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freakout9903
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
Gastonia, NC

freakout9903

Premium Member

Dell Inspiron 8100 Laptop LCD problem

Hey everyone! Well I have been troubleshooting this problem with my laptop for a good year now. I was using my laptop one day and all of a sudden my LCD screen appeared to go out, but it didn't....it was Just as if there was no backlight, because what was going on could very very faintly be made out. So i shipped my laptop back to dell....and to my surprise it was out of warrantee, they wouldn't tell me what was wrong but wanted be to ship it back and pay $1400 to get it repaired. I decided not to do that being that more than half of what i pay-ed for it. If i hook up an external monitor to my laptop everything works fine. I also did try buying a video card off ebay, and i replaced it but had the SAME problem. The next thing I am about to try is to replace the LCD wires that connect to the motherboard( I already took my LCD apart....not as hard as you may think ). Also...only 1 of my cpu cooler fans seems to be working, could the cpu overheating be shutdown the backlight? (but if that was true the LCD would work off a cold boot...i think) If anyone has any idea's or suggestions i would appreciate it greatly. Thanks!

owenhome
keeper of the magic blue smoke
Premium Member
join:2002-07-13
Bentonville, AR

owenhome

Premium Member

Sounds like your backlight is out. Some units have replaceable backlights though! You really won't know until you get the screen out and have a look at it.

Cpu heat will have nothing to do with the backlight, especially at boot. You're right there.

freakout9903
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
Gastonia, NC

freakout9903

Premium Member

I have the LCD out of the case already, removed all the wiring already. Lemme take a closer look around, thanks.

owenhome
keeper of the magic blue smoke
Premium Member
join:2002-07-13
Bentonville, AR

owenhome to freakout9903

Premium Member

to freakout9903
Can you take a couple pics of the unit and post them? Front and back?

MarkyD
Premium Member
join:2002-08-20
Oklahoma City, OK

MarkyD to freakout9903

Premium Member

to freakout9903
You'd be surprised how common that problem is on Dell laptops. They are absolute garbage in that respect. I personally know 4 people who have had the same problem with Dell laptops, just weeks after the 1 year warranty expired.

freakout9903
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
Gastonia, NC

1 edit

freakout9903

Premium Member

Sure I have my friend coming over with his digital camera, I will post some pictures front/back of the LCD in an hour or so.
freakout9903

freakout9903 to MarkyD

Premium Member

to MarkyD
said by MarkyD:
You'd be surprised how common that problem is on Dell laptops. They are absolute garbage in that respect. I personally know 4 people who have had the same problem with Dell laptops, just weeks after the 1 year warranty expired.

Yep 1 month after for me.
freakout9903

freakout9903

Premium Member

Click for full size
Here's teh back:

Bada Bing
WVU Mountaineers
Premium Member
join:2001-05-29
Fort Gay, WV

Bada Bing to freakout9903

Premium Member

to freakout9903
My 8600 did the same thing about 2 months after I bought it. I was playing a DVD and it went out. I hooked it up to a CRT and it worked. I thought it was the LCD and so did tech support. I returned it to Dell they said it was the video card. They fixed it for free and I got it back in a few weeks.

freakout9903
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
Gastonia, NC

freakout9903

Premium Member

WEll it's not the video card because i swapped it out with another video card already, and it did the same thing. I am starting to think it may be the inverter after reading throguh some other posts, what you gusy think?

owenhome
keeper of the magic blue smoke
Premium Member
join:2002-07-13
Bentonville, AR

owenhome to freakout9903

Premium Member

to freakout9903
It very well could be the inverter. In fact, that would be more likely than the cathode, which doesn't look replaceable on that model.

It is an absolute **** to source though. Most companies only stock the display as a whole unit. These people should have it. www.247laptoplcd.com

Part #'s should be.....
PH-BLC91 for the inverter
TX38D99VC1CAA for the complete display

Bada Bing
WVU Mountaineers
Premium Member
join:2001-05-29
Fort Gay, WV

Bada Bing to freakout9903

Premium Member

to freakout9903
The inverter was what I think it was, cause you think with the video card going bad it would not work with a external monitor like mine did. I just don't trust Dell anymore.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL

Tursiops_G

MVM

Replacement Inverter boards for the DELL Inspiron series Laptops are available on the web for between $50 - $60 or so...

