Toshiba satellite screen isuse

Hi,
Ive got a problem with a rather old (2003/4)* Toshiba satellite laptops screen. Suddenly, when I started the laptop up, all that I can see is a very faint image of whatever is/was on screen. I've used an external monitor to check that the problem isn't to do with anything else and have done a complete restore of the laptop; alongside fiddling with every brightness control and screen setting imaginable-but to no avail. Ive tried everything that I could think of and am at a complete dead end. The laptop was only being used, since 2007, for storing files and as a backup, so I don't think the thing has got a virus or anything like that. I think that the problem may be a broken backlight, but any other suggestions on what could of caused the screen to act up and how to fix the problem are appreciated. Thanks for any help given !

*The laptop has updated RAM and a updated HD, but those shouldn't affect the screen. Also the laptop hasn't been used as a Linux machine, even though I was considering it , so I can't think of what caused the problem.

 

We're in the same boat. Mine was due to water damage, however it's likely the same issue.

This was the advice that a very knowledgeable user gave me, but I haven't had a chance yet to try:

Of course this is only something you will want to do if you're comfortable getting knee deep in laptop disasembly .

Good luck.

 

It's most likely the inverter, which powers the backlight. They aren't 100% reliable and die more often than the tube itself.

You could look through the links in this thread to see if there is a disassembly guide for your Toshiba.

John

 

Thanks (+rep). I don't think that I will disassemble the Toshiba, I am afraid that I will probably do more damage than existed before.

 

Erm, does anybody think that I will be able to get Toshiba to replace the screen under the UK 2003 Sales of goods act( http://www.berr.gov.uk/consumers/fa...lawman.co.uk/acts/sale-of-goods-act-1979.php)? Or is that just a waste of my time and effort?

 

I think Toshiba would consider the inverter failure (if that is what it is) to benormal wear and tear. I believe that the extended period in the Sale of Goods Act applies more to manufacturing defects which did not become evident during the normal warranty period. This may be the case with the nVidia GPUs which are failing after time during normal usage.

John

 

What model of Toshiba is it? Some models are particularly susceptible to inverters going.