Help Me Diagnose This LCD Damage

October 7, 2011 9:44 AM

Has anybody seen this kind of damage to an LCD screen? Can I fix it?

I was given a 1-year-old HP laptop by an acquaintance who couldn't didn't know how he screwed up the screen. The damage drove him to buy a new laptop and ditch this one.

Check out these images:

http://imgur.com/fdtI4
http://imgur.com/xFVIX
http://imgur.com/LNrB0

The weird marks show up in all situations, no matter the background color. When I plug an external monitor into the laptop, the marks do not show up on the external monitor, which makes me think it's a screen issue and not a video card issue.

What do you think?

posted by baltimoretim to computers & internet (10 answers total)

I think its physical damage to the screen. Was something heavy sitting on it when it was in storage?
posted by hal_c_on at 9:46 AM on October 7, 2011

Perhaps this askme discussion will be helpful or you. I had a similar problem, I think, although on a smaller scale.
posted by SpacemanStix at 9:51 AM on October 7, 2011

The LCD is busted - There's been some sort of pressure damage - the glass itself is not cracked, but the actual LCD substrate is 'leaking' for lack of a better term. Only way to fix it is replace the screen.
posted by pupdog at 9:51 AM on October 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

Looks to me like physical damage as well. I work in this industry, so I've seen this kind of damage before. Probably compression damage, possibly even to the extent of creating cracks.

If you want to use the screen you'll need to have it replaced.
posted by blurker at 9:53 AM on October 7, 2011

I should have added diagnosing and fixing this sort of thing is what I do. Every day it seems. Most likely the screen was closed onto something or something was placed on top of the system and put pressure in a few spots.
posted by pupdog at 9:53 AM on October 7, 2011

Pupdog has it. Screen is damaged and needs to be replaced.
posted by procrastination at 9:54 AM on October 7, 2011

Sounds like consensus to me. Thanks for your help!
posted by baltimoretim at 9:55 AM on October 7, 2011

No prob, baltimoretim. Hope it's an easy fix!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that we have multiple folks working in failure analysis of electronics on these boards. But I now I sort of want to wander through my lab and ask anyone if they have a secret identity called pupdog.

*waves at pupdog across the lab*
posted by blurker at 10:02 AM on October 7, 2011

I replaced the LCD of a Toshiba laptop this year. The new panel cost $100, and the process took 20 minutes. I got my replacement panel from a vendor on Amazon.
posted by bonofasitch at 10:31 AM on October 7, 2011

We don't wave in this lab. ;)
posted by pupdog at 10:41 AM on October 7, 2011