A properly working monitor is a good indicator that the video display
circuitry on the motherboard or a small video display adapter on a sepa-
rate card is functioning properly. (You may have to adjust the monitor’s
resolution from the Control Panel if, as is likely, its specifications are dif-
ferent from the built-in LCD panel.)Another way to check the health of the video display circuitry on some
machines is to attempt to output a signal to a standard composite television
set; many laptops offer a direct video output for such purposes. The connec-
tor is usually a yellow female RCA connector — the same design used to
connect components of a stereo audio receiver or VCR. As with output to a
computer monitor, the laptop includes a toggle to enable use of a TV. (If you
receive a signal, you likely need to adjust resolution to a relatively coarse
640 ×480 setting to see the full screen.)Black, white, and striped screens ......................................................
A completely dead LCD tells you very little except that the display isn’t get-
ting power, isn’t getting a video signal, or isn’t getting either. But if the LCD
shows something — vertical or horizontal lines, a blush of color, or a weak or
washed-out image — you can make an educated guess. Thanks to my friends
at http://www.portablecomputer.com, here are a few common LCD conditions to
watch for:Chapter 3: Things That Go Bump In the Night (or Day) 49
DIY FYI
Here’s a checklist (in a typical order of steps) for
the removal of an existing LCD and the installa-
tion of a new one on a typical laptop:
Save all work in progress, exit all applica-
tions, and shut down the notebook.
Disconnect all external devices.
Disconnect the battery pack.
Remove the battery pack.
Removal of the hard drive and CD or DVD
drive (some laptops).
Remove screws from the bottom of the case
that hold the keyboard in place.
Turn the laptop right-side up and slide the
keyboard out from its holding clips.Lift the rear edge of the keyboard.
Release the connector that holds the key-
board cable and slide the unit away from
the laptop.
Install a new LCD into the connector and
then reverse all of the steps to reassemble
the laptop.
Depending on your comfort level, this may
sound like an easy job or an impossible one. The
fact is that this is by no means heavy lifting —
any replacement of a component within a laptop
requires only basic skills with a screwdriver and
sometimes tweezers or jeweler’s pliers. But it is
close work and requires great attention to detail
and care. I’ve done it a few times and can’t say
I found it enjoyable or especially rewarding.