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.
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October 16th, 2009 at 1:16 am
Hi, I wanted to leave a follow up to my white screen issue. I initially thought it was the video cable because the connector going to the mobo seemed to be in less than perfect condition. However I got to thinking: on a cold start everything worked fine. It’s only once the pc was running for a while, after which I would do another test reboot, that the screen would be white. Initially I had scotch taped the excess wire from the screen to the inverter because I was afraid it would get tangled or too much pressure would be applied to the wire and it would cut off. Anyhow I removed the tape and shoved the wire in a crevice under the screen, out of the way. Also I removed the material around the video connector going to the mobo and re-taped it with black electrical tape and made it more snug. It works fine, I did lots of long tests and many reboots and everything is ok.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Nick,
So, the screen is getting white intermittently? Could be loose cable. Try reconnecting the video cable on the back of the screen.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Bob,
First, I would try reconnecting the video cable on the back of the LCD screen. Could be just loose connection.
It’s not the inverter problem. The LCD still has backlight (even though it’s white), it means the inverter functions properly.
Your problem could be related to:
1. Loose connection between cable and screen.
2. Bad LCD.
3. Bad motherboard.
4. Bad cable, even though very unlikely.
October 13th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Charled Santerre,
Could be poor connection between the video cable and LCD screen. Try reconnecting the cable on the back of the screen.
Yes, I replaced many video cable. They are NOT universal. Video cables are model specific.
You’ll have to search on the Internet for a new cable.
October 13th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Hi, I have used your website in the past and have donated. I have replaced the lcd screen on a laptop that was dim and had vertical lines across it. Now it works for about 30 min, then upon next reboot screen it stays white. External video screen works ok even when internal lcd is white. The connector going to the board is not in perfect shape. It`s hard to describe the damage, but it looks almost as if a wire or 2 could be coming apart from the connector. The other end of the connector, at the lcd side, is in perfect condition. My question: Have you ever had to replace a video cable for a laptop? If so, are they universal? Where do you recommend I get one? thx. Charles.
October 12th, 2009 at 7:02 am
I have a toshiba 17 inch-satellite p200-2 just 2 years old and out of warranty of course. Screen gone white-external works god.
I am assuming motherboard becasue before it went I could smell compnents burning! Can it be the inverter> I hope!! Cheaper than MB!
I have a working dell d600 can I take screen out of it to use as a test screen?
Also have a IBM thinkpad-600 no screen-no external but boots ok
figure MB on that too!
October 11th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
My laptop turns white very often i never really used it is only about 2 years old and i was thinking it could be the video cable? How do i get to it? Just take the back off? Well anyway thank you for your time please email me back
October 1st, 2009 at 6:30 pm
robert,
It’s hard to tell what is causing the problem without troubleshooting.
Here’s what you can try.
Start the laptop, connect an external monitor and set the laptop to output video on both screens. Wait until the laptop screen goes white. Will you loose video on the external monitor?
If video on the external monitor stays normal when the laptop screen goes white, most likely it’s either bad connection between the video cable and LCD screen or you have a faulty LCD screen.
September 27th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Have a hp laptop , goes to white screen often.
I don’t believe its a lose conection with wires.
It just goes in different times , more so now then before.
Can you think you can point this down for me.
Could it me the lcd screen. this laptop is only about a year
old. gets used every day , my wife leave the screen on all the
time. Does that have any thing to do with that.
Thanks for your time
September 24th, 2009 at 11:35 am
I have the same problem with a presario c310,the laptpo has an onboard intel graphics chip, after boot the screen goes white, so I boot in safe mode and every thing works ok.
I was thinking this could be a corrupted graphics driver….?