Re: Inspiron 6000 Backlight Replacement

Dean-MN wrote:
Hi,
I have an Inspiron 6000 that has its 15.4" WXGA+ display going black from time to time. In doing research on the problem, I find that a backlight can be purchased for $35 and that's way less than a LCD panel. I have not determined the exact problem but am wondering if replacing a backlight is something an intermediate computer tinkerer can do. I have no reservations about taking apart notebooks and if the backlight is the problem replacing it would be way cheaper than a $150 to $300 LCD... Dean

Before making the investment, make sure that the graphics adapter is not the culprit. In particular, nVidia geaphics chips have a habit of going flaky (in various and sundry ways) when subjected to excessive heat. Don't know if the Inspiron 6000 has an nVidia chip or whether it is part of the motherboard or part of a separate snap-on proprietary graphics card.

Troubleshooting this sort of problem can be agonizing and expensive. You think you have the problem solved with a replacement part, only to have the problem recur again, as happened to me recently with a client's Inspiron E1505.

So:

1. See what happens if you connect an external monitor. If the monitor works and the LCD goes black, you know that there is a problem with the backlight or the entire LCD assembly. If both go black, you have a graphics chip problem.

2. It may also be that either the backlight connector is loose inside the LCD screen or that the cable connecting to the laptop motherboard (or graphics card) is simply loose. A little bit of disassembly can verify a proper cable-motherboard connection. Checking the backlight cable and other cable connections involves disassembly of the LCD screen, not rocket science, but tedious and painstaking... Ben Myers
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Relevant Pages

  • Backlight and LCD module patches [2]
    ... This patch adds lcd and backlight driver classes so that the ... +struct lcd_properties { ... * class is registered before users of the class try to register lcd's ...
    (Linux-Kernel)
  • Re: LCD Monitor has very low display quality at 800x600 setting
    ... condition that is effected by a flickering fluorescent light ... light behind the LCD display and that is how it works. ... Try turning the backlight off and use ... to the NEC ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • [PATCH] fbdev: Statically link the framebuffer notification functions
    ... The backlight and lcd subsystems can be notified by the framebuffer layer ... separate out the framebuffer notification mechanism from the ...
    (Linux-Kernel)
  • Re: Gateway M305 backlight revisited
    ... Laptop boots normally, except no backlight. ... someone suggested checking the sleep mode switch. ... That's the one activated by the LCD cover closing. ... Sleep mode on this unit is enable by closing lid, or momentarily toggling the power switch...no dedicated sleep switch. ...
    (sci.electronics.repair)
  • Re: I1520 and I6000
    ... you might find the video interesting as it shows the process with a inspiron 6000. ... the rubber screw covers rarely stay on once removed and so when i get a replacement lcd i always ask for a replacement set but dell rarely actually sends them. ... "Christopher Muto" <muto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ... additionally offered wxga truelife, wsxga+ truelife, and wsxga+ ...
    (alt.sys.pc-clone.dell)