T30 display problems after upgrade

[Mad Max]

I have a T30 without the Nav pad. I added the palmrest bezel with the Nav pad. No problem there. The new Nav pad works great, but upon reassembly, the lcd will stop working when I boot up. I can still see the display, its' just not lit. I have checked the connections and I'm all good there. I have looked for anything pinched and I am good there as well. I can get the lcd to boot fine if I keep the new bezel off the unit, or if I don't put back all the screws. It has the symptoms of something getting pinched or a short, but I can't find it. I have put this thing together and taken it apart at least a dozen times and still no change. Any ideas?

[Harryc]

Leave the bezel off, attach the keyboard, power on, and move the wires going to the LCD and the inverter. Does the LCD blank out? Same with the main LCD cable...wiggle it.

[poshgeordie]

As Harry says it would appear to be pressure related.

If you've still got the original top bezel, can I suggest you closely compare the underside surfaces of the two to see if there are any differences.

At first I thought it could be a faulty or damaged metal lever which acts on the micro switch at the right hand back corner of the TP (below the display) when the display lid is closed.
I've had one such switch where the plastic welding on the underside of the bezel had failed and the switch was sitting on the microswitch. Hence it it took nothing for the m-switch to be pressed and the display blanked.
The only problem with this is that operating the m-switch completely blanks the screen and not dims it as you infer.

If you can still see the display then it sounds more like a backlight / inverter issue.

If you've had no joy with Harry's suggestions, fit the top bezel nav pad connector and keyboard.

On the underside, fit just the three front screws.

Power up and check everything works.
Put the display at right angles to the bezel and stand it on the DVD side (not the other since the CPU fan vent will be blocked).
Note try not to press the DVD switch since it'll try to open so you'll need some little spacers.

Start adding and then tightening the other screws, gradually working towards the rear of the TP.
Hopefully you will find one screw causing the display to dim.

If this idea works then see if you can relate that to an actual problem.

I'm not wanting to be the bearer of doom, but today for the first time I had a faulty graphics chip on a T30, which needed a reflow.
It's V rare, but thought I'd mention it.
To check this, before fitting the bezel, try very gently twisting the chassis at the front and see if it causes the graphics to dim as you indicate - very long shot indeed but only takes a sec.

The motherboard connects at the rear to the external connectors via a daughter board.
Check that the two are properly mated by removal and refitting of the motherboard.

Let us know what you find. Good luck!

[Mad Max]

Good News! It turns out to be the little metal lever that you spoke of. The plastic had become brittle and it was pressing the micro switch ever so slightly. I only figured it out after trying everything I could with the bezel off. I reattached the bezel and pressure tested it again. This time I got the same effect around that area. Maybe not the greatest fix, but I just removed the little lever and the problem didn't come back. Thanks for all the advice. This one was causing me fits.

[poshgeordie]

Great news!

suggest using some twin pack epoxy glue like Araldyte to stick it back onto the bezel.

That way your display will be switched off when the lid's closed.