Do a Google search on "DELL Inspiron 8100 Inverter", and you'll find lots of references...

-Tursiops_G.

BA
MVM
join:2001-05-24
Vancouver, BC

BA to freakout9903

MVM

to freakout9903
It sounds like the CCFL is gone. You can definitely replace it - check under the copper colored film. Often, you'll need to unsolder to get it out.

Contact »www.jkllamps.com/ and they should be able to find you a replacement.

owenhome
keeper of the magic blue smoke
Premium Member
join:2002-07-13
Bentonville, AR

owenhome to Tursiops_G

Premium Member

to Tursiops_G
»www.google.com/search?hl ··· e+Search

Like I said, it's a dry market.

freakout9903
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
Gastonia, NC

freakout9903

Premium Member

One more thing I might add is that the light does flicker as I turn on the system...so I don't think the backlight or CCFL is "blown". I think I may try to replace the inverter first.

Netbars
join:2001-02-09
Bronx, NY

Netbars to freakout9903

Member

to freakout9903
Does anyone know where to find a 500m inverter? I asked straight up at the Dell Spare Parts number. This is what aspired:

Me: I need an inverter board for the 500m. How much would an out-of-warranty repair cost?
Dell Tech Support: 790 dollars.

Me: I need a D1001, it's the 14.1 inch XGA LCD assembly with inverter board and cables, how much would it cost?
Dell Spare Parts: It'd come with a 90 day warranty, and costs 389 dollars.
Me: So you don't sell the inverter board separately.
Dell SP: Not a chance.
Me: So if the LCD is fine, I couldn't buy the inverter board itself.
Dell SP: That is correct.
Me: That sucks.
Dell SP: Yeah I guess..

I am having the same trouble, dim monitor, the text is there, it may be the backlight but it's probably the inverter board. The only way to find out would be to check the potential difference across the board.. I don't have a multimeter on hand so my educated guess stands at the inverter crapping out. It's a less than 100 dollar spare part; can anyone find me a direct seller? Google is not my friend.
Netbars

Netbars to freakout9903

Member

to freakout9903
Oh yeah; the number for Dell Spare Parts is a bitch to find. Here it is for those who need it:

1-800-624-9896

dial #1 I think for the extension option
the extension number is 69937.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G to Netbars

MVM

to Netbars

Dell 500m inverter board

Are there any part number markings on the Inverter board itself?

It's possible that DELL may use the same inverter board for different laptop models... Having the EXACT part number of the board itself may lead to a source...

HTH,

-Tursiops_G.

Netbars
join:2001-02-09
Bronx, NY

Netbars

Member

It's an Ambit board, Rev 2, J071063.01

Nope, Dell pretty much mixes all Ambit products around in a big pile, puts a blindfold on and chooses another one for a different laptop line. 500M/600M/D500/D600 are all pretty much the same product though, so they probably all share this same part. Either Ambit makes a pretty shitty board or all different LCD's fall prey to the Dell touch of death; drop dead right after warranty expires!

I guess the only place I can get the part is from Dell; I called up 247laptoplcd and a lady said she may order the display assembly from a purchaser... who probably will get it from Dell... the only discount would be I probably don't need the LCD assembly. yay? :/

Wonder how much I can part out the laptop for..

Warzau
Premium Member
join:2000-10-26
Naperville, IL

Warzau to Netbars

Premium Member

to Netbars

Re: Dell Inspiron 8100 Laptop LCD problem

said by Netbars:

Me: So you don't sell the inverter board separately.
Dell SP: Not a chance.
Me: So if the LCD is fine, I couldn't buy the inverter board itself.
Dell SP: That is correct.
Me: That sucks.
Dell SP: Yeah I guess..


Jeez great cust service, love the responses looked like you were talking to some AOL kid. They could have responded " Sorry we don't" " Unfortunately that is how it is sold".

luke223
@comcast.net

luke223 to freakout9903

Anon

to freakout9903
randomly my screen flickers, it comes with purple squares and sometimes the screen is unreadable. any solutions?

