toshiba owners/ lcd backlight / read me

the following models:
SATELLITE® 1805-S177, 1805-S208, 1805-S278,
1800-S274, 1800-S207, 1805-S207, 1805-S154,
1805-S255, 1800-S256, 1800-S206, 1800-S254,
1800-S204, 1805-S274, 1805-S254, 1805-S204,
1805-S273, 1805, 1800, 1800-S253,1800-S203,
1805-S253, 1805-S203 (the “Satellite 1800 Series”)

SATELLITE PRO® 4600 Series
TECRA® 8100 PERSONAL COMPUTERS

there is a known issue with faulty lcd backlighting with the above models. toshiba is repairing this at no charge even if the laptop itself is out of warranty. this program ends on may 4,2006 so if you are having issues with the backlighting(turning off, flickering, dimming) you need to act soon.

according to toshiba, only "premier" service centers can do this repair under this program.

go here
to find the list of premier service centers (there are only 28 in the US) they should know about the " FL Inverter " problem.

I am having a problem with my backlight. Unfortunately it is not an 1800 series. It is a Satellite M30X. I am very frustrated because the warranty went out a month ago. I was informed that it will cost anywhere between $500-800. Is there anyone who can fix it cheaper? Can I fix it myself?

Dude. I have fixed several laptops with flickers or black screens. Usually, ythis is caused by a small neon tube. Very thinm 1/16 to 1/8 inch in diameter (2mm or so). So, if you have patience and delicate hands (the tubes are VERY fragile) you can dissassemble the LCD screen and do this pretty easily. Just take pictures at each step, especially how the wires to the tube are streched/routed below the surface. Remove the old one, splice in the new (and make sure the high-voltage connection is soldered and theninsulated with some silicone).

The odds are, this is your problem. LCD inverters/transformers rarely go bad unless you zap them pretty hard.

The way to tell immediately on sight, is that a neon backlight tube will be black or grey at one (but usually both) end of the tube. Just like fluorescent tubes. They leak, get contaminated, and start to combust inside (creating the carbon).

Dont forget you are dealing here with HV, so discharge it before you start on the laptop (obvioulsy, unplugged and with battery removed!). Not as serious as a CRT tube, LCD neon is low amp stuff, so it wont kill you. But it sure would make you yell! (maybe kill a pacemaker, instantly).

So give it a try, if you have the deft and determination. The best place to buy the micro neons is a place in germany. Even found a neon there for a friend's old Aero. 20 bucks. Dont rememnber the URL, but it only took me 5 minutes to find. I will check back later when I have my old bookmarks handy (a continent away right now), and see if you found it.

Naroke! (good luck)
SchlosStudios

Thanks for the information. I will try it.

Must be a problem wif loads of toshibas. SI have problems with thier PDAS!

Originally Posted by jbennet1 Must be a problem wif loads of toshibas. SI have problems with thier PDAS!

Crap...I'm just now seeing this, 5 months after the expiration...WTF. Toshiba didn't send me jack for notification, either.

Yeah, I definitely knew it was faulty, after 3 LCD replacements. Finally, after the warranty expired last December, I cracked open the lid and took a look-see (didn't see anything). I grew desperate after awhile and reversed the cabling at the tube and it actually helped. I don't lose my backlight nearly as much as previously, but its still a damn PITA dealing with this.

Needless to say, after dealing with this issue and the RMAs the last 4 yrs, I'll not be buying Toshiba ever again, no matter the product.

Hi Dude,

I have Toshiba Satelite P20 series 17 inches screen notebook.
after the warranty 12 months, Windows XP starting up and only could output the XP logo then (load display driver?)output black or only could display few stripes then crashed etc.

I Paid for a new mainboard over $800 with 3 months warranty from Toshiba distributor in Australia.

now the fourth month after replacing the mainboard, the display is missing dots evenly on graphics (not text)but still much better than the quality of the EGA screen 20 years ago. What would you call this problem? the mainboard problem again? it is good/no problem if I use the external monitor!

thank you,

Dan

Originally Posted by SchlosStudios Dude. I have fixed several laptops with flickers or black screens. Usually, ythis is caused by a small neon tube. Very thinm 1/16 to 1/8 inch in diameter (2mm or so). So, if you have patience and delicate hands (the tubes are VERY fragile) you can dissassemble the LCD screen and do this pretty easily. Just take pictures at each step, especially how the wires to the tube are streched/routed below the surface. Remove the old one, splice in the new (and make sure the high-voltage connection is soldered and theninsulated with some silicone). The odds are, this is your problem. LCD inverters/transformers rarely go bad unless you zap them pretty hard. The way to tell immediately on sight, is that a neon backlight tube will be black or grey at one (but usually both) end of the tube. Just like fluorescent tubes. They leak, get contaminated, and start to combust inside (creating the carbon). Dont forget you are dealing here with HV, so discharge it before you start on the laptop (obvioulsy, unplugged and with battery removed!). Not as serious as a CRT tube, LCD neon is low amp stuff, so it wont kill you. But it sure would make you yell! (maybe kill a pacemaker, instantly). So give it a try, if you have the deft and determination. The best place to buy the micro neons is a place in germany. Even found a neon there for a friend's old Aero. 20 bucks. Dont rememnber the URL, but it only took me 5 minutes to find. I will check back later when I have my old bookmarks handy (a continent away right now), and see if you found it. Naroke! (good luck) SchlosStudios

You know, there is a few pages on the web that detail replacing the flourescent back light with LEDs. They will definitly help if the backlight in your laptop keeps going.

The odds are, this is your problem. LCD inverters/transformers rarely go bad unless ou zap them pretty hard

Actually I have spent the last 5 years repairing laptops and from my experience 95% of the time a dim lcd is caused by a bad inverter. I replace inverters all the time. Lcd bulbs rarely.
Easy to diagnose if you have access to a cheap laptop or a broken one that u can use the lcd out of. Basically hook up an extra bulb/lcd to the inverter in question or use a multimeter to test the output of the inverter. I prefer using a bulb/lcd cause you get to see the bulb actually light up. Also you can hookup your lcd to another inverter to test it as well. I always test both just to be sure. Maybe one of these days both will be bad

Originally Posted by kjsteines I am having a problem with my backlight. Unfortunately it is not an 1800 series. It is a Satellite M30X. I am very frustrated because the warranty went out a month ago. I was informed that it will cost anywhere between $500-800. Is there anyone who can fix it cheaper? Can I fix it myself?

Check out another problem with that model:
http://www.a70m30xsettlement.com/
You can get some cash out of them, maybe, if you act BEFORE 9th of March.

Good luck!

Its the same problem with the Toshiba Satellite M70-144?
Cause my screen just turns black when the x-servers needs to start
or it something else?

FWIW, the new Toshiba R500 laptop uses LED backlighting. So there's no flourescent tube to burn out anymore.

The info here is very useful, to fix the issue with my laptop

Thanks.

Got new tube for <$20 thru ebay. From my reading, display tubes are very standard commodities sold by screen size. You may have to solder wires to tube end terminals.

Take pictures! Photo document disassembly!

Local Fry's store offered any LCD repair for $50 flat rate.

If a bright flash light shows your screen is all there, just not lighted, then your video system is good, your software is good, your lack a working backlight.

i have passed RHCE EL4, but i did not got job in linux, now i decided to go RHCSS certification, could it help me for job, & what is the benifit for doing that
parag