Guide: Replace Your Dell XPS M1530 Screen

Like many M1530 owners I was shipped the lackluster Samsung "Grainy" (CCFL) screen. After much angst and time spent arguing with Dell I managed to strike a deal. Dell agreed to refund me the cost of a new LG CCFL screen on my M1530 purchase so I could go ahead and purchase the LG CCFL screen myself from Dell parts. Why this was more attractive to Dell than just swapping screens I don’t know but what it meant was me replacing the screen in my machine myself. So here is how I did it.

WARNING: This is not meant to be a service manual. This is only meant as a supplement to the official service manual provided by Dell and really is just my personal experience doing this. I take no responsibility for anything you do or don’t do to your machine. Only perform this operation if you are comfortable with disassembling and reassembling computers and/or electronics. You do this at your own risk.

1. You need to download and use the Dell Service Manual for the M1530. Get it from the NBR **Official Dell XPS M1530 Manuals, Drivers & Utilities** thread. It’s what I used and is a very good, easy to follow guide.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=193815&highlight=manuals



2. Tools I used:



Small philips screw driver
I actually had two on hand just in case one was a bit too big but I could have done it all with just one.

Tweezers
You might drop a screw into a very hard to reach area or need to position a screw into a hard to reach area so the tweezers came in handy. A small magnetic pen tool would do the job as well.

Needle nose pliers
I don’t think I actually used these but they’re good to have on hand.

Utility knife
I only used the knife to open the box for my new screen and cut some tape that fastened a clear plastic, protective film on to the panel.

Wood or plastic chopstick
I used the flat edge of a wood chopstick like a wedge to pry between spots and it won’t scratch or damage anything like a screwdriver might.

A table and some kind of cloth to protect your laptop from scratches, when working on it. I used my dining room table and a tablecloth.



3. Use some containers to store screws in. There are 6 different kinds of screws you’ll encounter so rather than get totally confused as to what goes where, just store the screws in containers in the order you remove them. Then just go in reverse order when you are putting it all back together.





4. Flip the unit over and remove the battery. Remove the brass coloured screws you’ll find underneath the battery.





5. Now remove the two cover plates on the left and lower mid section. Hint!... don’t take the screws out all the way. Just loosen them enough to remove the plates and keep all the screws in them.





6. Now flip the unit over right side up. To take the plastic control cover off you need to lean the screen back as far as it will go, then gently pull up on the control plate from the far side. It is only held down by some plastic tabs so be careful. I found starting at the top left side and working my way down and across to the right worked best. Also note there is a thin ribbon cable connected to the underside of the cover, so you cannot lift it right off. You need to flip the cover over and disconnect the cable before you can remove it completely from the assembly, as seen in this pic.

Remove the hinge covers. They come off very easily by just pulling the left cover to the left and the right cover to the right.




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NOTE: How To Skip Steps 7-11.

As demonstrated by chucko83 (thanks chucko ) removing the entire display assembly from the main assembly (lower keyboard area) is not absolutely necessary. Please see post #20 in this thread for more information. If you feel comfortable with performing this operation like chucko83 did it can be a huge time saver and allow you to skip ahead to Step 12 after completing Step 6.


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7. Now you need to remove the keyboard. Pretty straight forward with just two screws but be careful as there is a ribbon cable underneath that’s attached to it. You need to lift the keyboard off enough to be able to reach underneath and pull up on the cable at its base, where it is connected to the main assembly. A little black housing that it’s connected to will flip up and release the cable. When replacing the keyboard you need to place the end of the cable flat on the assembly against the housing and then push the housing that flipped up back down and it will clamp the cable in. My description probably sounds harder than it is, sorry.

Once the keyboard is off you can see all the cables and how they are routed. Make note and study this it will serve you well.





8. Now we need to get underneath the unit again to remove the mini card cables. Close the unit gently and carefully flip it over. On my M1530 I just needed to pull the black and white wires up for the WLAN mini card and then route all the wires you see here through the hole they are coming from to the other side.





9. There is one far left & one right screw at the top of this pic that need to come out now. Sorry this pic is showing my mini card cables still poking through on this side. They really should be through the hole and on the other side before proceeding. Once that’s all done carefully flip the unit back over to right side up.





10. Flip the screen back as far as it will go again. Remove two screws holding the display assembly to the main assembly.





11. Carefully remove the connectors for the display and camera cables. Now you can dislodge these cables along with the mini card cables from their routing. Once you do this you should have the main assembly and display assembly in two separate parts.









12. Remove the bezel on the display assembly. Just use your fingers to pry up the bezel from the inside. The bezel is held on with plastic tabs and it comes off pretty easily. Just be careful as usual.

Now remove the 6 screws holding the screen down to the assembly (4 at the top, 2 at the bottom).





13. Remove the LCD panel. Now hold the panel on its side so you can remove the screws holding the brackets on the sides of the panel. Note how the brackets are positioned so you know which side is up when you put them on the new LCD panel. Sorry for the blurry pic.





14. Remove the display panel cable on the back of the LCD. There’s a piece of clear plastic tape holding it on where it connects at the top. Remove the tape carefully and save it so you can secure the cable on the new panel the same way. The cable is also glued down near the bottom with some low tack glue. Just pry it up carefully. Now disconnect it from the top and bottom connections.





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HALF WAY THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Yeah I know only half way after all that? Yeesh.

Now you just need to go through all the steps above in reverse. The toughest part for me was getting the display assembly back into it’s slots on the main assembly. It took some ‘finagling’ to get it to slide in. But everything else went pretty smooth.

Also note that your new LCD panel shipped with a plastic film held on with masking tape. I left this film on until I had to put the display bezel back on. At that time I just carefully cut the masking tape with a utility knife, close to the edge of the panel, and removed the film. Don’t worry the bezel will cover the tape that’s left.

The other very important part is cable routing. Take your time and do it right, otherwise you will end up with a nice hump in your keyboard.

That’s it. Hopefully you end up with the most frickin amazing screen you've ever seen like I did... well at least compared to the craptacular Samsung you had before. I have to admit this LG screen is 110% better than the Sammy so all my efforts seem way worth it now.

Good luck and if you have any comments or advice for others that could be added to this guide let me know.

 

Excellent job! Thanks for taking the time and effort to post this information!!

 

Thats a great pictorial guide. It would have been great to have something like this when I pulled my first m1530 screen out, lol.

 

Thanks for a great guide and tips, it makes me want to try to call to refund and purchase the LG Screen and install myself, but where can I order the dell part? From official dell website or third party?If you order and install the screen yourself, will it void the warranty?

Last time I call the sales department if I can just downgrade my screen from 1600 to 1440 without returning the whole system and they said I couldn't. Is it hard to get a partial refund (the price of the screen)?

 

Thank you gentlemen

Thank you. As noted throughout the How Do I Fix My M1530 Grainy Screen thread, getting Dell to acknowledge the poor display quality of the Samsung screen and arranging for an LG replacement is nothing short of a miracle. I spent hours making phone calls, sending emails and generally making a huge nuisance of myself until Customer Care decided to cooperate.

Frankly I have no idea if this operation voids the warranty or not. Maybe someone else can confirm this? Or maybe call Dell and ask?

I purchased the LG screen from Dell Parts Canada. I know others were able to actually have Dell replace the screen for them through warranty but alas this was not how it happened for me.

 

I just did this on my Inspiron 1520 on Friday night, and the procedures were very similar to this. The hardest part was removing the bezel around the screen... you literally have to spend 20 minutes of finger-cutting torture to carefully snap that thing off. At least I have some battle wounds to show for my hard work.

I would recommend following the Service Guide found on Dell.com in addition to these pictures, for either the m1530 or the Inspiron 1520. See my other post about this here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=3200539#post3200539

 

Sorry to hear about the battle wounds. The bezel on the 1530 was a breeze to remove and replace. No scars to show for it here just a fantastic display. Yes as I mentioned in Step 1, anyone attempting this should download the Service Manual.

