Dodgy connection or broken screen?

[Progress_86]

I suspect this issue began when my laptop fell from a 2ft coffee table about 2 months ago.

My screen is now stuck on bright white with criss-cross vertical and horizontal lines.  Before this, it started phasing from a normal screen to one with pink or green, with vertical stripes.  The mouse did not move whilst it was phasing, suggesting (to me at least) that there was a temporary disconnection (now permanent) between the screen and the computer.  The screen has never gone completely black, though.

I can (and could) temporarily restore a normal screen by giving the monitor repeated hard whacks on the left hand and right hand side (sometimes the top, but less normally), but the temporary fix lasts less and less time.  Whacking the body of the laptop does not seem to make a difference.

I have taken the screen out of the laptop frame and have looked at the main connector at the back of it - it seems to be in flush/tight.  There is a smaller connector on the right which is perhaps less firmly connected, but I presume that works for the webcam and microphone...

I would be grateful for any advice with what might have gone wrong.  I'm not sure whether it is my screen which needs replacing, or the monitor cable (the silver/grey fabric-covered cable) that runs from the screen to the body of the laptop, or whether something else might have come loose (inside the body of the laptop?).  It would be good to know whether I need to start buying parts.

If it is the cable that needs replacing, then I had thought the thread below would be relevant, but it does not seem to explain how to replace the cable (just the screen).  Does someone have a link to a video which shows me how to replace the cable on something similar to an Envy 17?

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/HP-Envy-17-White-Screen/td-p/37...

Again, I'd be grateful for any help.  Thank you very much for your assistance.

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

We need the exact model number of the laptop to help wiith specific information. 

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c00033108

Also it would be a good idea to try the laptop with an external monitor to see if the picture is stable when it goes out through the vga or HDMI port. If it is not, then we have a motherboard (video card) issue. I think that is not likely because you can restore function by slapping the side of the monitor. Having done this quite a bit I can tell you there is some fairly small chance that replacing the video cable would fix the problem. It is much more likely the display panel. 

We can find the video cable probably for not much money, but for most recent 17 inch laptop screens the cost of the screen is not too bad either so it would be your call whether to try the cable first and then the screen or try the screen first and only get the cable if that does not work. 

Let us know if you need more help. 

If this is "the Answer" please click "Accept as Solution" to help others find it. 

[Progress_86]

Hello!

Thank you for the prompt response.  The sticker claims it is a Model 17T-J000 but it has never had a touchscreen.

I have tried it on my external monitor and it works just fine (good thinking!), even whilst the screen is flickering (this time with horizontal green and pink lines).  Unless you say otherwise, I will presume none of the above changes the diagnosis.  

I don't suppose you have a link to a video for a related model which shows how to remove the connector cable?  I have looked and can only find tutorials for the screen-only.

Thank you again for your help.

[visruth]

@Progress_86


https://h20574.www2.hp.com/results.htm?SID=5396623&MEID=D65F8896-4BC7-42C6-9407-849566150917

That is FRU remove/replace available directly from HP media library for the exact model series you have. Same steps apply to no TouchScreen version also.


This might help:
https://youtu.be/xeUs8ojYNwI


Regards

Visruth

[Progress_86]

I bought a new screen and it now works fine, so it wasn't the connector.  Thanks again for your help, all.