Bad LCD display on Toshiba Laptop(??)

[ironsickel]

Ok try this one on for size.
Recently got a laptop from a seller on anandtech. Seller claims the laptop was tiptop before shipping it to me and at this point I don't doubt him. He's been very helpful so far but we're running out of options so I thought I'd try here.
The laptop is a Toshiba Satellite 2100 CDT.
It boots up and runs perfectly but I have no LCD display. Only way I can do anything with it is if I hook up an external monitor.
The LCD itself does display an image, but barely. The image is dark almost to the point of solid black. The best way to describe it is that there's no backlight behind the image. I can (barely) view the image in a well lit room but if I turn off the lights in the room, the LCD is completely black.
Anybody have any ideas? It's possible the LCD was damaged during shipment, but if anybody thinks otherwise, feel free to lend us a hand.
It almost looks like the contrast/color/brightness settings were turned all the way down, but the machine doesn't have those settings to adjust.
HELP!

Thanks alot guys,
Brandon

 

[MrTux]

There has to be brightness/contrast settings somewhere....if you dont have the manual, you can probably download it in pdf format from Toshiba's website. If the LCD was damaged, it would most likely not work at all or display distorted images.

 

[nsafreak]

Well now this is interesting, I just went & downloaded the documentation for your laptop. There is a contrast control dial, but only in the CDS line, not for CDTs like yours. And nowhere in the documentation does it mention another method of adjusting it via another dial or button. It almost sounds like the backlight on your display has been damaged or died.

 

[ironsickel]

Tux...already looked at the manual...can't find anything for contrast adjustment like nsafreak mentioned.
I don't really know much about LCDs. Is there a backlight in there?
if so, is it possible/practical to fix/replace or is the thing pretty much junk?

Brandon

PS--any other suggestions/helps/hints more than welcome.

 

[nsafreak]

You know I was just thinking about my Toshiba Portege 660 CDT and how it doesn't have any controls on the laptop either. But if I remember correctly there were adjustments for the backlight in the BIOS setup. I know it's an odd place to find them but you might want to see if there's some kind of display adjustment or backlight adjustment in the BIOS. LCD displays do indeed have backlights & if it is dead it is usually possible to replace the backlight tube. I just do not know how much it would run you to replace this tube.

 

[DIRTsquirt]

I dont have and havent had your model but the toshiba laptops I have had in the past have a fn key on the key board
push the fn key and the one one with the pic of the monitor on the front face of the key.. dont have one in front of me but if memory serves its like f5 and the fn key simultaneously pressed

 

[jschuk]

Okay, first pull up the keyboard holder strip between the mouse buttons and the keyboard. Remove the screw and clip, and pull the keyboard out (no need to undo the ribbon cable). To make it easier, remove the screw for the piece of plastic above where the keyboard sits. Remove the harness from the system board and reseat it. Any change, yes then good, no then keep reading.

Use a sharp knife or stick pin and remove the two sticker on the LCD mask. Remove those two screws. Now grasp the inside of the LCD mask (so your fingernails is facing the LCD) and pull up on the LCD mask. Yes, it will make a snapping sound, but just work your way around screen till you remove the LCD mask. Check and reseat the cable connections to the FL inverter (small PCB) and especially the connection for the FL tube (white and pink wires coming from the LCD). Any change, yes then good, no then keep reading.

Hopefully you didn't screw the keyboard down. If I remember right, near where the harness plugs into the system board, there is a fuse behind it. Check for continuity. It's a fuse, you want electricity to flow through it, so continuity is good. If the fuse is blown, short it with a flatblade screwdriver while the unit is on. Any change, yes then good, no then keep reading.

Oh yeah, as mentioned above, you can try the FN-F5 key combination, but it probably won't do any good if no monitor is hooked up externally. Mostly likely if you have checked everything mentioned then you have a broken FL tube. Time to cash in on that shipping insurance. FL tubes are usually about $50-110 + labor. If the shipper will cover it, then send the unit to a Premier Toshiba Service Center (not Toshiba's Depot).