Resolved Extremely dark screen

Wife had her laptop ( HP Pavilion g4 ) fall from her chair. It landed with the screen open on the screen and keyboard. After picking it up the desktop and any programs can only be viewed with a flashlight shining on the screen. If you didn't use a flashlight you would think the screen was black with nothing on it. I have tried shutting down and restarting several times, opening and closing the screen multiple times with no results not even a flash or hint of white or any color ever on the screen. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. Thanks, Jack

 

Changed a lot of HP screens. Just changed one last November on an HP Pavilion dv2810 with a 14.1" screen. It fell from a stand the Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp(CCFL) was shattered. You definitely need to replace your screen. I'd follow PeteC's advice.

 

I kind of figured that. Hoping for something minor. Time for a new one. I'll just hook up the HDMI to the TV and transfer everything to a flash drive and move on. Thanks a million, Jack

 

Sorry about being one of the bearers of bad news and you're welcome. They're easy to change as long as you take you time. If you have the product number(P/N, located on the bottom of the machine) I can send you a link to the service manual ,if you so desire.

 

If shining a flashlight into the screen lets you view the programs on the desktop, the actual screen panel should be fine and you only need to replace the CCFL and/or inverter - not the screen.

 

Bill I think he opted for a new laptop. CCFL is a real pain to change. I changed CCFL in one of my laptops after installing a new inverter and never really liked the way it worked. Ended up replacing the screen in the end. I changed a CCFL screen and an inverter in a Compaq laptop. Owner spill Jagermeister(hope I spelled that right) down into the screen, keyboard that stuff is works better than Gorilla Glue. I started calling it Gorilla Booze.

 

CCFL and inverter replacements are done all the time at repair shops. That is one of the most common notebook repair jobs. Yes, if not something you do often, it is a PITA but it typically is much easier and less costly than replacing the panel too. After all the assembly to replace the entire screen is basically the same labor process.

IMO, because of the lack of an ATX Form Factor Standard for notebook, all notebook repairs that require disassembly are a PITA!

Many repair shops do it so often they charge a flat rate to do it. Others charge normal labor plus parts. Labor should be no more than 2 hours, and typically an experienced tech can do it in one. Parts are typically $50 (though sometimes less) to $150, depending on availability and specific parts. I generally recommend replacing both the inverter and CCFL at the same time while in there.

There are lots of tutorials and even sites dedicated to it like Notebook/LCD Inverter Repair.

If so, then the point is moot. But...

That could simply indicate a cable connection was knocked loose when it hit the floor.

 

I charge about the same to do the repair. Done the display repairs many times myself. I do not try to charge college students some of them are really struggling just to try and stay in school.

 

I hear you. I am the same way - and with the elderly too - many of whom are pensioners, just wanting to stay in contact with their grandkids.

One thing nice is LED backlit displays, which are much more robust and reliable, have been around long enough that soon, they will outnumber the older CCFL backlit displays so these type repairs are becoming less needed.

 

CCFL were good in their time but their time has past.

 

Yes, but as with lots of electronics, it often refuses to die when it's time has passed. CRTs, VCRs, cassettes, 8-tracks. At least vinyl is making a solid return.

 

Vinyl returning is awesome to me. I have an ion audio duo deck that plays vinyl, and cassettes. You can convert the music from LPS and the cassettes with this deck and put it all on CDs, iPods etc.

 

Converting analog back to a digital format defeats the purpose for vinyl returning, no?

Instruments produce sound and sound is analog. Vinyl is analog. Speakers output is analog. Our ears hear in analog. The whole point of vinyl returning is to eliminate any influence all that analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion going on when storing tunes in and playing tunes from a digital format.

 

But I mainly listen. That's the beauty of this thing. I plug in headphones and it's talk to ya later time.

 

Outside of playing Frisbee, not sure what else you can do with vinyl records!

 

I used to convert a lot of my LPs and cassette when I first got the deck. But I guess the novelty wore off now I just listen.

 

I have 600 plus CDs and I copied all to hard disk - then copied about 1000 songs to my MP3 player to listen while I ride my bike (the Omaha metro area has lots of really nice bike trails).

I also have about 400 LPs. With many of my favorites I bought the CD - if available. But some never were released on CD.

The problem with many new songs today is they are mastered and "engineered" to sound best with earbuds, not full range loudspeakers found in better sound systems. That's where the new LPs are supposed to shine because they are made for serious listening.

 

I listen to albums that I purchased at A&S Department Store. I have all of the Original releases of Beatles, Doors, Moody Blues, Elton John etc. I have the full Mozart Collection I used to play classical piano.

 

Well, no Mozart here but I do have all the others too. I suspect we are about the same age.