Flickering Laptop Screen

Red_Doe

I have an old Sony Viao, PCG-K115M, and just the past few days the screen has begun flickering.
Not all the time, but it's very disconcering when it does! The last time something similar happened was in my old Compaq just before it blew up! :eek:
I'm a total tech-eejit so if anyone can help, please can you explain in dumbo-speak?

Piggo_2

We've had a flickering screen on our laptop for a while now as well - well before Christmas. It seems to affected when you tilt the screen or bend it etc. So we're just being careful with the join as such and making sure when we carry it around its the screen that is well padded in the bag. We had a few words with our techy friends about it and they didn't really suggest much apart from fingers crossed it doesn't break for good and just to be careful when opening & closing it, great! If you get any tips make sure you post them.

tvaughan

Could be any number of reasons, from a loose connector to a dodgy power supply. I'd make sure your backups are up to date, just in case.

podcake

To understand the fault, you need to understand how the screen works..

most older laptop screens work by having a special layer on top of a piece of plastic through which light is shone..

Were you to put that special layer upto a window and boot up the PC with it connected it would work just like a monitor until it went dark, at which point no light will shine through and so no picture will be seen.

The light for these screens is provided by little lights that are similar to strip lights you may have in your house (in a way) but TINY.

the likely problems with your laptops fit into two catagories: (I'm not saying its all of these, just these are the most likely)

firstly it could be the strip light:
1) a bad power supply for the strip lights
2) a bad power connector for the strip lights
3) a bad strip light(s)

this is more likely if it happens sporadically, particularly if it does it without you having to touch the device

secondly it could be to do with the graphics processing parts
1) a bad wire to the screen
2) something overheating.


in all likelihood I'd say its probably one of the 'first' options unless it only does it when you wiggle the screen. There is good news and bad news about this, assuming its the screen thats faulty. The laptop will almost certainly still work ( but you won't be able to see it) so plugging into a monitor (if you have a VGA connection) might be your salvation. The fault can PROBABLY be fixed, but sadly might cost so much as to make the fix a waste of money, this is because the device needs taking apart, the fault finding and the correct replacement parts put in. (unless you know of a tame Electronic engineer, who you trust)

Browntoa

or could just be the invertor, ebay will normally get you one, 5 minutes to fit

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-PCG-K115M-Laptop-Screen-Inverter-N20878-/120640373275?pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccess_RL&hash=item1c16ba021b

http://www.laptop-repair.info/laptop_screen_repair.html

podcake

Browntoa wrote: »

or could just be the invertor, ebay will normally get you one, 5 minutes to fit

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-PCG-K115M-Laptop-Screen-Inverter-N20878-/120640373275?pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccess_RL&hash=item1c16ba021b

http://www.laptop-repair.info/laptop_screen_repair.html

Indeed, When I said power supply I meant the inverter (as in power supply for the lights)

and whilst I agree that i'd fix it, I know plenty of people who wouldn't want the risk of taking apart the laptop..