Laptop screen problem

I have received a Compaq Presario B1800 laptop from one of my clients with a unique problem - the picture has shrunk by about 2 inches from right side. There is a 2 inch black strip on the right side of the display. Its happening in BIOS setup as well as Windows.

I have tried removing the battery, tried changing resolution in Windows but haven't succeeded so far.

Any ideas ?

PS: The Serial Number & UUID Number in BIOS are ALL 0 [zero]. I don't know whether it helps or not.

 

If the owner has automatic updates from the manufacturer enabled, it may have tried to install a BIOS upgrade and had a power failure or freeze in Windows. I would look at doing a BIOS (re)flash using a boot disk method.

 

I have already flashed the BIOS. No improvement.

 

Knowing Compaq I don't suppose there are any earlier BIOS versions offered.

I can't think of much else, since it appears to be at the BIOS level. Have you tried the "Setup Defaults" setting? Maybe it needs to have the CMOS cleared. That may not be easy on a laptop. I would read through any User Guide/service manual. To remove the CMOS battery may require partially dismantling it. [On one older IBM laptop I worked on the other day, it had a "reset button" on the base, it worked ].

Matt

 

Some laptops clear the CMOS if you remove all power (Mains and Battery) then press the power on button for 30 seconds. It's worth a try and helped me out more than a few times.

 

Matt I have already set the BIOS to default. No joy.

I think I have to find some way to clear BIOS as suggested by you & wildifire before doing any major surgery on it.

One more thing - the VGA adapter [Intel] appears twice in the Device Manager. Even after reloading Win XP afresh it continues to appear twice. If I delete one of them, on the next boot it appears again.

 

Try disabling the extra vga adapter, see if this changes things. If you continue deleting it, it'll more than likely keep coming back.

 

It's the screen itself. Replace it. I've seen it several times.

 

I am also coming around to the view that its a hardware problem which needs the laptop to be opened & serviced. Would be sending it for servicing.

Thanks all for joining in.

 

If you're good with computers, you can replace the screen yourself. There may even be guides out there to do it. The front bezel is held in by screws and then you can pop it off. The screen is accessible by undoing the screws holding it in place and lifting it out.

 

Yes I think I can do it, but my client is not going to pay me for that . He would happily pay if its done by Compaq/HP.

 

Jeepers! They're going to rip him off $600 or more for that. You can bill it out at $230 USD, screen and install, and save him a bundle!!

 

aweston, I understand that but the client doesn't.

He wants it to be done by Compaq so that he can have warranty. I am also not much inclined as I don't know for sure whether its the screen or the graphic chip which is giving problem. Better to let Compaq handle the headache.