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

3 edits

Anonymous_

Premium Member

look at this before it ends

"LCD Inverter " just what u need
»search-desc.ebay.com/del ··· pfidZ181 1QQreqtypeZ1QQalistZa14Q2Ca26444Q2Ca12Q2Ca3801Q2Ca25710QQpf_queryZdellQ20inverterQ20boardQ20 8100QQsotrZ2QQcoactionZcompareQQcopagenumZ1QQcoentrypageZsearch

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G to luke223

MVM

to luke223
said by luke223:
randomly my screen flickers, it comes with purple squares and sometimes the screen is unreadable. any solutions?
Screen corruption like that could be caused by a failing Video card/chipset, buggy or corrupt Video Drivers, Corrupt Direct-X or OS system files, Overheating CPU, Bad RAM, etc...

To eliminate the RAM, give memtest86+ a try... »www.memtest.org

If the RAM checks out OK, then try re-installing/upgrading (or even DOWNgrading) your Video drivers, re-install Direct-X, etc...

Use a Motherboard Status Monitor utility to check that your CPU isn't overheating (bad/dirty fan, etc.)

Reinstalling your OS should be considered as a "last Resort", if all other methods fail...

-Tursiops_G.

freakout9903
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
Gastonia, NC

1 edit

freakout9903

Premium Member

Well I got lucky, and just picked up an inverter for $35. I'll let you guys know if this solves my porblem. Thanks for everything so far.

»cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP ··· 163&rd=1

DC Broadband
Stercus Tauri
Premium Member
join:2003-04-17
Stone Ridge, NY

DC Broadband to freakout9903

Premium Member

to freakout9903
In case anybody doesn't want to, or doesn't have the knowledge to do their own repairs, Portable Computer will fix LCD problems for a flat fee of $195 (provided your video card is working). I've personally never used them but it's a heck of a lot cheaper than sending the unit to Dell for an out of warranty repair!!

»www.portablecomputer.com ··· pair.asp

landry98
join:2001-08-31
Red Stick

landry98 to freakout9903

Member

to freakout9903
If your considering portablecomputer.com, might want to look at this Better Business Bureau link before sending mailing them any hardware and/or credit card/payment information.

»www.sacramento.bbb.org/c ··· 47000139
darkrayUD
join:2004-09-06
Dayton, OH

darkrayUD to freakout9903

Member

to freakout9903
Yea, I own an 8100 as well, and i've been having some crazy LCD / Motherboard issue as well with it. The strange thing is that i can usually get it to go away when I pick it up by the bottom, and give it a little twist. I fear that one day i'm not going to get this to work, and then i'll be pretty pissed off. And from the sounds of it, it's pretty much not cost effective to get it fixed. Any advice out there how to get this fixed ? ... I'm pretty attached to this laptop

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G

MVM

If you can temporarily correct the problem by giving the laptop "a little twist", then I think that you either have a loose connection or a bad Solder joint somewhere...

What I would do first, is to try removing and reseating your RAM modules... If that doesn't work, then I'm afraid that your laptop will have to be opened up for further troubleshooting (it could be something as simple as a loose internal connector, or as bad as a cracked ribbon cable, circuit trace, or solder connection)... In that case, I'd leave it up to a Professional, as opening up a laptop without damaging the case can be very tricky... (There usually are several hidden plastic catches that have to be pried open in a specific way to avoid breaking them.)

-Tursiops_G.
darkrayUD
join:2004-09-06
Dayton, OH

darkrayUD

Member

That's kinda what i figured. I was looking more online for this problem tonight, and i found several posts on the dell website about problems with the video display looking like an out of tune TV ... which is what mine has been doing.

I had most of it apart at one time looking for the problem, but i couldn't see anything that I should have "messed with"

Apparantly though there is a conneciton somewhere above the keyboard's Function Keys, under the plastic cover.

It's hasn't been a huge problem, but before I found that twisting the base slighly fixed the problem, I used to pick it up slighly, and let it fall onto the desk, giving it a slight jolt. Not such a good solution, as well as making me look a little funny to my coworkers in the morning.

Maybe I'll open it up again and give it another look. Otherwise it's back to the twisting!