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Dell Inspiron with Display Issues

M

mrcaffeinex

Member
Hello everyone,

I have been troubleshooting a Dell Inspiron 6000 for the better part of a week now. The system seems to run fine, but the display is always very dim. I started with the basics, adjusting the brightness up to the maximum through the display properties and by using the built-in function keys. I also went into the BIOS and adjusted the brightness there. Adjusting the brightness changed nothing. Regardless of what level I set the brightness at, the display remained exactly the same: dim and barely visible.

I updated the BIOS to the latest version, then updated the video drivers to their latest version and nothing has changed. Then I started digging deeper and disassembled the display casing. I have another Dell here with the exact same display, so I tried that display on this system, but it was also dim, even though it works fine on the original system. The display panel from the buggy Dell works fine in the other Dell that I have here.

I then started poking around online and found a number of places that suggested it was the inverter board that was causing the problem. I was unable to order one directly from Dell, so I went to an e-tailer. It was relatively inexpensive and arrived the next day, so I installed it, but was greeted with the same dim display. Thinking that it may have just been a poor quality after-market part, I ordered a slightly more expensive one from a different e-tailer, which gave me the same result once installed.

I can connect the system to a standard desktop display via the VGA connection and everything is perfect on the external display. There is a function key to toggle between the laptop display, an external display and both displays simultaneously. If I have it set to display on both displays, the external display is fine, but the notebook display remains dim.

Has anyone here experienced this issue? I can't think of any additional troubleshooting steps to take, so if any of you have some ideas, they would be immensely appreciated.

Thank you,

-MrCaffeineX
 
Sounds like the problem isn't with the display at all but possibly with the cable that connects it to the GUI. Since you get a good display on an external monitor, that's a good indication the gui still works fine. I would check the cable that connects the gui to the inverter, possibly replace it with the one from the good dell. Don't know if it will help but its worth a shot. Good luck!
 
Thank you for the reply Pete.

As you suggested, I tried the cable from the working unit and it still produced the same dim display.

On the working unit the display, inverter and cable all seem to work fine. The screen has no issues on that one.

Use the same components on the broken unit and it is barely visible.

I'm still scratching my head...
 
Wow this is a tough one! my next thoughts turn to power, the external VGA draws its own power so it would give you a good display. Have you tried using the battery and power cable from the good dell on the evil one?
 
Are you running off the battery or AC power?

If the system senses a low battery condition it will dim the display (but not necessarily to the point of being unreadable). It's a power-saving condition.
 
The battery checks out fine, but just for good measure I did swap them and the power adapters, but still the same thing happens.

I'm thinking that there must be some kind of voltage/current control at the circuit level that is out of whack.

I realize it is more or less a waste of time at this point, but I hate when an answer eludes me...
 
Yeah, I hear that, it's always a rewarding feeling when you solve a tough one. This one leaves only the mobo now as the culprit. At least it's not a total loss seing how you can still use it while connected to an external monitor,though that kinda defeats the whole purpose of a laptop.
 
Yeah, I hear that, it's always a rewarding feeling when you solve a tough one. This one leaves only the mobo now as the culprit. At least it's not a total loss seing how you can still use it while connected to an external monitor,though that kinda defeats the whole purpose of a laptop.
 
Does it have a dedicated video card or onboard? I know that you could get that model with either. If it has dedicated you could take it apart and reseat the video card. It's worth a shot at this point.
 
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