XPS 15 9550 - Black Screen and Screen Distortion (Horizontal - Vertical Lines)

It seems that I've found the solution to my problems (Hopefully!)

Device:
XPS 15 9550 - i7 4K 512GB

1st Problem:
- Small horizontal lines on the home screen and while booting.
- Screen Distortion (Horizontal - Vertical Lines)



2nd Problem:
- No boot (Dell Logo and BIOS not showing)
- Black Screen (Screen is off and No backlight, Keyboard lights is on, Power lights is on)
- I thought I have a bricked laptop already


Accidentally, while I was holding/supporting the mistakenly bricked laptop with one hand in the bottom (fist on the bottom-center part of the laptop), I decided to power it on. And to my surprise, it boots up...clean!
And when I tried to move my hand, the distortion came back. So I figured out that maybe there's some loose connection inside.

I opened the laptop and found out that the display cable bracket (4) was too loose. I don't know if it was designed that way but mine was too loose. By simply tightening it...Now, my laptop boots A-OK!

I don't know the real purpose of the display cable bracket. If it is designed to clip and hold the display cable or just to cover that area. Also, when you put back the cover, there is a conductive cushion which goes directly on top of the display cable bracket.

Explanation:
No POST - possible disconnection with the Display Cable
Screen Distortion - possibly caused by moving display cable bracket.



Torx and Screw Driver saves the day!

On to the next adventure...

 

Common issue (as in a couple of people here had it) that cover is bugger all use as it makes no contact at all and the #4 screws a japanese special so you can strip it easily.

 

Can i remove it totally? I don't know it's real purpose also...


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I would leave it be, it was put in for a reason, even if it is to stop the cable shorting something out if it moves.

 

Okay...thanks for the info...


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My screen went black like yours and it was the same cable; not loose but just was not well seated. Maybe the cable was brushed against by a "Dell tech". No issues for 6 months since reseating the cable.

But...that screw is very easy to strip with standard screwdriver. And incredibly difficult to remove if it strips; took me hours to figure out how to get it out.

According to the site below screw is M2 x 2mm Wafer and apparently requires a JIS bit (Japanese Industrial Standard, which is less pointy than normal screwdriver).

The cover is hefty and might provide some shielding or prevent the connetor from being fully pulled out but I don't think it helps prevent the cable from coming a bit loose. Bad design...

http://blog.parts-people.com/2016/0...cd-display-assembly-removal-and-installation/

 

Thanks Pressing! Unfortunately...the 2nd problem came back to me today...Same black screen that cannot get past POST. I've re-tightened the said screw but now it does not help. Pressing the Fn button + Power button gives me 15 short beeps and then Caps Lock key blinking 3 times and it does not stop until i shut down the laptop...any help?


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Ey

Try removing the cable once again. Check there is a bit of slack near that connector so that will reduce strain on the cable.
Then CAREFULLY reseat.

Any time you open the laptop you run the risk of brushing against that cable and with such small connectors it can come loose.

If that does not work, you might have a bad cable or cable interface. Never read about that being a problem on the XPS 15, however

 

Thanks for the info...will try that again...it is very frustrating and annoying to have this problem after paying such a huge amount of money...or maybe i'll just send it to Dell repair since it's still under warranty. Honestly, I don't want to send this unit to a repair because I've read a lot of bad repair comments on the net...


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It's not to hard the second time around. Mine has been rock solid for the past 9 months.

If you still have problems then time to call Dell.