Computer Question

[John T]

Okay, I enjoy helpin yall with legal n tricity questions, how about helpin me with some computer info ???

My favorite daughter just called from the Milwaukee airport (straned by foggy bad weather trying to get to Indy from Dallas yesterday) and her laptop went thru security screening it got Nuked or X rayed or cat scanned or gamma rayed or MRI darn if I know lol, and the screen is sort of blue and faint now grrrrrrrrrrr

SOMEONE PLEASEEEEEE TELL ME THIS IS TEMPORARY and it will be fine later????????????

John T

 

[Patsdeere]

Um, that doesn't sound good, could have flat lined. ---------------

Theoretically the x-ray machines shouldn't hurt them. If they are going to get hurt it is at the hands of a human, whether that be TSA, daughter, etc.

If it isn't out of warranty then I would call the manufacturer and see what they have to say about it. Even if it is out of warranty I would call and ask, if they say it will cost up front tell them good bye and go to option 2.

2. She could always take the battery out and then put it back in (when it is unplugged). I don't know why, but that seems to fix multitudes of problems. However, if that doesn't do it then you can try the next option.

3. You can hook it up to a regular monitor to see if the thing is completely flat lined or if just the monitor is funky. If the other monitor can read the info, that is at least a light at the end of the tunnel (whether it is an oncoming train or not is another story). I would back up the data just to be safe. If you want to be sure, you could take it to some techie and ask them to check it out (preferably for free) and get their take on it, but that is up to your daughter.

Since it is cheaper to get a new laptop (then to replace the monitor) you just might want to keep an eye out for some since there will probably be a few on sale. I know Compusa is going out of business after xmas and will probably have a some decent prices on laptops. Whatever you do, don't get their extended service contract (since it will be like sending me a check out for no reason - you won't get anything back).

 

[Dan-IA]

That's a good question. I've heard of magnetic fields disrupting the picture on a CRT, but not so much with LCDs on laptops.

Now I have seen laptops with bad displays from violent mishandling (they break internally) and I've seen excessive cold temperatures wreck 'em. And my cell phone's LCD lights up when I pass a magnet near the screen.

If it were a CRT I'd tell you to locate a magnetic head degausser. That might do something. Or it might not.

 

[Dan-IA]

Just had another thought. Could be the backlight on the LCD going out. In that case... You're best to replace the whole LCD.

 

[Don Hopf]

This just happen to me at work. I usually keep my old laptops around to use for testing and data collection at remote sites. The laptop that I retired in the fall of 2004 finally gave up the ghost. It would power up with the screen being very dim, the disk light would flash but that was all I could see happen. I think the battery is shorting out the charger and during the power up cycle with cd rom and disk drive action brings the power voltage to low stopping the whole operation.

Don Hopf

 

[Allan in NE]

John,

That is a totally normal symptom.

It will almost always manifest itself at this particular time of year, oftentimes showing up only after the owner observes ol' dad makin' his third trip to dip into the egg-nog. :>)

Allan

 

[Allan in NE]

Yepper, for sure.

90% of all laptop failures can be traced right back to a bad battery. Replace or just yank it out of there and run on the AC adaptor.

Allan

 

[Coloken]

Kind of a dumb answer, but---is the controls for the screen turned up?
Next I go for pulling the battery and then re-booting.

 

[TomH in PA]

If it seems like just the screen tell her to make sure the button that toggles between screen and monitor didn't get pushed by mistake.

 

[KEB1]

It probably won't reset completely as long as there's charge in the battery. I've had my company laptop lock up to the point that the only way to clear it was to remove the battery & let it sit for a while.

I travel a lot & have never had a problem with the security machines bothering a laptop, although that's only a very small point of reference.

Keith

 

[Patsdeere]

Just went through that exact thing. The backlight went out and they wanted something like $1500 to replace it. I just got a newer, faster and better one for $1000.

 

[paul]

My brother in law is in a different town of the midwest every week, home almost every weekend, he travels with 2 laptops.

I thing the problem was not with the xray, but physical damage of dropping, banging, etc. Or it just happened to die that day of whatever failure.

