Do you have a problem with the backlight on your laptop? If yes, you are not alone, that’s one of the most common laptop problems. In most cases the screen inverter is the culprit. Here are some LCD screen backlight failure symptoms that could be related to a bad inverter board:
- Laptop boots as usual but after some time the screen blacks out. You still can see an image on the screen but it’s very dim. You might even use a flashlight to see it better. Sometimes the backlight comes back for a while but then goes off again. In some cases you can turn the backlight on if you tap rapidly on the lid close switch.
- The screen always stay black and the backlight never comes on but you still can make out an image on the LCD. It’s dark, but the image is still there.
-In some cases you might hear a buzzing noise coming from the area where the inverter board is located, it’s on the bottom part of the display assembly.
NOTE: if you cannot see an image on the screen, most likely you have a different problem and there is nothing wrong with the screen inverter.
Other related articles:
Laptop has bad video on the LCD screen. What is wrong?
Notebook display assembly diagram. How image appears on the screen.
How to troubleshoot and fix laptop video problems
How to replace laptop backlight lamp (CCFL)
Here’s an example of replacing the FL inverter board on an IBM ThinkPad T41 notebook. This guide will work fine for any other IBM notebook. Replacing screen inverter on other notebooks like Dell, HP, Toshiba, etc… will not be much different.
First of all, unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery.
In order to access the inverter board you’ll have to remove the LCD screen bezel. On most laptops screws are hidden behind screw seals. In this case we have 5 screw seals on the front. Carefully remove the seals with a sharp object and glue them on the LCD bezel, in this case you will not lose them. Remove all screws and mark them somehow so you are not confused when you assemble the notebook back.
Some laptops also have screws on the side of the display. This notebook has 3 screws on each side. Remove screws seals and then remove screws.
Start removing the LCD bezel with all fingers. Carefully wiggle the bezel to release plastic latches. Never use any sharp object during disassemble because you can accidentally damage the screen.
If latches are very tight you can use a guitar pick to unlock them. Insert the guitar pick between the LCD bezel and cover and carefully move it alone the side.
This notebook allows you to replace the inverter board without removing the LCD bezel completely. Lift up the bottom part of the bezel and remove one screw securing the inverter board to the LCD cover. This location is very common for the screen inverter. On most laptops you’ll find it under the display bezel below the screen.
Carefully lift up the FL inverter and rotate it a little bit. Unplug cables on both sides. The left side of the inverter board connects to the video cable, the right side to the backlight bulb (CCFL tube) inside the LCD screen. Remove the inverter and replace it with a new one.
To find a new inverter board (and any other spare part too) for any IBM notebook you should use the FRU number from the part.
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August 16th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Like many of us do, I’ve done plenty of hunting but have some up with nothing conclusive enough to include using the Dell support forums. Thus my present entreaty here after being impressed with both user contributions and jaw droppingly’ detailed technical tutorials. Thank you all for that.
I’d like to know how to confirm whether or not the inverter board and or the entire LCD assembly I have from a Dell Inspirion 1100 note book will be compatible as replacement part/s for a Dell Latitude c800.
I have not yet disassembled the C800 to confirm actual part numbers and OEM of them, and do not plan to at this point, but
I do have part numbers for the Inspirion 1100 as follows.
While I am not willing to gamble causing damage to display adapter or motherboard…(both which are working fine)…by trial and error (replacing the inverter or just connecting the entire C800 display unit to see if it will work…
I am hopeful that someone with advanced technical knowledge might be able to tell me that I’ll be
able to use these part to trouble shoot and use as replacements to correct the display problems I’m
having with the C800 now…be it inverter, LCD Display and or Backlight lamp.
Inspirion 1100
Inverter Board:
LP141XB-A1C2
LP141XB-A1M3
6632L-0017A
YPNL-N011A
LCD Panel:
LG Phillips
LP141X8
14.1
XGA
Wire Assy:
CN-09L1775-12961-3AB-MB26
Rev. A00
China
Connector end:
BDW00
14″ VGA
DC025040900
D.C. 03/10/11
HIGH TEK (M8) Rev: 1.0
August 11th, 2009 at 10:38 am
please help my laptop is in danger!
my laptop work for 25 minute and go off,first i suspected the battery, but after charging it remain the same and i tried the inverter board but all the component seem to be working well.
August 8th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Florence,
No, the inverter failure should not affect the adapter.
I think it’s just a coincidence.
August 8th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Rick,
A problem like that could be related to:
1. Inverter failure. You are getting the same failure even with a new inverter board. Is it possible that you got a bad inverter? Yes, it’s possible.
2. Backlight lamp failure. When you are getting the same failure with a new inverter, most likely it’s related to the backlight lamp.
3. Could be motherboard failure, but it’s not very common.
If you think that replacing the inverter is a lot of work, try replacing the backlight lamp which is located inside the LCD screen. Take a look at the backlight lamp replacement instructions, and…. do not go this route. It’s not easy at all. If you suspect the backlight failure, I would suggest replacing the entire LCD screen. They are not very expensive.
August 6th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Same problem here
same ibm labtop 
reat labtop batterry still works and the dell dont 
August 5th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
I too have a Dell inspiron 6000. Recently my lcd screen started acting up. After startup the LCD screen would blank out (the light would go totally dim), but the image was still there. I could see it fine when i hooked up an external monitor. When I hit Fn 8 and switch back and forth between the LCD and the external monitor, it would sometimes cause the LCD to light up again. I started researching and found out about possible inverter problems. I just received my inverter in the mail today and installed it in the computer. ALAS, i still have the same problem. After startup, the light blacked out, though the image was still visible. If I put it on standby or hibernate and restarted it, the LCD monitor would come back on again temporarily, but the light would black out again.
So, could it be I got a bad inverter? But assuming it was a good inverter board, should I try the backlight now? It’s disappointing because of all the work to get the screen apart – and now it doesn’t work.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Rick
August 4th, 2009 at 7:15 am
hi, i have problem with my laptop, should be screen inverter problem. i have a question here, if screen inverter failed,will it affect the adapter too? because my screen was black out and seems to be very dim i tap rapidly on the lid close switch to cause the lights on. but den after few days, my adapter was spoiled. but den i change a new adapter , it seems to be function again with no more dim screen, after a few days. the sick back again.. i was wondering will it affect the adapter when sceen inverter failed?
u may reply to my email. thank you very much =)
August 3rd, 2009 at 3:14 pm
We’ve had higher failure rate on backlight than the inverter. Is it just our bad lucks? The inverter is easier to replace but it generally costs 500% more than the light bulb.
July 30th, 2009 at 5:47 am
Hi i have a MSI PR210, im looking for the screen inverter which fits this make, I have found one site only that supplies these and they are currently out of stock. Many thanks.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Hi,
I have a very peculiar problem , I have a dell inspirion 6000 machine.
When I start my computer, I have a completely blank LCD screen THEN I checked by connecting an external monitor – everything starts fine from BIOS to Loading Windows XP Os. The LCD monitor still remains blank.
I have a dual boot OS, Ubuntu, when I start loading the Ubuntu – i cannot see anything in the LCD screen but the moment the password prompts comes up on ubuntu- My LCD screen works fine and have no problem.
Any thoughts what may be the potential problem or any way to resolve this issue. Thanks in advance for any suggestion