[Ham-Computers] RE: Laptop video problems

Mon Jul 2 12:17:33 EDT 2007

Hi Phil,

One of the most common failures in earlier laptops is a break in the ribbon cable connecting the video adapter to the LCD itself.  Being that you have video when connected to an external monitor, this might be your issue.  A busted backlight is also a common problem, but not the case in this situation.

Crack open the case and check the ribbon cable from the m/b to the TFT panel.  These things are subjected to a lot of flexing and are known to either open or come "pinched".

73,

  - Aaron Hsu, NN6O

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 4:18 PM
Subject: Re: [Ham-Computers] Laptop video problems

Hi Doc,

Thanks for the tips.  I did some further testing, connecting my 17" LCD flat 
display to the video port on the back of the laptop.  That works, but still 
nothing on the internal display.  I also checked the BIOS (nothing there) 
and then, since all else failed, read the book.  Function/F10 cycles the 
video from internal to both or to external only.  Again, I could get a 
display on the external monitor, but nothing on the internal (other than the 
backlight coming on).

At this point I'd say that other than for use as a dedicated keyer for my 
beacon, this laptop is history.  I had intended to also use it for Ham 
logging if I ever operated away from the house, or to check my Email if I 
traveled any, or since it operates on the station battery, even for 
ham/beacon logging at the home QTH if we had a major power failure.  Being a 
1996 Win95 system, it isn't worth putting any money into it.

Oh well, it makes a nice programmable keyer, and I can edit the message file 
on my main computer, which DOES have a floppy drive.

73 de Phil,  KO6BB
DX begins at the noise floor!

Ten Meter CW Beacon KO6BB/B, 20 Watts 24/7 on 28.248MCs.
Merced, Central California,    37.3N  120.48W  CM97sh

----- Original Message ----- 

> Phil,
>
>    The keyboard on a laptop is frequently calculated as part of the
> cooling system, you may not have noticed the heat when it was closed
> but there may have been considerable heat trapped in there.
>
>    Any chance this laptop has an external monitor connector on the
> back?
>
>    Any chance something weird happened, heat or some other cause,
> which switched your video to *external* rather than internal or
> both video outputs?
>
> HTH ... doc
>
>> I have an old NEC Pentium (first Pentium) laptop that I have been using 
>> to "key" my 10 Meter beacon in CW mode.  The Keyer program is a DOS 
>> program and to save wear and tear on the hard-drive I unplugged the drive 
>> and boot from a floppy containing the Keyer program.
>>
>> It appears that my concern about saving wear and tear on the hard-drive 
>> was unwarranted as I just discovered that the video in the computer has 
>> gone belly up.  Yes, the backlight still works and can be turned on/off, 
>> but there is no other video what-so-ever!  In other words, it's a good 
>> thing that the program boots from a floppy as I would be unable to 
>> "click" an icon on the desktop to activate the program.
>>
>> This machine has been running on the 12 Volt "station" battery 24/7 for 
>> the past three-four months with the lid closed (shuts off the video when 
>> down), it doesn't seem to run unduly warm as the case is just luke-warm 
>> to the touch.  It CAN'T get a power surge from the power-line as the 12 
>> Volt station battery system is VERY stiff.
>>
>> I KNOW the CPU/Memory etc. is working as it will boot from the floppy and 
>> run the Keyer program.  If I plug in the Hard drive it appears to also 
>> boot from that as I hear the drive being accessed and see the LED 
>> blinking. After a few minutes that action stops and I presume the 
>> computer has booted up.
>>
>> Although I'm pretty sure that I know the answer already, is the video on 
>> these older laptops integrated into the MoBo, and is it usually 
>> economically repairable, preferably by me?  (my gut feeling says it's not 
>> feasible).  The machine already had an intermittent problem reading the 
>> CD drive, so it's really not worth putting much into it.
>>
>> 73 de Phil,  KO6BB
>> DX begins at the noise floor!
>
> -- 
>
> Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
> Personal: http://bibleseven.com/kd4e.html
> Ham QTH: http://bibleseven.com/steel/cjb-steelhouse-index.html
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