what looks like interference bars flickering on screen
planets
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hi any ideas on what this might be:
dell studio 1555
windows vista service pack 2
i have a two inch wide bar just off centre of what looks like electrical interference bars on my screen the full height of the screen. at first i thought it was a broadband/wi-fi issue but it is still there on the desktop....any ideas what it is and how to cure it?
thanks in advance
dell studio 1555
windows vista service pack 2
i have a two inch wide bar just off centre of what looks like electrical interference bars on my screen the full height of the screen. at first i thought it was a broadband/wi-fi issue but it is still there on the desktop....any ideas what it is and how to cure it?
thanks in advance
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Check the cable is connected properly. If you have one also try a different cable. And if you have a laptop or some other device try plugging the monitor into that. If the interference appears whatever you have it conencted to then that implies the monitor is faulty.
However if only your Dell produces the interference then chances are it's that causing it. But it would help narrow down what is the problem if you can try swapping things around to see what happens.
You can check if it's the graphics card by plugging in an external monitor if you can get access to one.
But one thing that you can try, even if you can't plug another monitor in, is to very gently press the bezel round the screen in a few places. And may be gently flex the lid and try slowly opening and closing it. See if that changes the interference pattern. If so that could indicate a connection problem.
If you go to the Dell website and search the Support section for your specific model you should be able to find a technical manual for the beast. If you feel confident with screwdrivers then you may be able to take the display apart and check all the connections are secure.
If that doesn't work and an external monitor is fine then chances are it is a screen failure. Which would probably mean replacing it. If it's the graphics card then that might be a bigger problem. The graphics is probably integrated onto the motherboard so chances are to replace the graphics you'd have to replace the entire motherboard.
That is what happened to a Dell laptop I had at work where the graphics went mental. However it was under warranty so a nice man from Dell came out and took it apart and changed the motherboard for me.
Another possibility if the interference changes as you open and close the lid is the cable from motherboard to screen. That gets flexed every time you open and close the lid so could get damaged and need replacing.
If you're really unlucky it might be a damaged connector rather than the cable.
Replacement cables can be had for a couple of quid off eBay, although they can be a bit fiddly to fit.
Depends.
If you pay somebody to get it fixed the cost might certainly end up being substantial.
Conversely, it might turn out that it only requires a couple of quid's worth of parts and a couple of hours of tinkering.
You can buy an awful lot of parts for a wide range of laptops very cheaply on ebay so, theoretically, even if the problem is something like a damaged connector on the motherboard, you might be able to obtain a replacement mobo for £30-odd.
It'd be rather a coincidence if you really do have an entirely separate problem relating to the power button.
My guess, there, is that something in your laptop lid is supposed to send a signal to the computer to tell it when it's okay to power the screen down and/or suspend or shut down the PC and the same dodgy connector/cable that's responsible for the screen fault is causing a dodgy signal to be sent to the PC about powering on/off.
Found THIS while searching for pic's of the guts of your laptop.
Might help if you choose to investigate.
In this sort of situation my usual routine is to partially strip the laptop down (to remove the palm rest, keyboard and any other stuff which might get in the way, (literally) have a poke around and see if I can trace the fault to a specific component or group of components and then buy a couple of cheap bits off eBay, see if they fix the problem and then, if they don't, reevaluate whether it's worth spending even more money to buy yet more bits off eBay.
If you decide to embark on an investigation, take LOTS of pictures of what screws come from where (after you remove a bunch of screws, take a picture of them lying next to the holes they came out of) and how cables are routed etc cos chances are you'll take the laptop to bits and it'll be that way for a week or more while you decide what to buy and wait for it to arrive then fit it.
The fact that the power button is acting up might actually be a good sign cos it suggests it's a cable fault rather than a screen fault.
As I said, strip it down (so it looks roughly like step 15 of that guide) and then pull the screen cable free of it's channel in the case (but don't disconnect it) then start up the laptop, give the cable a gentle wiggle, give the connectors a prod with a wooden toothpick and if you can provoke the fault to occur it's likely it's the cable.
Certainly worth a punt on a new screen cable if that's the case IMO.
thanks again Si for taking the time, i really appreciate it. when the on/off button started malfunctioning i searched on various tech forums and found it to be a common problem with this model, the wiring is all in the hinge apparently and people were saying it was common for it to fall apart and cause this problem. it said it required soldering or a new button....i found a way of making it work and let it be.
i rang a localish (i live in the middle of nowhere nearest anything is 20 miles away) computer repair place; on describing the issue the guy said it was a "tabbing error" and a new 15" screen would cost £85.
i have googled "tabbing error" and couldn't find anything that sounded remotely like what i am experiencing, putting together what you and chris and what i can find online together i don't think i need a new screen ( i say this as i can reduce or increase the flashing lines by pressing on the casing surrounding the screen) i think the problem is the wires and loose connections. to be honest i don't think i'm techy enough to risk taking it apart (never soldered anything, wouldn't know where to start). if i follow the directions on the link you kindly found for me, am i likely to kill the laptop completely with my ineptitude?
thank you again for such a detailed reply, it's so kind of you.
Certainly adds to the suspicion that the fault is related to cables running between the case and the screen.
Sounds like your repair man is opting for the low-risk solution.
If he fits a new screen & cable he knows it'll fix it and, if he tests the existing screen with the new cable first, he wins himself a working screen to fit into a future machine or that he can sell on.
I saw THIS video on YT (worth a watch just to see how to strip the machine down) which discussed repairing the switch by resoldering the connections or fitting an alternative switch (which is a bodge IMO).
The screen cable can be had off ebay for £5 HERE and a replacement power button can be had for £13 HERE.
If it was me I'd probably buy the screen cable and see if that fixes the screen fault and then, if it worked, I'd leave the laptop in bits, order the power button and fit that before rebuilding it all.
Alternatively, if you really don't want to get your hands dirty (speaking of which, it's a great opportunity to clear all the dust and bumfluff from inside a laptop too) perhaps you could talk to your repair man and ask him how much he'll charge to fit the cables you supply on the understanding that you realise they might not cure the fault.
Course, by the time you've bought the cables and paid somebody to fit them the cost will be climbing so that might convince you to give it a go yourself, especially since we've established we're dealing with a repair man who doesn't neccesarily have your best interests at heart.
Taking a laptop to bits is usually quite straightforward.
Pulling screens apart can be fiddly because they're often held together with molded plastic clips as well as screws but it's not beyond the abilities of a reasonably smart, patient, person.
You might need to purchase a decent set of Jewellers screwdrivers (or, less likely, a set of Torx drivers) to do the work but that should be all you need.
*EDIT*
Also, if you fit a new power button you might, afterwards, find somebody who can repair the faulty one by resoldering the wires so you'll have a spare for the future.
Also, I should reitterate, before you get all excited and start ordering things, you MUST partially strip the laptop down and give the cables a wiggle to verify that they ARE the likely cause of the problem.
If you pull it apart, wiggle the cables and nothing happens then the fault may be with the screen, itself, rather than the cables.