Here I’m going to post some laptop screen photos showing bad video output. I’ll explain what was wrong with the screen and how I fixed it. I plan to ad more examples as soon as I get new pictures. If you have your own example (and know how to fix it) please let me know and I’ll post it too.
Here’s some help for finding a correct part for your laptop.
Other post related to troubleshooting laptop video problems:
How to troubleshoot and fix laptop video problems
Taking apart notebook LCD screen
Replacing LCD screen inverter
The newly installed screen is not working
Example 1.
Here’s a picture of Satellite M55 LCD screen I made this morning. I got this video output as soon as I started the laptop. There were a lot of vertical lines, and they were changing color without any pattern. To me it looked like Northern Lights (never seen in real life) 
. The external monitor worked fine.
As soon as I applied some tension to the screen it changed the pattern. Some horizontal lines appeared in the middle of the LCD.
Here’s the difference. When I torque the screen, the image appears but it’s distorted with some horizontal lines running across the screen.
Reseating the video cable didn’t make any change and the problem was fixed after I replaced the LCD screen.
Example 2.
I took this picture from Toshiba Satellite M65. I think that this example is very typical. One day you wake up, turn on the laptop and see one or a few hair-like vertical lines in different colors.
When you move the LCD screen some lines might disappear or more lines appear on the screen. A video output on an external screen would be perfect, without any lines. Unfortunately, these lines indicate a screen problem. I’ve never seen this kind of video output caused by a bad video cable or bad FL inverter board. My laptop was fixed after I replaced the LCD screen.
Example 3.
The photo below comes from Toshiba Satellite 5205. The laptop displays identical vertical lines all over the LCD screen as soon as I turn it on. Sometimes these lines are red, sometimes they are blue, sometimes they become wider and change color to white.
The same pattern appears on the external monitor. It displays same vertical lines. When the same video defect appears on both monitors – internal LCD screen and external screen, then most likely it happens because of a bad video card. On some laptops the video card is integrated into the system board, on other models it’s a separate module.
In this example, the vertical lines were caused by a failed video memory on the system board. I’ve tested the video memory with Microscope utility and it failed the test. In Toshiba Satellite 5205 the video memory is integrated into the system board. To fix the problem, I’ll have to replace the board. (We do not have equipment to replace the memory module itself).
Example 4.
Here’s another example of a bad LCD screen. My bad! It wasn’t the LCD screen problem.
As soon as I turned on the laptop, I was getting these reddish marks on the LCD screen but not on the external monitor. Reseating and replacing the video cable didn’t help. The problem disappeared when I installed my test LCD screen. Yes, for some reason I wasn’t able to reproduce the problem on my test LCD screen. But the reddish video appeared again as soon as I replaced the screen. I guess it happened because the system board had some kind of intermittent problem with onboard video or video connector. Long story short, I had to replace the system board and it fixed the problem. Yep, I misdiagnosed this laptop.
Example 5.
Here’s one more example of a faulty LCD screen. The left half of the screen works just fine but the right side is completely white.
Example 6.
Here’s another laptop with a bad LCD screen. This time it’s a tablet PC.
Example 7.
This screen looks like the screen on the example 1. I hooked up an external monitor and the external video works perfectly fine.
Here’s the difference. When I torque the screen, the image appears but it’s distorted with some horizontal lines running across the screen.
After a few seconds the image washes away.
I had to replace the LCD screen.
Example 8.
This laptop displays inverted colors right from the startup. As you see, the Toshiba logo is light green instead of red. The background is light gray instead of black. The Intel logo should be blue on a white background but it is red on a black background.
When your laptop displays inverted colors as on the picture above, this is an indication of a bad screen. You’ll have to replace the screen.
Example 9.
Here are two more screens. In both cases this problem is related to the LCD screen, witch means the screen has to be replaced.
On the image below you see a white band running from the top of the screen to the bottom. This band appears right from the laptop startup and runs through the logo too.
On the following image only the left side of the screen is working properly. This problem is caused by faulty LCD screen.
Are you looking for a new LCD screen for your laptop? Try here.
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November 9th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
There has got to be a way to fix a screen that has problems like in example 2 .. if just twisting it fixes the problem then there must be some sort of connection problem with the that column driver transistor being loose somewhere.
November 7th, 2007 at 8:28 am
Situation 3.
When you press on the power button, the laptop makes a series or short and long beeps and will not start up. There is no video on the screen.
