Inspiron 5150 screen dead, only see backlight, external monitor ok ?

Have a Dell Inspiron 5150 which I can plug into an external monitor
and it is fine. The LCD screen though only shows white backlight. I
see no text at all during the boot process or afterwards. Is this a
common problem, is it most likely the LCD screen needs to be replaced?

this is likely a problem with the flex cable.
if you move the display up and down do you periodically see an image on the
internal lcd?
you could try to simply reseat the flex cable on the motherboard end per the
lcd removal instructions on support.dell.com
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...ay.htm#1084976
if that helps then replace the flex cable with a new one ordered from dell
spare parts...
you could also try to reseat the video board....
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...st.htm#1105919
but the problem could also be the video card has gone bad.
since you are getting light it is unlikely a damaged lcd.


"Albert" <> wrote in message
news:235c5aac-7d9a-4033-959b-...
> Have a Dell Inspiron 5150 which I can plug into an external monitor
> and it is fine. The LCD screen though only shows white backlight. I
> see no text at all during the boot process or afterwards. Is this a
> common problem, is it most likely the LCD screen needs to be replaced?

From my experience working with the Inspiron 1100/1150/5100/5150/5160 (all the
same chassis and very similar motherboard), the flex cable attaches to the
motherboard, but not in a very secure way. As Christopher says, the flex cable
could simply be loose or possibly worn. The repeated action of opening and
closing the lid of the computer could cause the flex cable to work its way
loose.

It is unlikely to be the video card, because it works fine with an external
monitor.

It could also be the the inverter, which is inside the cover of the computer,
below the LCD and right between the hinges. This is a bit of a pain in the ass
to disassemble. If the inverter has failed, a replacement MUST have the EXACT
same part number. Why? Dell often used complete screen/inverter assemblies
from various manufacturers in the same models of computers. They are not all
compatible with one another. I found this out the hard way when repairing
another Dell laptop... Ben Myers

On Wed, 2 Jan 2008 22:28:25 -0500, "Christopher Muto" <>
wrote:

>this is likely a problem with the flex cable.
>if you move the display up and down do you periodically see an image on the
>internal lcd?
>you could try to simply reseat the flex cable on the motherboard end per the
>lcd removal instructions on support.dell.com
>http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...ay.htm#1084976
>if that helps then replace the flex cable with a new one ordered from dell
>spare parts...
>you could also try to reseat the video board....
>http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...st.htm#1105919
>but the problem could also be the video card has gone bad.
>since you are getting light it is unlikely a damaged lcd.
>
>
>"Albert" <> wrote in message
>news:235c5aac-7d9a-4033-959b-...
>> Have a Dell Inspiron 5150 which I can plug into an external monitor
>> and it is fine. The LCD screen though only shows white backlight. I
>> see no text at all during the boot process or afterwards. Is this a
>> common problem, is it most likely the LCD screen needs to be replaced?
>