M15x Screen Blackout / Flicker issue; Works fine on External Monitor

Alienware m15x w/
1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M

Short Version: non-functioning WLED screen on laptop

Problem history:

Have had this laptop for just over 2 years to the day without any problems whatsoever. However, just weeks after the expiration of the warranty ...

Screen had been ever-so-slightly flickering (very sporadically) for the past 1-2 weeks. I barely noticed, though in retrospect it was lazy of me not to check that out or be concerned earlier.

Then last night (6/18), with multiple programs open and while on Skype, the screen flickered, went black, and would not come back. I could still alt-tab and hear ambient sounds of various programs, and my Skype chat was still live.

Eventually I gave up and turned the machine off. Upon turning it back on, it seemed to start as normal, I could hear Windows noises signifying I'm on the password screen, nothing sounded weird with the hardware.

But nothing shows up on the screen.

I tried removing battery and doing a few basic things to no avail.

- - - - -

Eventually I tried using a VGA plug into an external monitor, which works perfectly.

As I was checking my email and typing, I noticed suddenly my laptop screen flickered back on.

Furthermore, I can flicker it on and off whenever the middle section of keys are hit at a normal typing strength (T, Y, U on that row, then F, G, H, J, K, L next row, and similar on the bottom row, plus the spacebar).

If I type ever so soft and careful, the screen will stay on and not flicker. But it appears to be a tossup (if I type at normal strength) whether the screen just flickers or goes out completely (until a few button mashes bring it flickering back once again).

For now, I am using the external monitor and I have turned off the dual display so I don't have constant blackout / flickering on the laptop screen itself.

I am not sure how to remedy the problem and gain back the normal use of my laptop screen, though I appear to have at least a short term solution in the external monitor.

I have little knowledge in hardware. It seems something inside under the keyboard, a connector or cable, maybe has a problem. I could open it up ...

But I don't want to break anything.

My 2yr warranty on this laptop finished as of April 2012, so I've got no help there.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

System specs:

Alienware M15x Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
15.6-inch WideHD+ 1600x900 (900p) WLED

Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Quad Core Processor 1.6GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)

250GB SATAII 7,200RPM 3GB DDR3 at 1333MHz

1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M

 

You should check on the LCD cable located under the keyboard. There are certain connections that might get loose over the time, also there are some options even if you are out of warranty, there is always the paid Depot option, it really seems like one of the connectors might be loose so you can give it a shot with that but if the issue persists you can always contact us on [email protected] with your tag and phone numbers and we will get back to you as soon as possible with the options that you have.