Replacing the screen on Aspire 5332

Hi all. I've been told this is the place to get help with Acer laptops so I hope you don't mind me diving straight in and asking for help in my first post.

The screen on my Acer Aspire 5332 has cracked. We have no idea how it happened (wasn't dropped or anything) but I'm going to try replacing it. I have a few questions:

1. When I start up the computer at the moment (with the cracked screen) the whole screen is distorted (lines, wrong colours, etc). You can't see what is actually meant to be displayed at all. Is this normal with a cracked screen or does it indicate something else is wrong with the laptop on top of the screen crack? I don't have a VGA monitor handy to check.

2. Any recommendations on what screen to buy and where to buy it from?

3. Bearing in mind that I don't have an external VGA monitor, is replacing the screen likely to be a simple swap, or am I going to have problems with drivers, etc?

Thanks

 

The 5332 is equipped with a 15.6 LED Backlit LCD Display. Not a bad swap.

Answer to #1: That's normal. The TFT arrays are now all broken/shorted, causing the distortion you're seeing.

Answer to #2: These usually ship with the AU Optronics B156XW02/03 or LG Phillips LP156WH2. Check eBay, expect about $80/screen.

Answer to #3: It's not a difficult swap if you aren't scared of using a screwdriver and fixing your own stuff. Drivers/etc are a non-concern, because the LCD runs off the LVDS Port and does not require drivers of it's own.

 

That pretty much answers everything. Thanks WindDrake.