LCD Monitor

[carlos]

I have a 3 year old laptop from Inca (now defunct). It is a PII, 266 with 64K RAM on the Motherboard. I am running Win98. The TFT screen is a beautiful white and has been that way for about three weeks now. This is the third episode in three years. The first time I was left using an external monitor for about three weeks until the screen came back to life - by magic. The second time the monitor went blank I took it apart, no easy job, and found everything plugged in as it should be. I put it back together and it worked. This time, I waited three weeks to take it apart thinking that three weeks was a magic number, still white. I took it apart and well, it really hasn´t changed alot in three years - it looked the same. The screen is still white. Power goes to the screen as it changes from grey to white and stays that way all the while I am using the external monitor. I can toggle between the external monitor and the LCD, but it does not change anything. I am using a NeoMagic MagicGraph128XD video driver (4.10.01.0003-Q6.10.11, refresh rate 60HZ) that came with the system. NeoMagic suggests I talk to the dealer where I bought it (who is out of business). Nothing new on the system that could interfere with the LCD screen as far as programs or hardware. Everything looks good and the system check says no conflicts. I just turned it off one day and turned it on the next to find this problem. Other details - It has always been slow, to my point of view. I have tried to put in more RAM as I have room for 192RAM, but it seems that nothing I have found is compatible. The stores have no idea about the RAM either. It may be a bad video chip (???), however, I am holding off opening the case again. I am sure the chip must be soldered to the motherboard like the RAM.

Any ideas would be great. Thanks. Carlos

[yawningdog]

Greetings carlos. Whenever I hear of intermittent problems, I always think ribbon cable or some other type of connector. If there are any cables or harnesses having to do with video, I would replace them. After that, I would say you own an anchor. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif

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Make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler.

[carlos]

After removing close to 20 screws and multiple attepts to open the case (hours of cracking sounds, and a few small pieces of plastic separated from the case) I am still unable to open the &/·/%"("·$ thing.

I also found an article on a laptop hints page saying that the cable connection could be the culprit. I have found nothing to tell me how to open the case, except for a tech support person who said, "pull, pull, pull - ignore the loud cracking noises and pull." This concept worries me. Is there any way to find out how to open this thing up or is it more luck the knowledge?

Carlos

[yawningdog]

Chances are that this thing is not designed to be opened at all, so popping and cracking sounds are to be expected. Look for tabs and slots into which to shove a screwdriver and pry. Luck and knowledge play equal parts in an evoluton such as this. Take a little comfort and a lot of humor in the fact that plastic pieces breaking usually dont affect performance in and of themselves and you may have a duct tape project in the making. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/tongue.gif

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Make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler.