Laptop LCD screen turned completely white
What can you do if the laptop LCD screen turned completely white? From my experience I can tell that this problem may be related to the following:
1. Loose connection between the video cable and the LCD screen.
2. Defective LCD screen.
3. Defective motherboard (I assume the graphics card is integrated into the motherboard).
Here’s an example of a laptop with white screen. When you turn on the laptop, it starts but the image on the screen is completely white right from the beginning. In my case it was a Toshiba Satellite M45 laptop but this problem may occur with any other brand.
Most likely you still can use the laptop with an external monitor. Just connect the monitor to the VGA port on the back or side of your laptop and then switch the video output from internal to external mode.
On Toshiba laptops you can toggle between internal and external screens using Fn+F5 keys. Hold down Fn and press on F5 until you get video on the external monitor.
On IBM laptops use Fn+F7.
On HP laptops use Fn+F4.
It’s possible that you have to use a different key combination on your laptop but you get the idea.
On some laptops, in order to be able to use the external monitor, you have to connect it to the laptop and then restart the laptop so the external monitor is detected by the laptop.
I noticed that in some cases the laptop screen may turn white because of poor connection between the video cable and the LCD screen. If you want to check this connection, you’ll have to take apart the display panel because the connector is located on the back side of the LCD screen.
These laptop service manuals and disassembly instructions may be useful.
I always check the video cable connection first. Reconnecting the video cable may fix your problem.
If reconnecting the video cable doesn’t help, most likely you have a problem either with the LCD screen or with the motherboard.
The best way to find out witch one is causing the problem is testing the laptop with another working LCD screen. Without this test you’ll have to guess because as I mentioned before this could either bad motherboard or bad LCD screen.
You’ll have to disconnect the video cable from the LCD screen (connector 2) and the inverter board (connectors 3 and 1). After that you connect another working screen and test video.
For this purpose I’m using one of my test LCD screens. My test screen is cracked and because of that you see a wide white band in the center but it still works fine for this test.
The original screen is white but my test screen works normal (except the crack of course) and I can see the image. After this test I can tell that the problem must be related to the screen.
After I assembled everything back together and connected the original LCD, it’s still white.
CONCLUSION. In my case this problem is related to the LCD screen and it has to be replaced.
Entry Filed under: LCD Screen Repair
May 9th, 2008 at 2:02 am
you do a good job. thanks
May 10th, 2008 at 1:06 am
Thank you for sharing such a nice data, it was usefull information .
keep it up..
May 10th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
I had the same problem. Did the same test and then replaced the screen. Still same results, any ideas.
So far I replaced the screen, motherboard, and the inverter.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Also if I hold a light to the screen I can see it, otherwise everything is black.
May 11th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Good job. thank you
May 11th, 2008 at 8:47 am
js_buyandsell,
I guess in your laptop the video card is integrated into the motherboard?
If you’ve replaced LCD, motherboard and inverter but the laptop still has the same problem with video, then I would assume the problem is related to the video cable.
May 16th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
I’m new to this and have only handled a few different models/brands but it seems to me that most lcd video cables have different connectors (where they connect to the motherboard). Is the connector on the back of the lcd the same so that you can swap any lcd for testing or do they all have specific connectors on the back as well?
May 17th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
wow that was great you are awesome…does the same thing apply for black screens?
May 18th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Helvis,
Different LCD screens have different connectors. If you want to test your laptop with another screen, you’ll have to remove the screen from your laptop and compare connectors.
May 18th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Erica,
Troubleshooting laptops with black screens will be similar. Here’s my previous post for troubleshooting video problems.
You said the screen is black. How black is it? Can you see anything at all, maybe a very faint image? Did you test the laptop with an external monitor? Can you get see external video?
May 19th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Mine is a Compaq, when I move the screen forward of backward it flickers and gives a damaged image when get my hands off of it it works well,,,, can u assist me please… and thanks in advance
May 19th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Fathi,
Test your laptop with an external monitor and find out if the external video goes bad too when you move the laptop LCD screen. I’m just trying to narrow down the problem and find out if it’s related to the LCD screen or something else.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Thanks cj2600 i will try it tomorrow cause the laptop is at work and i’ll tell ya what happened with me…. thanks again
May 20th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Hi from Italy, my brother’s notebook, an Asus L3TP L3500, has a white screen since 4 years: Many people look into it to find what’s going wrong: at the end, after many years and many repairers, this is the response:
1) the LCD is ok
2) the mother board is ok
3) the inverter is ok
4) every connection into lcd is ok
There’s an other idea in your opinion to explain white a screen apperas so white? The notebook works perfectly with an other external monitor.
Thanks if you can give me your opinion
“Ciao” (Bye)
May 21st, 2008 at 2:35 am
HIII cj2600 I did just as u told me but the external monitor worked perfectly no damage on the video or flickering…. please help me
May 21st, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Thanks CJ. Do you know how many different kinds of connectors there are? I would buy a cracked screen of each kind to use for testing if there were just a few different types.
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:50 am
I’ve got a similar problem toFathi (13) but mines an acer. When I apply pressure to the keyboard area or bend it slightly the screen goes flikery and messed up.
I’m going to have a go a wriggling the video cable and hope for the best - good plan or not?
May 29th, 2008 at 9:45 am
HI, I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE COULD HELP ME LEARN HOW TO REPLACE MY LAPTOP RIBBON CABLE FOR MY SCREEN FOR A HP DV8000. I WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS JOB MYSELF BUT I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TAKE APART THE LAPTOP TO DO SO.
IF YOU NEED MORE INFO FROM ME TO HELP EMAIL ME AND I’LL GIVE YOU THE INFO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
H.P
May 30th, 2008 at 5:08 am
Good Try it could be LCD, LCD Cable, and Video chip issue;
From Laptop Repair Technician
May 30th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
on a HP dv4000, I can barely see windows on the black lcd screen, no backlight, with an external monitor only works if the lcd cable is disconnected from the motherboard, is the problem the motherboard? need advice……..
May 31st, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Fathi,
1. Check connection between the video cable and LCD screen/motherboard. Reseat connections on both LCD and motherboard.
2. Could be damaged video cable. You can try replacing the cable.
3. If 1 and 2 do not help and you still having the same problem, most likely it’s related to the LCD screen. If that’s the case, you’ll have to replace the screen.
May 31st, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Giordano,
This is not related to the inverter board. Most likely the repair people tried reseating connections, so it’s not connection related issue. Did they try replacing the video cable? You didn’t mention anything about the video cable.
I do not understand why your repair people cannot find the problem. All they have to do is test the laptop with another working LCD screen.
If the test LCD screen works fine, your problem is related to the LCD.
If the test LCD screen is white, your problem is related to the motherboard or video cable.
May 31st, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Helvis,
No, I don’t. I work mostly with Toshiba laptops and they have 3-4 different connector types.
Be careful when you buy a cracked screen for test. If the screen is cracked badly, it’s possible you will not get any image on this screen, so it’s not really good for test.
May 31st, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Patrick,
You can try reseating the video cable connector on the motherboard. Also, this can be a problem with the motherboard or graphics card. When you apply pressure on the keyboard, you are flexing the motherboard.
May 31st, 2008 at 3:35 pm
H.P.
If you never disassembled the laptop, I would recommend taking it to the repair shop.
But if you decide to do it yourself, these links can be useful:
Removing broken screen from Compaq notebook
HP Compaq laptop manuals with step-by-step disassembly instructions
May 31st, 2008 at 3:38 pm
t2dano,
I would try replacing the inverter board first.
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:00 pm
I was wondering… do you know if all latitude c series laptops use the same lcd panel connector?
Would it be possible to frankenstein a larger lcd panel from a model with a larger lcd? Would there be voltage issues??
Would it be totally safe to assume that at least the same model, but different cpu speed, would be usable for testing whether a larger lcd would fry the system?
I have a c400, it has heating issue and 12 inch lcd. There is a c800 with a 15in lcd (I believe). I want to put my c400 in a totally custom case, and need to find out if a c800 lcd plug is the same as on my c400… and whether the system can take the strain of the larger panel (battery life is nothing to me)…
any ideas are appreciated!