If the simple things mentioned don't revive it, hope it is under warrentee - laptops always seem to cost more to fix that to just replace, everything is hardwired in tight places and only oem stuff fits. A computer geek that likes to fiddle with things could work it over some, the 'offical' repair process is to ship it to a national center & replace the motherboard or LCD for $1000 or more.

--->Paul

 

[bo]

I read your stuff with much interest. Let me see if I can return the favor. Some have mentioned it. If she can still see the items on the screen, then you can probably isolate it to the screen. One of the below suggestions is to hook it up to a external monitor and that'll rule out the innards and operating system. If it operates the external monitor, then all you need to worry about is the LCD and it's components. The LCD is on unit, at it's very base is a 6" fluorescent back light and it gets it's power from an "inverter". This inverter is located just below the LCD and is a flat, 6" long by 1" or so circuit board. If the screen is very dim and you can just barely see the icons on it, then chances are good that it's the inverter. It also could be the back light. All these items are replaceable at a reasonable cost.

Depending on symptoms, the back light should be about $10 and the inverter about $20 and the LCD...who knows. Anyhow,,,,I just repaired a Toshiba by replacing the inverter...got it from our favorite country, China, for $18+9 for shipping..installed it and it's fine. The back light would have been some cheaper. The LCD is expensive. I got the inverter off Ebay.

Now...most laptops have a "bezel" made of plastic which "frames the LCD. Most bezels have two little screws under a sticky cover..these are taken out and then you'll need to find the plastic clips that hold the rest of the bezel in place. The bezel snaps off and will snap back on when you're done.
I would.....search "replacing inverter in xxxxxxxx modelxxxxxxxx laptop by using google. I'll bet that' you'll find a blow by blow picture description of how to do it. Now, you'll need to find the source for inverters and back lights and god forbid, the LCD. All this stuff just plugs in and the inverter may have a tiny screw under a sticky cover holding it in.

It's not brain surgery to do and it'll take about an hour the first time and now I can do it in 15 minutes...if I had the parts. A repair shop, would just pull it apart and change parts until they hit on it. Try one and if it don't work out, put it back on the shelf. You can't, so you'll have to start with the cheapest and work up. It is worth while to at least try the inverter and the back light as these shouldn't cost much. I don't think it's the LCD.
Something might have jarred and it could be either of the two I mentioned.
Oh, the back light isn't really visible..follow the wires..they should be on the right and coming out of the inverter and the back light should slide into a slot under the LCD.
If I can do it, you sure as heck can.

The Toshiba that I fixed is still working and Toshibas have been notorious for crappy inverters. Luck to you.

 

[bo]

I gave him the answer I thought was good and I'll bet it applies in your case. If you don't wish to bother with it, describe the laptop you have, processor, memory and HDD size and if you wish to unload it, I may be interesting in buying it from you.

 

[1936]

Camera film goes through TSA 24 7 with no problem. So New battery sounds in order as Nebraska stated.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thanks big time yall, by the way IT IS A TOSHIBA, and the image is still there n working, just faint n blue.....

We pick her up at midnight tonight so I will post an update tomorrow once old dad gets his grubby lil hands on it lol

Thanks n merry Christmas

John T

 

[bo]

Depending on model then, most of what I said will apply. Google inverter replacement and you'll see the two screws on the front bottom under some sticky tape and then a thin, flat blade and about a couple of dozen plastic snaps and the bezel is off and all is visible. Toshibas had a bad run of inverters.

 

[bo]

One more John...you might try to unplug the inverter on the power side and also on the backlight side and replug it in. Some times it'll need to be replugged. I don't get that lucky but you might.

 

[bo]

Same deal,,,read my responce to John and you might be able to fix yours or ..if you describe it and wish to sell it, I may be interested. No, I'm not in any business, have two laptops and want one for my grandkid..cheap.

 

[jokers]

My laptops sometimes pass through x-ray machines and metal detectors five days a week and I`ve never had a problem attributable to such events.

Either physical damage occurred from dropping or squashing or it was simply coincidence.