backlight gone!

[imported_GLO]

I have an old IBM A20m and the back light has gone out. If i hold a bright light up to the LCD i can see the windows desktop so the LCD is fine, so i suspect its either the inverter or the fluro tube that has gone or a hairline fracture in the wiring somewhere...

what do you think it is? And would it be worthwhile repairing it?

 

[coolVariable]

I had the same problem once with an old laptop of mine.

In my laptop the cable for the backlight broke/ripped and therefore it no longer worked.
Try opening the laptop to see whether the cable is simply broken ....

 

[imported_GLO]

i dont think im that game to open it up.

Every once in a while, the back light will come back on upon boot up, but its becoming further and further in between now!

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: GLO
Every ones in a while, the back light will come back on upon boot up, but its becoming further and further in between now!

Definitely sounds like the cable or a connector to the cable. Find a decent local repair shop if you can't tackle that - or if under warranty, exercise it.

 

[coolVariable]

only the shop will charge you 100+ .... for a $5 cable

 

[imported_GLO]

Originally posted by: coolVariable
only the shop will charge you 100+ .... for a $5 cable

thats exactly what im afraid of...

 

[imported_GLO]

I am using an external monitor now, and as i set up to do a disc error check and rebooted, the LCD back light has come back on!

Thats what i mean, its freaky. I havent moved the laptop, only pressed a few buttons to get the HDD error check (CHKDSK) and rebooted and the backlight is back on now????

Could it still be the cable? or maybe its a software issue?

 

[imported_GLO]

.

 

[moretoys]

Doubt it could be software because you could see the display with bright light. Most likely a wire or ribbon going to the inverter

 

[imported_GLO]

do you think it would be worthwhile to try and find the hairline fracture? Or would i just be wasting my time?

 

[moretoys]

Depends on how savy you are with electronics. No point you trying to fix it if you can't get parts due to age of the laptop and can't get around it by making a connector or soldering. If that is the case, wait till it stops working again & get a shop to repair it if you need it, or you could risk a repair if you don't 'need' it.
If it was me and I owned it, I would take the bezel off around the LCD (if that is where the inverter is in on your laptop, was on my old toughbook) and carefully try moving the wires/ribbon coming in to the inverter. If the backlight goes out, you know where it is. Then I would patch it up. Oh, if you attempt this, careful of the wires coming out of the inverter. I believe they are fairly high voltage. Oh,and if it somehow ends up being the CFL, you can order generic replacement tubes, I think for around $25, but it is a task to put them in.

 

[imported_GLO]

i think im good wih electronic, but that excludes fine soldering liek PCB boards or ribbons.

 

[moretoys]

Doubt it would be that fine. Most of the work to me is getting the laptop apart, but the IBM may be better that way...

 

[imported_GLO]

mmmm now you got me thinking! Well i can built a PC and pull apart DVD players and VCRs so maybe this would be within my skill level.

 

[imported_GLO]

now, after the backlight went off as per the system settings, and then i move the mouse, it wont come back on now???