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    Horizontal transparent line on screen.

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Mojo Risin, Dec 8, 2013.

  1. Mojo Risin

    Mojo Risin Notebook Enthusiast

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    So I was playing a game a couple days ago and I noticed something weird ... there's a small horizontal line where my internet toolbar is. It doesn't go all the way. I notice it's there when the screen is dark because it's transparent (I can see through it, it's like someone made it on photoshop and it's just permanently there).

    It's not a big deal but it gets really annoying when I watch movies, I just can't get my eyes off it !
    Is it a problem with my screen that is not fixable ?
     
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  2. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    Do you have a picture of it? Does it display the line externally? You may have a row of dead pixels (if I'm understanding your post correctly).
     
  3. Diaphanous

    Diaphanous Notebook Consultant

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    I don't think it will show in a picture unless the viewer has the same problem.

    I might have the same line.
     
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  4. mikecacho

    mikecacho Notebook Evangelist

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    Hook up an external display to you PC and see if it appears on the external, if so then your GPU, if not then your LCD.
     
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  5. Mojo Risin

    Mojo Risin Notebook Enthusiast

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    I tried on an external display and the line doesn't show up.
    So that means it's my laptop screen ...
    Is this the kind of stuff you can replace on your own ?
     
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  6. Alienware-L_Porras

    Alienware-L_Porras Company Representative

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    If you have good disassembling skills you could try it on your own, there are plenty of Youtube teardown videos.
     
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  7. Mr. Fox

    Mr. Fox BGA Filth-Hating Elitist®

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    Sounds like your LCD needs to be replaced. I have been experiencing a similar issue for a good while and I think I am going to need to get my screen replaced while I still have time left on my warranty. It comes and goes randomly and does not appear in screen captures or with an external display. Sometimes it is a thin line and sometimes a wide one. Sometimes it appears during POST and goes away when Windows loads or gets worse after Windows finishes loading.

    Try temporarily changing display resolutions or lower your refresh rate to 40Hz, then change it back to 60Hz. Either of those seems to make it go away a while... sometimes for a day and sometimes for a week or two.
     
  8. Optimistic Prime

    Optimistic Prime Notebook Evangelist

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    If you have warranty left I'd recommend having the LCD replaced. It isn't difficult to replace, if you want to do it yourself.
     
  9. Mojo Risin

    Mojo Risin Notebook Enthusiast

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    No warranty.
    Where should I buy a screen ? On Amazon ? Any brand in particular ?
     
  10. Optimistic Prime

    Optimistic Prime Notebook Evangelist

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    Which model M17x do you have?

    The best place I can think of is a reputable ebay seller or the NBR Marketplace. You could call Dell and ask if they have them and how much it would cost, but I imagine it would be higher.
     
  11. Mojo Risin

    Mojo Risin Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have an Alienware m17x R3.
    I don't know what to look for.
    Can I find this on Amazon ?