Dell Inspiron 6000 Dark Screen

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I wonder if anyone can help.

The screen on my Dell Inspiron 6000 is barely visible. It seems to be a hardware issue as if I attach another screen to the Dell the other screen works and I can use the Dell.

Googling tells me the problem is likely to be either with the inverter or the backlight. Does anyone have an opinion on which is the most likely culprit. And also is it possible to do the replacement oneself (knowledge/experience limited to changing hardrive and adding memory).

Thanks in advance.

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How old is the monitor? I found replacement screen here.Perhaps this means it is user changeable. But, since a refurbished replacement PC is availablefor less than $200, is it worth the expense and time to attempt a repair. Here is a Service manualthat does list a replacement procedure.

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That’s a sympton of a backlight failure. This can be one of three problems:

1. The CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) has failed (most common)
2. The power inverter for the CCFL has died – CCFLs are high voltage, low current devices (also common)
3. The ribbon connector passing the power from the main case to the screen has dislodged (not that common but possible)

For a competent DIYer, 3 is easy to find and reattach. Replacing the CCFL is also quite easy and if you search Google, you’ll find many suppliers of replacement lamps – quite inexpensive to replace. Replacing 2 is slightly more tricky but much more expensive and probably not worth the outlay.

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That’s a sympton of a backlight failure. This can be one of three problems:

1. The CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) has failed (most common)
2. The power inverter for the CCFL has died – CCFLs are high voltage, low current devices (also common)
3. The ribbon connector passing the power from the main case to the screen has dislodged (not that common but possible)

For a competent DIYer, 3 is easy to find and reattach. Replacing the CCFL is also quite easy and if you search Google, you’ll find many suppliers of replacement lamps – quite inexpensive to replace. Replacing 2 is slightly more tricky but much more expensive and probably not worth the outlay.

Replacing the inverter isn’t that expensive. I replaced the inverter for my HP laptop for less than £60 – It gave me a good 18 months extra life out of it, which I considered a reasonable return.

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Well £60 isn’t bad IF you have the tools to confirm it is the inverter. But if you replace the CCFL and then find it is the inverter, it adds more expense. I’d certainly have a go depending on the age and ability of the laptop.

Terry

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Firstly thanks for the answers – I would have replied sooner but I have had user-name problems accessing the forum.

Secondly it is a real pleasure to find a tech forum a) with knowledgeable people and b) without replies 2 through 99 being… ‘yeah, mine does that as well, any answers?’, or ‘the cat was sick on mine and ever since…’ and ‘OMG ME TOO PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!’.

I paid ten of our English pounds for an inverter of Ebay so I shall see how I get on with that when it arrives.

Supplementary question: The screen was working fine yesterday – does the intermittent nature of this problem alter the diagnosis?

Thanks.

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A tenner for an inverter seems a bargain and a half!

It could still be the inverter or maybe a dodgy connection. Inverters are strange device: they relie on aspohisticated multi vibrator circuit to provide a high ac voltage which is then rectified and doubled into a smoothed HV for the CCFL. If one component of the inverter is marginal, it may be reluctant to start oscillating. Replacing the inverter will sort out either problem though! Examine the connectors and connections when you strip it to replace the inverter.

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A friend’s Dell Inspiron 6400 is darker towards the left-hand side, and even more so at the bottom left, such that text is almost unreadable in this area. Apparently this is a backlight problem, but since this is now incorporated in the screen itself, this means a complete replacement screen. A mere £125.

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

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