T30 display issues (Possible broken lid switch)

[strayhand]

I may have damaged the lid switch to my T30 when I replaced the LCD assembly. Does anyone know how to fix, replace or bypass this switch?

I bought a T30 off eBay with a damaged LCD. I purchased a replacement LCD assembly. I had a hard time getting the keyboard bezel off the machine and the lid switch was "stressed." The switch now sits lower than the top of the keyboard bezel. I read on some Web sites that this switch can cause the backlight of the LCD screen to turn off. The tricky thing is that my LCD screen works some of the time.

Here's how the LCD behaves:

1) The screen is really faint you have to look really closely to see the IBM flash screen the windows.

2) Pressing Fn+F7 doesn't fix the issue

3) Plugging an external monitor into the machine, shutting down the machine and then rebooting seemed to work for a while. Some how having the external monitor plugged in made the LCD screen work also. Using this technique I was able to use the laptop for several hours. Plugging the AC into the computer seem to address issue of the monitor being “touchy”.

4) The screen is touchy. Moving the angle of the screen would cause the screen to go blank. The screen would also go blank when I hit certain keys.

The bottom line is that I need to determine what’s at fault. If it’s the LCD or the inverter board then I need to determine that so that I can deal with the eBay vendor. If it’s the switch then I need to figure out how to fix or disable this little guy.

Your insight is greatly appreciated.

[strayhand]

Well... I'm getting very good at taking my T30 apart

I was pretty sure that the lid switch was the cause of my problems, so I tried using some clear packing tape to secure the switch in the up position. As a result I wasn't able to get the LCD monitor to work at all.

I took that machine apart again and found that the packing tape didn't keep the switch from falling down. So I busted out a pair of needle nose pliars and tried to bend the switch flush with the keyboard bezel.

This seemed to work. Sometimes the screen will go dead after I've shut the screen, but all I have to do is flick the switch with my finger and the monitor lights up again.

Given the fact that the screen goes dead after closing the laptop I think the switch is still extending too far. At some point I might try bending it further, or using some super glue to keep it in the up postion.

[AbsoluteRaleigh]

It has to be bent into a certain position. You could always remove it and use FN keys...