Line on Laptop display

[GoPool]

Hello, I recently started getting this vertical line on my laptop display. It does not happen every time, but it happens enough to annoy me. Basically, it's this green line about an inch from the left of the display. When I see it, I just restart; sometimes it goes away, sometime not. It does not affect the computer performance, but I do not like the sight of that line on the display.

The lines comes up in both Ubuntu, and Windows xp, which dual boot on my machines, so I doubt it's a software problem.

If the line was always present, I would assume that it was just dead pixels, but sometime it works, and when I twist the screen a little, the line goes away until the screen comes back to it's normal position. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.

[zverg]

Sounds like you have a short in the ribbon cable for the display. I'm sure someone on here can give you the part number you need to order, or just call tech support. If you have the ThinkPad Protection plan warranty it should be covered (labor included) but you'll be without your thinkpad for days.

You have to disassemble the thinkpad really far to get that cable out, it's the cable that attaches the lcd and thinklight to the thinkpad motherboard.

[Msmax]

This is the LCD itself.
Have had this on several machines and replacing the LCD solves the problem.

Seems the multiplexing connections to the chips on the LCD comes loose. If twisted or pressed at the top the view becomes worse or better.

Just replace the screen and the problem is solved, 100%.

Msmax

[GoPool]

It's just one line, not worth changing the lcd screen. I'll live with it, but I wish there was a quick. Thanks though.

[GoPool]

Luckily my school has a laptop repair office. I contacted them and the guys gave me this response.

"Hi,
This is a common problem, and it is very fixable. It is especially common on IBM/Lenovo T40 series (T40, T41,T42, etc) because they don't use a locking cable connector, they use scotch tape to connect the cable to the LCD."

[The Spirit of X21]

That's it? This makes me want to pick up a "broken" machine and see if I can easily fix it now. Thanks for the tip!

[Msmax]

But did you fix it already with this tip?

Msmax

[GoPool]

I'm taking it in tomorrow morning, the tech said it should not take more than an hour to open up and fix the cable. I'll keep you guys posted.

[mitchellst]

I think your school is mistaken. While it is a possibility that the cable is loose, the odds of that being the problem are much lower than that of your screen or motherboard malfunctioning.

I've seen loose LCD cables on toshibas plenty. I don't know if I've ever seen it on a thinkpad though.

Good luck, but I'm bettin' it's your motherboard or LCD.

[Msmax]

Is the LCD it self.

The lines are multiplexed horizontally and vertically in the LCD driver electronics.
If 1 line on top of the LCD does not make good contact to the flexgrid (cable) then it will light up all the time resulting in a vertical line.

Msmax

[GoPool]

you guys are right. Here is what the tech said in an email I just received.

"Well, I took the display apart and looked at it, and unfortunately it isn't the cable. There is a problem with the electronics board on the LCD. When the green line come on the screen, you can just tap that board and not even touch the cable, and the line goes away. The cable was in tight, but I re-seated it anyways.

The only fix for it is to replace the entire LCD because they don't make replaced boards for these. You can probably get a replacement LCD for $300~$400"

I paid $300 for the Thinkpad on ebay, so getting a new lcd is out of the question. I just I'll be tapping till I can't tap no more. Thanks for your help though.