Dell latitude c600 laptop pentium 3 bad display - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: Latino16bits
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 15, 2025, 01:27:23 pm
content: I am trying to find what specific part might be wrong by looking at my video.The problem started after changing the bad metal hinges in 2010 which shouldn't have nothing to do with the problem but it hapened.Display used to display good half of the time back in 2015 or sometimes after hitting it slightly.I removed the pcmcia slot thinking the display ribbon cable was shorting with that slot but after removing it(check photo) it was also showing bad display.video of the bad display:

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2025, 01:43:29 pm
content: A few possibilities.- Damaged/loose LVDS cable.- A faulty LCD panel, perhaps one or more panel ribbons damaged, or edge of panel is chipped breaking control signals to the row drivers.

author: Latino16bits
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 15, 2025, 01:58:22 pm
content: the ribbon cable the large one to the left on top/over the PCMCIA slot which was removed, looks good and i made sure it was well connected without pressing ultra hard which by experience things don't get constructed to press so hard.the ones on the edge yea might be bad but i tapped them and it didn't fix signal. also tapped the circuits on the back to find the cause but it didn't make a difference in display, i never been able to pinpoint the cause, i used to tap the edges more than the back of the display back from 2010-2017 and it fixed the image now it doesn't, display was good, it started breaking after changing the frame with the metal hinges which was an easy fix for that.is there a specific video or thing you want me to try to get closer to the fix?

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2025, 02:03:57 pm
content: Remove the LVDS cable fully and inspect it carefully for damage. Make sure the ends are connected firmly, consider using contact cleaner.If the fault persists I would recommend removing the metal frame around the panel to check for damage. On a laptop I repaired a long time ago I flexed the hinges too hard and caused a minute crack in the panel which caused a shimmering image. It wasn't quite as bad as yours but it was not good to use. So that's why I think it could be a possibility, you say you repaired it 15 years ago?

author: Latino16bits
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 15, 2025, 04:04:27 pm
content: yes 15 years ago and never took apart the lcd panel specificaly until now. I checked the contacts careful didn't see anything bad, and used compresed air again from a can instead than contact cleaners because i don't have that yet. I took the panel out of the metal case panel checked all connectors side bottom and back even reconnected one 3-4 pin connector I had doubts put it all back in place using 2 out of 5 screws, turned it on the monitor display a slightly different image but is not too surprising since it tent to do that.I'm starting to think the lcd itself is bad.

author: Latino16bits
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 16, 2025, 06:43:12 am
content: I was told in another forum the lcd screen could have been damaged by my static electricity for touching the metal hinges as i was installing the screen touching the hinges at some point. It make some sens but also not cause the metal hinges are not circuitry or conductive or are they? What do you people think

author: silly sausage
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2025, 04:18:50 pm
content: has it got a svideo out port or hdmi etc so you can test on another display,some del inspiron had poor grafix chips that had to be reballed.

author: Latino16bits
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 18, 2025, 06:55:48 am
content: is got the latitude c600 but I believe I put the same agp card when I swaped the mobo back in 2010 or 2009, but yea it could be the graphics card I can try to find 1 on ebay or amazon. I just tried the vga port it gave good video signal. is not the agp card apparently?video of the test:https://vimeo.com/1048077151?share=copy#t=0

author: Latino16bits
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 18, 2025, 10:25:29 am
content: I was told the second flex cable might be bad cause it the one that closes and opens with the lcd so many times. I tapped on it, i adjusted correctly with the hinge because it was loose but still didn't give good image tho it produced a different glitch more readable, it must be the fault.UPDATE: I was able to get good image on the lcd panel for several minutes after somewhat straighten the second flex cable inside the lcd panel, now is just a little bad again but not severe bad. What else can i do? I didn't take picture/video is this cable:https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314504434391I might take another video of the inside which by looking and touching everything appeared to be in good order, now I'm thinking it might be being pulled too much, I might record a video of it soon and weater it fix or not.video of good image: haven't try opening the panel again but it may break image again after closing the lid.

author: Latino16bits
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 21, 2025, 02:00:40 am
content: I had the graphics card wrongly installed it was being pulled up by the HDD enclosure causing the pc not to turn on at times, I was pressing down hard on the graphics card cause i saw it loose and now it seems the inverter at the bottom of the LCD panel make the screen turns the lights off, so I'm getting perfect image now but it only last a few seconds either on BIOS or xubuntu.here's a new video explaning:

author: Latino16bits
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 30, 2025, 10:56:04 am
content: could someone tell me what this is? the screen turning the lamp/inverter off after a few seconds? the image on the crt remains working, when pressing FN CRT/LCD 3 times the image goes back to the lcd but still only a few seconds, i get perfect image now.