Cool site!!!
June 4th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Benjamin,
It looks like they use different video cable with different connectors. I don’t think that you can replace your 12″ LCD with a 15″ LCD screen.
You can search for both cables here and compare pictures. Both cables are different.
June 15th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
i Got a Problem With my toshiba Laptop When i Turn it on it Turns Like orange Pink Color N i Tried My Computer screen didnt Work either. and if U Can Help Me Fix this Problem N thank You.
July 4th, 2008 at 4:21 am
I just want to thank you for your advice on making sure that the video cable is securely inserted. That fixed the white screen trouble with my HP laptop.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Hello
Thank you for this step by step explanation it was very helpful.
I have a question well i came up with an idea but I don’t know how do able it is. Is there anyway to connect the LCD of the laptop to the external VGA?
is there such a cable ?
or can i cut 2 of the cables and make it on my own?
I’m just curios
July 14th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Gamer,
Do you mean connecting a laptop LCD screen directly to the VGA port on another laptop? I don’t think you can do that.
July 24th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Hi,
Very very good. I love your website and your kindness to share your knowledge. Do you have any idea, what book should I read, or website to learn to repair a notebook mainboard?
Thanks in advance.
July 29th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Hi, i’m sorry if my question is OT but i don’t know where to post it.
I have a Compaq nx5000 with a 15′ lcd screen.
Can you tell me if i can test on this laptop a 14′lcd (from a nc6000).
The connector on the motherboard is the same but all i have is a series of coloured lines
I use the cable of the 14′ lcd screen.
Maybe i have to change something in the bios?
The nx models came with 15 or 14 screen and the part numbers are the same, both for nx and nc series screens.
Thanxs
July 29th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Andrea,
I’m not sure. It’s possible that both video cables are not interchangeable and you cannot nx5000 with LCD and cable from nc6000.
By the way, what is your problem with the nx5000?
August 3rd, 2008 at 3:38 pm
My 15 lcd shows a vertical line (one pixel thickness that disappear if i push the screen).
A friend of mine gave me the lcd from a nc6000 and so i thought to use it as a spare part.
I tried to use it with both cables without results.
August 11th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
My LCD is completely white, i have disassembled everything and re attached the cables, still white. Tried an external monitor and that works. Am i safe to assume the LCD panel is dead?
August 11th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Andrea,
Sounds like a bad LCD screen.
August 11th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Greg,
Nope, it’s not safe. This problem could be related to LCD or motherboard. I’ve seen both failing the same way - white screen.
The only way to find the culprit is testing the laptop with another working screen. If you still have the same problem on another screen, it’s bad motherboard.
If you don’t have another screen, you’ll have to guess.
August 13th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Hi,
Really nice usefull information.. thanks for the nice work. I have an issue with my laptop display. the display is fine in the first half the screen and the rest of the screen is just white.. i tested external monitor and it works fine. Please advice.
August 14th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Ramana,
Sounds like a problem with the LCD screen.
Take a look at this post: Laptop has bad video on the LCD screen. What is wrong?
Is your problem similar to the example 5? This is LCD related. You’ll have to replace the screen.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
to who made this information availble, thank you so much, its a big help! god bless u pipz…
August 26th, 2008 at 6:42 am
Hi. I have a problem where the screen is normally white, but I get an intermittent display depending on how I move the laptop. It generally works best when I tilt the laptop backwards.
This is seemingly indicative of a faulty connection, but I’m not sure exactly where. I’ve opened-up the laptop and ensured the video cable is attached properly at both ends, but the problem persists. Is it more likely that the faulty connection is on the motherboard or in the video cable?
Advice/ideas welcome.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Colin,
Usually it’s bad connection between the video cable and LCD screen. Did you try reconnecting the cable? Just remove it from the connector on the back of the LCD and then connect back.
If reconnecting the cable doesn’t help, it’s possible that you have bad cable. Could be faulty LCD and even motherboard, but I would try replacing the cable first. It shouldn’t be very expensive.