Screen on Laptop is very dark

alphamale303 · Feb 18, 2006, 03:52 AM

Gateway 1450 solo, 14.5 display. Wife using it and screen went almost completely black. Can see the images if you look closely. Someone suggested it may be a backlight or inverter? Wondering about replacing or checking it myself and an idea of what cost may be involved or should i leave it for a professional.

Thanks,
alpha

mkk · Feb 18, 2006, 04:12 AM

Yeah the backlight lamp(s) would be the first suspect. No warranty left? I doubt it's easy to get in there and if you're unlucky it could be something else than the lights themselves.

alphamale303 · Feb 18, 2006, 04:13 AM

no warranty, is it an easy fix?

The_Neon_Cowboy · Feb 18, 2006, 07:15 AM

no cheap might be looking at mabe $100-200 , you might be able to do it your self
with a web guide depending how savy you are. I know (I could do it) most likely is just
the back light, But as mkk says it could be something worse and you ging to have to
intest quite a bit of time an money to find out. Unless there is a shop nearby that might
be able to test.

You might do somthing like find a guide then pick a couple up off ebay for cheap on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gateway-Solo-145...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/LCD-Display-for-...QQcmdZViewItem

As new prices are probubly scray in compairsion

niceguyrichy · Feb 18, 2006, 08:35 PM

replacing your lappy screen is really not that difficult
hell, I can do it

just go google yourself a guide, pick up a cheap screen off ebay like neon suggested, and make sure to watch out for static , it's a killer.

swimtech · Feb 18, 2006, 08:52 PM

In my experience, the failures have occurred more often with the display itself - 10 to 1. Replacing the screen as a unit would be my advice - it really is easy. Never dismantled the LCD panel itself to replace backlights (sourcing the tubes?) but it looks to be quite a job...

If you decide to do this, I'll see what I can do to get the manual for you from Gateway if you need it - lemme know...

Edit: moved to Laptop and Notebook General and Technical forum...

Feb 18, 2006, 03:52 AM	#1
alphamale303 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Screen on Laptop is very dark Gateway 1450 solo, 14.5 display. Wife using it and screen went almost completely black. Can see the images if you look closely. Someone suggested it may be a backlight or inverter? Wondering about replacing or checking it myself and an idea of what cost may be involved or should i leave it for a professional. Thanks, alpha

Feb 18, 2006, 07:15 AM	#4
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 90 System Specs	no cheap might be looking at mabe $100-200 , you might be able to do it your self with a web guide depending how savy you are. I know (I could do it) most likely is just the back light, But as mkk says it could be something worse and you ging to have to intest quite a bit of time an money to find out. Unless there is a shop nearby that might be able to test. You might do somthing like find a guide then pick a couple up off ebay for cheap on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/Gateway-Solo-145...QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/LCD-Display-for-...QQcmdZViewItem As new prices are probubly scray in compairsion __________________

Feb 18, 2006, 08:52 PM	#6
swimtech HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,040 Rep Power: 122 System Specs	In my experience, the failures have occurred more often with the display itself - 10 to 1. Replacing the screen as a unit would be my advice - it really is easy. Never dismantled the LCD panel itself to replace backlights (sourcing the tubes?) but it looks to be quite a job... If you decide to do this, I'll see what I can do to get the manual for you from Gateway if you need it - lemme know... Edit: moved to Laptop and Notebook General and Technical forum... __________________ It's not so much getting your way that matters or not - what matters is how you go about getting it. Last edited by swimtech; Feb 18, 2006 at 10:23 PM.

Feb 18, 2006, 04:12 AM	#2
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,384 Rep Power: 120 System Specs	Yeah the backlight lamp(s) would be the first suspect. No warranty left? I doubt it's easy to get in there and if you're unlucky it could be something else than the lights themselves.

Feb 18, 2006, 04:13 AM	Thread Starter #3
alphamale303 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	no warranty, is it an easy fix?

Feb 18, 2006, 08:35 PM	#5
niceguyrichy hunter of tablets Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: spread all over my keyboard.. Posts: 6,662 Rep Power: 262 System Specs	replacing your lappy screen is really not that difficult hell, I can do it just go google yourself a guide, pick up a cheap screen off ebay like neon suggested, and make sure to watch out for static , it's a killer.