Laptop screen problem

[ReuseIT1]

i am trying to fix a display problem on the above laptop.  I am a PC Repair person, but have now run out of ideas of how to fix this problem.

The problem is the display screen,   on startup all is fine, it even allows logging in, but as soon as one touches the Mouse pad to open a icon the screen goes blank and then every movement of the mouse caused the screen to flash on and off, mainly off.   i have restarted the machine and the same problem happens.

I have changed the Mouse pad unit, and replaced the battery, as i feel the mouse movement is effecting the battery and thus the display. 

So other than changing the M'bourd, i am out of ideas.

Can you advice any thing else I can try to fix this problem.    perhaps a new MB, will cure it.

Thank you

Peter 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @ReuseIT1 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thank you for laying out the situation so clearly and for the steps you’ve already tried—replacing the touchpad and battery shows real dedication to narrowing down the cause. 

I can imagine how frustrating it must feel to see the screen flicker off just as you interact with the system. 

Let’s walk through a few more structured checks before considering a mainboard replacement.

 

External Display Test
Connect the laptop to an external monitor via HDMI or DisplayPort.

• If the external display remains stable while the built-in screen flickers, the issue points toward the internal display panel, cable, or related circuitry.
• If both displays flicker, the problem is more likely tied to graphics drivers or the system board.

Driver and Firmware Update

• Boot into Windows and update the graphics driver through Device Manager.
• Also check for BIOS/UEFI updates. A firmware refresh can sometimes stabilize power and display handshakes.

Safe Mode Observation

• Restart into Safe Mode.
• If the flickering does not occur there, it suggests a driver or software conflict rather than hardware.

Touchpad and Power Interaction
Since the flicker is triggered by touchpad movement, test with an external USB mouse.

• If the issue persists, the touchpad isn’t the root cause.
• If the external mouse works fine, the touchpad circuitry or its connection to the board may still be interfering.

Display Cable Reseat

• Open the unit and carefully reseat the display cable at both the motherboard and panel ends.
• Look for pinched or frayed sections that could cause intermittent signal loss when the chassis flexes slightly during touchpad use.

System Diagnostics

• Run the built-in hardware diagnostics from the startup menu.
• Pay close attention to the video and memory tests to rule out deeper board-level faults.

 

Next considerations

If after these checks the flicker continues, the likely culprits narrow down to:

• The display panel itself
• The cable assembly
• Or the motherboard’s graphics circuitry

Replacing the panel or cable is generally less costly and worth trying before a full board swap. A mainboard replacement should be the last resort once these components are ruled out.

You’ve already shown great persistence in chasing this down. With these additional steps, you’ll have a clearer sense of whether the issue is localized to the display assembly or truly requires a board change. 

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye