couple of years that's about it.

I do have a stock of spare screws (which are so easy to lose), cables, and other very commonly used bits and pieces but not any of the "once every couple of years" type materials. I just replaced the keyboard/mousepad top unit on my own machine that I'm typing from and got a brand new one for just under $50. It would have cost me 4 times that 2 or three years ago, which is another reason I don't stock seldom used parts. The prices always go down over time (at least if you're not getting into reviving truly vintage equipment, where rarity of spares comes into play).
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By spares I'm not referring to new product to sell to customers. Have worked at CompUSA for many years I'm more than aware of the risks of inventory aging. I'm talking about spares stripped from carcasses or replaced parts. For example I'd keep any screen I replaced as long and it got some kind of image, cracking meant nothing. Same thing with RAM, processors, etc. Any machine I'd get, including printers, would get gutted to a certain extent before being tossed. I've got a plastic container of screws that's, no exaggeration, is at least a quart in volume. Comes in handy all the time. Especially when there's a screw gremlin on the loose.
 
Markverhyden said:
By spares I'm not referring to new product to sell to customers. Have worked at CompUSA for many years I'm more than aware of the risks of inventory aging. I'm talking about spares stripped from carcasses or replaced parts. For example I'd keep any screen I replaced as long and it got some kind of image, cracking meant nothing. Same thing with RAM, processors, etc. Any machine I'd get, including printers, would get gutted to a certain extent before being tossed. I've got a plastic container of screws that's, no exaggeration, is at least a quart in volume. Comes in handy all the time. Especially when there's a screw gremlin on the loose.
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Mark,

I do scavenge selectively, that's for sure! At one time I kept a lot more than I do now, because I've learned what is "just taking up space and unlikely to be used" versus something likely to come in handy.

The only Windows 11 machine I now have was a cast-off from a client that I tried to encourage him to let me "nuke and pave" rather than replacing, but he wanted a new machine. I'm not having any of the issues he reported and it's likely to be the only Windows 11 machine I have for several years. I'll keep running my Windows 10 machines that don't qualify for the upgrade going until EOL of Windows 10.

I take a lot of client equipment to Goodwill for their computer recycling program, after having wiped the system drive (unless they choose to keep that) and scavenged whatever I may want to scavenge. Since they no longer resell any computers getting what I want out of them makes sense before they're donated.
 
Damn I even keep boxes parts come in or are delivered, hmm could use that box. I have some laptop displays used for testing purposes, as some have different connectors. A box specific for varied types of RAM, CPU'S & Mobos [ AMD & Intel ] to test possible issues & a dedicated Modular PSU. I am currently rebuilding my '96 socket 7 system, am a bit of a Tech Hoarder; they need to make a tv series about Tech Hoarders :p.
 
frase said:
Damn I even keep boxes parts come in or are delivered, hmm could use that box. I have some laptop displays used for testing purposes, as some have different connectors. A box specific for varied types of RAM, CPU'S & Mobos [ AMD & Intel ] to test possible issues & a dedicated Modular PSU. I am currently rebuilding my '96 socket 7 system, am a bit of a Tech Hoarder; they need to make a tv series about Tech Hoarders :p.
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I'm afraid we would be the stars for that series. We still have laptops running Windows ME and 95 and 98. But believe it or not we sold one last week because a customer wanted to run an old game from Sierra - Civil War. It's crazy every week how many times we are searching our 'relics' for something a customer needs.
 
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