LCD problem on a Dell M1330

[SysProg]

My daughters M1330 laptop is having a problem with the LCD display. The picture is clear for about 5 minutes or so and then it starts displaying vertical lines (various colors) where you can no longer see the desktop. When the vertical lines appear, there is a black band about 1.5 inches wide that appears about 1/3 of the distance from the right.

I think that the video chip is ok as I can hook an external LCD monitor to the system as it displays the desktop (though it sometime shows the vertical lines - with the desktop still readable). When I was able to view the desktop I found that Vista was crashing due to 'a problem with the video hardware'.

Is this simply a problem with the LCD display or could it be the 'inverter' that I read about on some of the replacement LCD parts sites?

Note that the system did have a heat issue with the Nvidia chip (known problem with Dell laptops). I removed the heatsink assembly and applied Antec Silver 5 (that's all that my local Fry's had in stock) and I was able to use the laptop for over 3 hours. It would crash after 30 -45 minutes before I did this.

I have just removed the display from the laptop in order to replace the LCD but am wondering if it could be the inverter. Some sites sell the bare LCD and some sell it with the inverter.

Thanks,
Harley

 

[Admiral Michael]

From what you describe it sounds like artifacting and that means it's a problem with the video card.

An inverter is part of the backlight for the LCD, if you had an issue with that then the screen wouldn't light up and just stay black as if you had the laptop off.

Here are some samples of artifacting:
video artifacting - Google Search

 

[Mainframeguy]

We have one of these in for repair ATM - shame you are not in the UK - I could have brokered a salvage operation to sacrifice on of these to make a good one from parts (Problem with the one in for repair is different issue - PSU or mobo shorting, no power up.)

 

[Sazar]

My daughters M1330 laptop is having a problem with the LCD display. The picture is clear for about 5 minutes or so and then it starts displaying vertical lines (various colors) where you can no longer see the desktop. When the vertical lines appear, there is a black band about 1.5 inches wide that appears about 1/3 of the distance from the right.

I think that the video chip is ok as I can hook an external LCD monitor to the system as it displays the desktop (though it sometime shows the vertical lines - with the desktop still readable). When I was able to view the desktop I found that Vista was crashing due to 'a problem with the video hardware'.

Is this simply a problem with the LCD display or could it be the 'inverter' that I read about on some of the replacement LCD parts sites?

Note that the system did have a heat issue with the Nvidia chip (known problem with Dell laptops). I removed the heatsink assembly and applied Antec Silver 5 (that's all that my local Fry's had in stock) and I was able to use the laptop for over 3 hours. It would crash after 30 -45 minutes before I did this.

I have just removed the display from the laptop in order to replace the LCD but am wondering if it could be the inverter. Some sites sell the bare LCD and some sell it with the inverter.

Thanks,
Harley

Did you check with tech support? If your system is out of warranty but there was some kind of recall or bulletin about the video card, you may well have recourse.

 

[SysProg]

I emailed Dell's Tech Support on this yesterday. I doubt that they wil cover it at this time though. My other daughter's laptop had the problem where the Nvidia chip actually fried. Dell replaced the motherboard twice in about a 3 month period (it fried the second one a little over 2 months of being replaced). Dell extended the warranty for 1 year on each of the laptops but that expired in November 2009.

I guess that she's going to be stuck with purchasing a new laptop or getting a desktop system. The MB for this laptop runs about $350.00.

I know that it's a matter of opinion, but does anyone have a preference for laptop brands? The company I work for switched from Dell to HP a few years ago due to problems. I heard last week that they are going back to Dell. I'm not sure the reason, but knowing how the company is run it is because they can get a better deal from Dell. All they care about is the money that they have to pay out, not the aggravation or the down time of the employees.

Thanks for the info!


SysProg