In this situation test the memory module as I described in the situation2. Try installing a known good memory module. Most likely you are getting a beep error because of a faulty memory.
This is my situation, and i tried a new memory module…still no dice. Any other ideas??
November 5th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
LGT,
Not sure what’s going on. Check the BIOS version, try upgrading it to the latest revision.
Did you test the laptop with an external monitor? The external video is fine?
Are you sure the new screen is in a good working condition?
November 5th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
JB,
I can help you to find the part number but I need the laptop model part number, you’ll find this number on the sticker with the serial number and it will look similar to this: PSM42U-019006 (or even the same). Let me know the model part number, different models have different screens. I can help you to find the right part number.
November 5th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Hi.. I just replaced the screen for a laptop Hp pavillion dv100. The new screen is exactly the same model (the only difference is that it says, ¨special edition¨ instead of widescreen). However, the new screen resolution is very weird, too white. Some of the symbols cannot be seen and after a while it hurts the eyes. I tried to change the brightness with Alt F7, F8, but in any case the screen is very difficult to look at… Any suggestion? Thanks a lol.
November 5th, 2007 at 11:12 am
I’m trying to to find a replacement screen for my Toshiba Satellite M45-S2692. Different sites give me different part numbers, and there seems to be different screen compatible with my laptop. Can anybody help me with this? I’m not sure which one to get…
November 1st, 2007 at 10:49 pm
hey, i gotta a problem, my Fujitsu Table’s scrren go crazy, had sent it to Fujitsu, the replacement is so expensive i could buy another brand new tablet, the thing is the cpu n all is still ok. can i rig an external lcd monitor pemanently, if can i’ll be installing this new thing in my car, for a car pc. how can i rig an external lcd screen permanently…pls help..
November 1st, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Try switching off computer, discharge any static in yourselfe by touching somthing grounded, (a tap on your radiator for example) remove the RAM chip, blow on the edge connector and re-insert RAM. Boot up computer and check. Your symptons exactl same as mine on a PB laptop, now fixed.
October 28th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Hi, on example #5 I have a similar problem, however I was able to rig this up to work 100% correctly! Let me explain what is wrong in Example #5, the LCD’s electronics has come loose from the LCD Glass, resulting in short of some sort, I have no idea of the technical terms for LCD’s (as I seem in your shoes on LCD’s) however I have a Toshiba Satallite A45 I got off ebay, the guy sent me 90% dead parts, for $165 so I felt ripped off, luckily what I needed was included in the auction & was good, however I bid $165 hoping the LCD was good, it wasn’t, but it is working now!
Back to the point!
With the bezel off, & the LCD in my hands, I dare’d to touch where it says do not touch on the upper electronics of the LCD display, applying gentle pressure in the area closest to the working side of the screen resulted in 100% screen function, now HOW TO rig it to work while being installed. I simply applied a Adhesive Skid Protector rather than a protective pad which is usually VERY soft, & would give in a few days, the skid protector is rather stiff, but still somewhat spongy, applied to each area needed, where pressure was applied (mine only required 1, near the middle of the screen, there is a small bar/semi-conductor/something if you tear down a cracked LCD you will have an idea of what I am talking about, where the Circuit board is connected to the LCD via a Thin Ribbon, intrigutive ribbon I might add. Ok for the Skid pad spec’s it’s 1″ (inch) round 1/8″ (inch) thick. Generic brand, Hawk, made in China, UPC reads No. FT3012 7 68537 73009 7 **Note this is a sticker applied to the packaging!**
I’ve been testing this for 24 hours now, no sign of repeated problem! Even occasionally slapping the LCD Housing rather hard, I’ve only seen it glitch once, I probably slapped it close to it’s breaking point (I wouldn’t have been surprized if I broke the Glass of the LCD with how hard I slapped it, & it only flinched for a millisecond on the repeated problem display.
Added note, I feel the problem is only in 1 connection not all of the following as this LCD seems to display in series, not parallel, meaning it relies on each prior area of connection to be connected otherwise from this area on is errata display.
I hope my advice was as good if not as good as the guitar pick to tear about plastic’s as I felt that was a genius idea, seeing metal screw drivers produce scrapes & nicks if done too fast!
Also great site! I have an LCD I can take pics of, but I don’t wish to reproduce the errata display of my Toshiba as if I can’t fix it again I will have to cry! lol
October 27th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Hi, I need help removing a laptop screen for a toshiba qosimo g30. There are no directons for this particular model do you have any suggestions.
Thanks