[hortoncj]

Hey everyone, I'm in desperate need of some help here, and I'd really appreciate your advice.

I own a Dell Inspiron E1505 laptop running Windows XP Media Edition. A couple of months ago I discovered my computer sitting on my coffee table with a small puddle of water beneath it. How this accident occurred is still beyond me, as it had to have happened in the middle of the night (I have 2 cats and a dog, so there's no telling).

I let the computer dry out as best as I could. After several hours I started it up, and it booted just fine. Then I noticed the left side of the screen going dim. The far right side is lit perfectly, but the left side is so dark I can hardly read it in the daytime.

The brightness is not a perfect split either, it fades from the darkest part of the screen being on the far left to the brightest being on the far right.

Also, every time I try and turn the brightness of the screen to its highest, it sort of "shorts out" (for lack of a better description) and just turns off completely. The computer still running, but the screen stops working. I have to leave it at a lower brightness setting for the screen to stay on. If I make the computer hibernate using the keyboard commands, then bring it back up again, the screen will come back on. But at the brightest setting it lasts only a couple of seconds - and that's with the computer plugged in. While its running on the battery, I can't get anywhere near full brightness without it shorting out.

Here's some more information. When I first boot my laptop after it having been off for several hours, the screen will function almost perfectly (it still won't let me take it to the highest level of brightness without shorting out). Then after several minutes, the dimming begins to occur on the left side, and then within a half hour it's almost too dark to read. There's also a very soft high-pitched "buzzing sound" (again lacking in better description) coming from the screen that stops when it shorts out.

So, in summary...

(*) After being off for several hours, screen functions well
(*) Left side of the screen becomes almost too dark to read within 30 minutes and stays that way
(*) Screen "shorts out" when I take the brightness setting to its highest
(*) "Buzzing" sound heard while screen is on

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated! I'm hoping you guys can save me from buying another computer.

 

[TheMatt]

Hi,

It sounds like there is a problem with one of the backlights on the screen. I am thinking the source may actually be the inverter but its hard to tell. Unfortunately it will cost quite a bit to repair most likely (> $100). I would say your best is to take it to a local repair shop to get it fixed.

 

[hortoncj]

> $100 sounds A-OK to me. Considering it's a $1300 computer, I'm willing to spend a little extra to get it repaired.

So far the only advice from friends I know who work on computers has been "Just buy a new one." I'm trying as best I can to avoid this method!!

 

[TheMatt]

When the screen completely goes out, take a flashlight and shine it at the screen or put the screen in bright sunlight and see if you can faintly see an image.

 

[hortoncj]

Y'know, at times I thought I was being too detailed in my description of the problems I've been having with my screen, and this is probably the one detail I left out.

Yes, when the screen goes out, if I look close enough, I can faintly still see the images that are on screen. Very, VERY dark, almost black, but it's obvious that the windows are still there.

Telling you anything?

 

[TheMatt]

It means you need to replace the backlight and the inverter is probably OK. Fortunately this is not an uncommon repair but it is not something I would attempt if you have never done it before. A repair shop should be able to order the part and do it.

This also means you can hook up an external VGA monitor to the laptop and it should work fine.

 

[hortoncj]

This also means you can hook up an external VGA monitor to the laptop and it should work fine.

Sounds great! If only I knew what exactly you meant.. or if I had the cables to do so.

 

[TheMatt]

Do you have another monitor like from a desktop that you can use for the laptop?

 

[jyoder]

I have a similar problem with my dell e1505. When i plugged it into an external monitor, it is fine on the external monitor AND it now is fine on the laptop screen too? So, now i'm totally confused.
Any thoughts from the experts?

 

[TheMatt]

What specifically happens when the external monitor is removed? I just want to get an idea if this is really the exact same issue.

 

[jyoder]

After I disconnected it from the external monitor, it was fine for a few minutes, and then began to get dark on one side again. I know have a high pitched noise as well, that varies depending on if the power cord is plugged in or not. Sometimes unplugging the power makes it go away, but then sometimes it doesn't.

With it unplugged, it almost sounds like a crackling or drive access noise, but with it plugged in, it is very high pitched and anyoing.

Thanks

 

[TheMatt]

That is very strange. With the external monitor plugged in it shouldn't make a difference whether the primary laptop screen works or not.

Does the laptop panel malfunction outside of Windows (during the POST and Windows boot screen) or only in Windows?

 

[jyoder]

Yes, pretty much soon as there is something to display on the screen. It basically makes a high pitched hum, which if i turn up the brightness increases, and if i turn down the brightness, decreases. I talked to Dell, they think it is the video card, and said I have to replace the entire motherboard as the card is integrated into the Motherboard. The PC is only just a year old, so it seems crazy to me that I should have this type of issue. (btw, they want to charge me 400 to do it too)

 

[TheMatt]

Unfortunately, for a laptop $400 would would be reasonable. If it works with the monitor plugged in I don't think it is the video card though.

It can't be a driver/windows issue. My next thing to try would be to reset all the BIOS settings to default in the BIOS setup (just a quick thing to try, although I don't think its likely this will work).

 

[Ileana]

Thanks God for this forum!!!Well I just find out that the screen in my laptop model E1505 inpiron is broken. The half of the screen can be seen but the other half is white background with running vertical paralell multicolor lines. How much this can cost me when I go to take for repair.


thank you!!
IR

 

[Nick214]

If the inverter is bad what does happen. I have e1505 also but dont have anything on screen. I was hoping it may be inverter.