Video corrupton lower half of screen only

[beagle72]

My Thinkpad T60 15.4" has developed a bad problem. At any time, the lower half of the screen will become corrupted. The corruption takes a few forms -- basically the brightness gets blown out (whitewashed) and the image becomes both frozen and distorted. Sometimes there will be strange rainbow colors first and then the above.

The top half of the screen remains normal and continues to display software fine.

The issue is not software-based -- the corruption will happen everywhere, from BIOS menu to Windows to Linux, etc.

Also, I can temporarily "fix" the issue by very gently applying torque to the screen, pulling gently on the right side of the lid and pushing gently on the left side of the lid, as if twisting it (reversing this movement does not work). Of course, the screen has hinges on both sides so it doesn't really "move" noticeably, but the very slight torque can repair the corruption. The problem is that the fix is very unstable and even a small movement of the laptop can bring back the corruption. The screen may remain "normal" anywhere from hours to seconds.

I don't know too much about laptop LCD's. Does this sound like something that is most likely the LCD cable, inverter, or LCD panel itself? Is there anything else I can do to diagnose? How difficult would it would be to replace any or all of the above?

thanks!

[jdhurst]

Based on my experience with my T41 (now retired), it could be two things:
(1) The lid. As you apply pressure and temporarily correct the problem, this is most likely the cause. My own experience is that it is easiest to get a complete lid from eBay or here and replace the entire unit. Keep the old lid for spare parts ("A hinge broke").
(2) The motherboard. Less likely, but as you apply pressure on the lid, it is transmitted to the motherboard.

Easy test: Hook up the T60 to an external monitor for several hours. Gently apply pressure to the lid. Do this several times over a couple of hours. Any issues on the external monitor? If not, then the lid is the issue. ... JDH

[beagle72]

Thanks for the great idea. My initial tests hooked up to an external monitor (in desktop clone/mirror mode) demonstrate that the external display is 100% fine. Twisting the lid on the T60 quite easily influences the corruption on the LCD but the external display is rock solid.

Would a 15.4 WS lid from a T61 work on a T60 body? Asking because I see a T61 lid on ebay...

[jdhurst]

I cannot say. I always use the same parts and do not try to interchange them. But someone else here may well know the answer. ... JDH

[richk]

I have never mixed the assemblies, but the panels can be interchanged. I know the wireless antennas are run differently. T61 has them on the left and the T60 has one on each side.