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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December 3rd, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Wow! This is simply an EXCELLENT compilation of LCD display problems! Great job. I know this represents months if not years of hands-on experience fixing these things. One common problem is missing from this page, however. I don’t see any mention of a pink screen or pinkish purplish haze over the entire screen. This problem should be photographed and included also to make this a complete guide. This problem is caused by a failing CCFL backlight, which can be replaced with some difficulty. A new screen would of course fix the problem because the backlight is part of a new screen.
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:54 pm
hi!
i am have some problems with my LCD screen. whenever the computer jerk the screen fade out to white and when i apply pressure at the top left corner horizontal lines appear and the white also disappear. the funny thing is that i of to apply the pressure constantly in order to use the computer.
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:57 am
plz, i have dell p3 latitude that the screen is bad i removed to check the screen cable but it`s not having any sing of cutting but it`s not displaying anymore
usman dikko
November 27th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Hi,
Thank goodness I found this web site !
I hope you can help.
I have an IBM 600X and if I use an external monitor then I can load up the laptop no problems ! Windows XP or Windows 98
However, if I put it onto the laptop screen it is just blank ! The screen lights up, but no IBM logo, no nothing. I know the screen is good, because I have put another IBM 600 onto the screen and get the IBM Logo and everything !
I am beginning to think it is the Video Chip ! Motherboard?
HELP
November 24th, 2008 at 7:57 am
I have a fijutsu siemens laptop and on the bottom right hand side of the screen i have a box of purple, white and blue lines and then beside it a white section with what looks like a black smash, as if the screen itself is broke, but it’s not. I have no idea how to fix it, or if it’s even possible. Can you give me any help?
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:58 am
Hi,my toshiba satellite M305-s4819 is displaying horizontal lines when i keep it in 90 degree but it disappears when i go 100 degree. when i keep ifrom 70 – 90 degrees it creats hair like horizontal lines some time it also flickers. What should i do? I will be very glad if i could get your opinion on this.
Thank you
November 21st, 2008 at 10:52 pm
i have a toshiba satellite p25-S609 which has the same vertical lines in the lcd screen. This is my second bad LCD on this laptop and i want to do away with the screen all together and rig the connector to an external VGA or DVI monitor.
I use the DB-15 VGA connector out of the back to go to a secondary monitor, but what I’m wondering is what sort of DIY rig is necessary to connect a VGA (or DVI) monitor to the connector which connects to the LCD in the laptop after you’ve popped off the laptop screen bevel. I want to just remove the LCD screen from the laptop altogether and use two external monitors, as the primary lcd is hosed and it’s not worth me spending more money on a third LCD. the hinges are beyond repair and this thing just sits on my desk so i obviously don’t care about mobility
any insight?
November 13th, 2008 at 6:19 am
Strange problem..
I’ve got a ADVENT 7090 with bad lcd screen… showing lines and so… Tested on external monitor and works fine… monitor model = HT140WX1-101
Now the funny part… I’ve got a HP DV1000 with same screen size and resolution… WXGA 1280X800 LTN140W1-L01 so I put this lcd on my advent and the screen is not full.. looks like 1024×768.. or 4:3 resolution and not 16:10….
I have tested that dv1000 lcd on an Acer 2420 and show the same error 4:3 like 1024×768..
But Acer 2420 screen it’s a little bigger then my 2 14.0 widescreen from Advent and HP.
Show same error on bios screen and windows.
The DV1000 shows full screen on bios and Advent 7090 not. So what could be the problem?
Thanks.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Hello,
I also have a problem with my toshiba satellite M 3.
When i start my computer, i didn’t see anything on my screen (not even the background light)
after several attempts (shutdown and start again) my screen shows vertical lines (random colors)
so i tried another reboot and after others attempts unsuccessfull i havemy computer starting normally …
Must i change the lcd?
November 11th, 2008 at 9:41 am
desperate,
Most likely yes. Replace the whole LCD screen (easy but expensive) or the backlight lamp inside the LCD screen (not easy at all but cheap).