HDX inverter/backlight failure

[Pelikanol]

The video cable connection. I'm glad you said that.

You know, my first thought when the screen burned out was that there could be a problem with the display cable, that it was either loose or damaged at the hinges. It felt more like a video issue than a backlight issue, with Windows freezing and all. And I have noticed some other suspicious things: some tooltip boxes have acted strange, a window that I dragged from a white background left a bright yellow trace behind, when I maximize a window the toolbar might sort of stick for a second between its old and new position before the image is refreshed...

I really made sure to replace the display cable properly, because it obviously wouldn't go straight in. But did I plug it in that straight and far in? I don't know. Unfortunately, I only took a picture of it before I disconnected it, not when I had replaced it.

I'm gonna check the cable on the system board tomorrow. It's a much smaller job than going back inside the display cover, so I'll start with that and hope the problem lies there. Oh wait, I don't even have to remove the keyboard to reach it! Brilliant.

[HaggisCat]

You won't have to remove the keyboard, but the speaker cover will have to be removed of course. I found that to be the most difficult to separate with out breaking the snaps off. I do believe you will also have to remove the hot-key bezel as well.

 Test the laptop out before you put these things back in place.

[Pelikanol]

I replaced it already (I'm on another computer). Haven't turned it on yet.

What worries me is that the black cloth runs so far down on the connector that it's more or less inside the socket. And the **bleep** thing can't be moved? It's not as straight as yours, it sort of runs down an extra millimetre on the middle.

Perhaps there was a minor gap between the flange and the shoulder on the left side...

[Pelikanol]

Oh brilliant, now the cloth completely came off one of the sides instead... This is going well.

[Pelikanol]

So, the cable is back in place.

After two Starting Windows screens I still haven't seen any flickering or white lines. Maximizing windows feels a little quicker than before. And the screen feels calmer.

The high-frequency noise is still there, but again, it might have been there all along.

I wish I could jump and down with joy already, but last time it took me a day to recognise the problem...

Anyway, I took some before-and-after pictures of the cable in the system board. I will upload them in a day or two unless the lines and stuff turn up again.

(By the way, I got the cloth back on to the side of the connector. It was very much like putting on a condom, if you're a hamster.)

[laszlopap]

Hi,

I have followed this conversation with great interest since I have identified my problem as possibly the same. I am in the process of dissassembling my machine into atoms right now.

The disturbing thing at the moment is that the instructions for removing the keyboard do not seem to apply to my model (which is:

p/n FU794EA#UUW

HP HDX X18-1200EO

s/n {Removed for privacy}

But I cannot see an option for instructions for the HDX-1200, so I checked HDX-1000 and HDX-1100. On keyboard removal, both show only one ribbon connector to the keyboard. Mine has two, the second located to the left with four connectors (gold color). I hesitate to remove this without instructions since it is very delicate. Can you guide me?

[HaggisCat]

@laszlopap

 You have a back-lit keyboard and the additional cable is to supply power for the LED lights. There will be a small plastic tab to grasp and to gently and firmly pull the cable from the system board. The preferable tool is a pair if tweezers with an angled broad tip to grasp the plastic tab with, (there is no zif connector here).

 If you have small fingers then that will work, but the tweezers make it a little easier.

 

[laszlopap]

Aah ... thank you, that made the trick. Now this may be a side-track, but I never (not even when the unit was new) had a keyboard back-light and didn't really reflect over that even if I certainly would have needed it. Is there anything to do about this now that my dear machine is nearly disassembled?

[HaggisCat]

I think everything is covered in this thread, pretty much. If you had any specific questions to ask I check the forum daily.

 I am not sure if I mentioned this, but while the machine is apart test the inverter. The screen can be mounted and plugged in with out the back case in place, you don't have to bother connecting the WiFi and camera. The hot-key strip can be left off too, but the keyboard and power button board will have to be plugged in. They can just sit there for the test.

 Also, leave the battery out and just use the adapter.

[laszlopap]

Thanks for your support. My display now seems to work fine (still crossing my fingers everytime I start up), and I got the keyboard backlight back too!