Z61M Blank Screen, external monitor ok, X1400

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chckedde · #1 Post by **chckedde** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 12:47 pm

Hello!

I Just bought a Z61M (9450-3hg) with a nonworking screen due to a bios ugrade error....

The laptop works perfectly with an external monitor, but i cant get the internal to work..

The backlight is not on and the screen is totally blank. I cant even see it in Windows Device manager.

I checked the cables and they all seem to fit in....

So..., can a bios upgrade really destroy the screen? or is it the X1400 GPU? or just the LCD?

- Thanks...

#2 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 3:52 pm

Welcome to the forum.
Can you still get in the BIOS?
The latest one is V2.27 http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-64409
Have you tried re-flashing it (either within Windows, or via bootable CD)?

If the backlight is not on, you have a few possibilities:
1: bad inverter (cheap to replace)
2: bad CCFL (more complicated but can be done in DIY)
3: bad/loose LCD-cable. Remove the keyboard, check that the cable is seated properly and secured. You may need to open the lid to check that the cable has not fallen out the back of the LCD. The cable may also be bad/worn/broken.
4: bad LCD

Download the HMM for instructions to take it all apart: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-64204

chckedde · #3 Post by **chckedde** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 3:17 am

I can aces the bios through the external screen and i have tried various bios versions flashed from within windows... none of them works..

i have had it all disconnected an all cables are seated properly and they all seem to be in mint condition.

But will a bad LCD also cause the backlight not to turn on?

#4 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 5:15 am

Start with replacing the inverter.
You'll only need to take the front bezel off the LCD screen to access it.
Have you tried Fn-F7 a couple of times?
Checked that the Lid switch is not stuck or broken?

chckedde · #5 Post by **chckedde** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:54 am

I checked the lid switch - nothing wrong with that.
Fn-F7 wont work, the lcd does not show anything.

I dont think there is something wrong with the inverter - Shouldnt i be able to see something on the lcd if it were broken?

I`m thinking it may be the system board / GPU...?

#6 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 3:03 pm

If the LCD is still OK, you should see just the vaguest of images if you shine a bright torch on the LCD at an angle towards the bottom. If you see nothing at all, it could be the LCD or the GPU.
You could still have a defective inverter.
I would go for the inverter first, as it is the cheapest option (and you may need a spare later).

You say the external monitor still works OK.
It is 'fed' by the analog part of the GPU while the internal LCD is 'fed' by the digital part of the GPU.
I'm not familiar with the Z6x line, but I do have a T60 with X1300 GPU, which is very similar.
These ATI GPUs are not known for problems, nVidia usually takes the cake there.

chckedde · #7 Post by **chckedde** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:11 am

Would the backligt turn on if, for example, the cable to the lcd were broken so the motherboard couldnt register it?

I cant see the internal lcd in devicemanager or the catalyst software... So either the lcd or the systemboard is defect...

and if the motherboard switches off the backlight when there is no lcd present - then it must be the lcd which is defective...

Or am i wrong on this theory?

#8 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:09 am

You'll need to find another Z61m or similar with the same LCD size.
Then try your LCD in there or the other in yours.

You say the BIOS versions don't work, but if you press F1 upon booting, you should be able to see on the first BIOS screen, which versions BIOS and ECP you have.
Also, try and change the sequence of the AGP/PCI/LCD settings in BIOS, if that helps?

How is your external monitor defined in Device Mgr?

chckedde · #9 Post by **chckedde** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:32 pm

I`m having a hard time finding a Z61M here in Denmark... The only ones i can find is on ebay, where i might eventually buy a replacement.

The Bios is: 2.27 / ecp: 1.08

Device manager:
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i37.tinypic.com/egaikn.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

or: http://i37.tinypic.com/egaikn.jpg

Translation:
Skærme = Screens
Skærmkort = Graphics adapter

I have tried everything related with the bios.. nothing changes anything...
I even tried measuring the signals to the lcd, but i ended up with nothing due to too big probes...

#10 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:46 pm

Looks like you have either a faulty LCD cable, a dead LCD, or (least likely) a partly dead GPU.
Cables are relatively cheap, LCDs around $100 upwards.
I'd suggest to return that laptop and ask for your money back, unless you bought it while knowing about the BIOS(?) issue.
I'm not aware of BIOS upgrades causing an LCD not to work.

Z61M Blank Screen, external monitor ok, X1400

Z61M Blank Screen, external monitor ok, X1400

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Re: Z61M Blank Screen, external monitor ok, X1400

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