Anyone have experience with getting a laptop LCD serviced?

[petronius]

The backlight on my Dell Inspiron just went out (a month after the warranty expired). It looks like it would be at least $200+ to send it back to Dell, and I'm not handy enough to buy parts and do it myself. I'd really like a cheaper option than Dell - any advice?

[CanuckAmok]

1. Any local computer shop should be able to handle it...

...without having to deal with Dell.

One problem is that screens are pretty much the most expensive part of a laptop. My idiot ex-wife damaged the screen in her Fujitsu laptop, and a replacement screen was going to be over $700.

[file83]

2. Buy a headlamp....

Only like $30 bucks, and it'll make your laptap battery last a LOT longer! If you don't mind looking a little nerdy, then this is super el-cheapo option!

[petronius]

9. I actually thought about that...

and it's actually free, since we already have a couple!

:)

[Orsino]

3. My sister-in-law has similar woes...

...and found that our local computer shop couldn't fix it. The trouble was in the hinge, and only the manufacturer can handle the problem. For now, she's tied to an external monitor.

[yvr girl]

4. I had a similiar problem with my computer

It was going to be crazy expensive to fix so I bought an external monitor. I plugged it in, and my laptop was miraculously healed. Woohoo. (All I did was turn my computer off for over a week.) I'm taking the monitor back.

[Deja Q]

5. VERY costly. $200 sounds cheap. Of course, it's Dell.

The plastic toy itself IS cheap. :puke:

Not surprised on the warranty either...


With laptops, the backlight can be a common problem (so are "dead pixels" or "stuck pixels"). Especially today. ALWAYS buy the extended warranty for laptops - such warranties cover everything.

[Alleycat]

6. Try to find the part on e-bay

We just had to replace my daughter lap top lcd screen. Thru Dell the new screen would have been $550+. I was able to find it on e-bay for $200 and got a local computer guy to install it for $40. Most locals have to go direct to Dell for any parts so you would probably be better off getting it yourself and have them just do the install.

[petronius]

11. Thats a good idea, Alleycat ... Thanks everyone for the feedback!

[henslee]

7. Here's a link. BTW, I have same LT. & just replaced a keyboard myself...

bought in online for 18 dollars. I, too am a novice and while a keyboard is not a backlight... I still think you might be able to fix it yourself. If you check out the link below, you can see it may not even be a backlight. Maybe you can even get someone to do it for fifty bucks.

All you have to do is make sure you look at the diagrams and put things back the way you found them. But what have you got to lose? Here at this link... there is a how-to and they explain that it might not even be as bad as you think. Besides, if its messed up already, what have you got to lose?

Worse comes to worse, a local pc repair guy might be able to do something.

http://www.hackaday.com/entry/1234000523065961/

[petronius]

10. Thanks for the link - it may come to that, since I have an

innate need to take things apart (putting them back together is optional, however)... :)

[henslee]

12. Also, dont forget to keep your fan dust free. A little air in a can will

usuaslly do the trick.

[ChromeFoundry]

8. If it's only 1 month...

out of warranty.. keep calling Dell to cover the repair of it. Be persistent... chances are they will send you out a refurbished one. Had a similar problem with a Dell DJ and after about 7 calls, they sent out one.