A Laptop Powering On But With No Backlight Repaired
A university student who needed this laptop urgently brought it to my shop for repair and the main problem was no back light on the screen.
A very simple way to identify a back light issue is to shine a light over the screen and you will see what is being displayed.
I know the photo is out of focus but if you look carefully into it you would see a dim logo of the laptop being displayed.
There could be many reasons for dim display; it could be a bad screen, bad back light board or could be the screen socket on the board itself.
In my case was the main screen connector on board because when I touched the screen flex cable a brief flash of light appeared and then disappeared which could be a bad flex cable or the socket itself.
When checked through my microscope I found a lot of cold and bad soldering joints on that socket and that require a micro soldering job. I got the flux tube out and with a temperature of 400 and air flow of 60 set on my heat station I started gently to heat up the connected after adding the flux on it. To make sure all the soldering joints are connected firmly on board, I touched the socket pins with my flat soldering tip after adding good amount of flux and when the job was done, I let it cool down, clean it with IPA and assembled the screen and hoped for the best.
The screen is alive again but I could see another problem with it but all was well after clicking the restart my PC option and it came on nice and neat.
The customer was happy when I informed him of the repair and he rushed to pick it up because on that laptop he had a lot of information that has to do with his graduation thesis. I was glad I could help out in his matter and to that I could say
Mission Accomplished.
This article was prepared for you by Waleed Rishmawi, one of our ‘Master Authors’ and currently working in the Bethlehem area of Palestine repairing electrical and electronic equipment.
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Note: You can check his previous article on A Welding Machine Shutting Down Due To A Broken Fan Repaired
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Tayo
February 17, 2022 at 8:40 pm
Excellent repair Waleed. Its not common (in my experience at least) to see dry solder joints on micro SMDs and ribbon connectors.... Do you suspect this is s result of poor manufacturing (budget brand laptop) or wear & tear/drops at the hand of the owner?
Waleed Rishmawi
February 18, 2022 at 7:32 pm
Tayo: thanks man. In would say both actually. sometime budgeted brand laptop and the effect of running for a long time causing the heating and cooling of the joint could cause that as well. on the other hand, the customer where he stores and how he uses it could cause that as well. have a blessed day
Albert van Bemmelen
February 17, 2022 at 11:23 pm
It is always a good thing when the cause of the problem is quickly found. Since finding the reason for any problem often takes the most of our precious time before anything can be fixed. Any soldering task that comes next is easy for a trained engineer. Nice job!
Waleed Rishmawi
February 18, 2022 at 7:33 pm
Albert: thanks man. totally agree with you. have a blessed day
Babu M S
February 17, 2022 at 11:55 pm
In this repair work your experience speaks. Thank you very much for sharing.
Waleed Rishmawi
February 18, 2022 at 7:34 pm
Babu: indeed. you are most welcome and have a blessed day
Imoudu Onwumah
February 18, 2022 at 12:53 am
I wish I could handle a lap top repair,I learnt how to repair though,but how to fix back all those tiny screws with different sizes at the back scared me off.Thanks for sharing.
Waleed Rishmawi
February 18, 2022 at 7:41 pm
Imoudu: if you have the basic knowldge of repair which you do already and then paying attention to where every screw goes. you can start by making a chart where everything goes then with practice, it comes really easier putting everything back the way it was. that is how I started taking laptops apart. have a blessed day
Parasuraman S
February 18, 2022 at 1:02 am
Excellent expert fix there, dear friend!
Waleed Rishmawi
February 18, 2022 at 7:42 pm
Parasuraman: thanks my friend. have a blessed day
Yogesh Panchal
February 18, 2022 at 2:23 pm
Good Fix! waleed.
Now a days you can't do without Microscope camera. a must have equipment for the technician.
Waleed Rishmawi
February 18, 2022 at 7:44 pm
Yogesh: that is a very true statement if you are dealing with micro size parts and I believe every technician if he is heading in this direction to invest in a microscope and a camera for easier repair..have a blessed day
Tito Kanshulu
February 19, 2022 at 1:10 pm
Excellent repair Waleed. The dry solder on the connector really needed an expertise eye
Waleed Rishmawi
February 21, 2022 at 2:42 pm
Tito: thanks man. yes indeed but having a microscopes helps alot to see micro parts. have a blessed day