 

This is a great guide. Well written and illustrated. Thanks for your contribution!

 

Thank you and you're welcome.

 

Yeah the 1520 is a real beast... It's a very sturdy and well-built machine. I'm glad I took my time and didn't scratch or damage anything. Now I have the screen I wish I would have ordered to begin with!

I'm also curious as to whether or not this voids the warranty... Anyone have any idea?

 

I thought I almost fainted

Great guide dude

 

Ya me too this screen should be standard equipment not a hidden gem. Especially on the flagship notebook for Dell :\

You almost fainted from my guide? Wow I feel like a rock star - lol.

 

Jeez, I thought the antenna wires on the Latitude D630 were a nightmare. I hope my replacement M1530 has a decent screen. (I already know it's another Samsuck, so I'm prepared for more misery.)

Excellent guide, Thund3rball. Huzzah.

 

Where did you order the screen?

 

And do the have m1330 samsung screens?

 

Glad to hear it. Thanks mate

I ordered the screen from Dell Parts Canada. It is also available from eBay here. Just to be on the safe side I would double check with the seller about this part number fitting the M1530 and that it is indeed the LG screen. I am 99% sure it is but I'd feel better if you confirmed this yourself before buying.

I'm sorry I don't know about M1330 screens. If I bought an M1330 I would probably pay for the LED screen upgrade option. That would avoid the issue altogether I'd think. You might want to look around the Dell threads for more info.

 

Awesome job, do you happen to have the LG screen part number or model number so that other users can swap to this screen?

 

Excellent Guide!!! I didn't need it, but you get repped anyway!

I do have one question though... I want to replace the lid sometime with different color ones. How hard would that be? Does the top half have to come out to do that, or can it be left on?

Believe it or not, it does NOT show how to take off the lid in the service guide as I just checked.

 

Actually just saw the pic
LP154WE2.

Awesome.

 

good job.

i did a swp between 2 m1530s. one dead mobo laptop w/ LG and the other was a working laptop w/ samsung screen.

when i did the swap, i followed the directions by dell almost exactly on the 'tare down' for the first laptop.

on the second laptop, i did even less. i didn't remove the bottom cover to disconnect the wires (is there a point to that?), and i did not remove the LCD housing from the hinges.

btw, i watched two technicians struggle and mess up two previous m1530s...so i had an idea of what to do anyways going into it.

just a hint...on the second tare down i flew threw it since i knew exactly what to expect...for the media control center and hinge covers, with the laptop opened as wide as it will go, i was able to insert (twisted, rather than pried) a small flat head at the top of the left hinge cover (closest to LCD side) to pop it out. and from what i remember, the hinge cover and media center both kinda unlocked together....
when i did this, it came off much easier, unlike the first one which felt like i was going to snap the pieces holding it on.

 

Thank you to you all!

I see you answered your own question but I'll post here just for reference for others.

Dell P/N XK309
LG P/N LP154WE2(TL)(B2)

I don't know 100% that the red piece you're talking about is supposed to come off after initial assembly. I do know that the red strip highlighted in my pic below does because mine came loose a little. However, this piece is not attached with screws or fasteners that lock it into place but is just a peg through a hole. Once the piece comes off you would most likely have to use glue or some other means to get it to stay back on securely IMHO. Something I am tempted to do on mine if it comes loose again. If I take mine apart again I will check for this.

Wow that's awesome! You are a streamlining machine
Maybe you should rewrite the service manual (heh heh). Great tip for future screen swappers. I'll add this tip to the 1st post later. Thanks.

 

No one here had taken of the lid yet? I don't want to be the first one! LOL

Your pretty talented with the pictures you used. What program did you use for those, like for the picture above in quote?

 

On a pic from a Google search I did this in Photoshop:

1. Press L key (Make selection with lasso tool)
2. Ctrl + Shift + I (inverts selection)
3. Ctrl + U (Increase the Lightness slider)

 

Updated guide with suggestion from chucko83 in post #20. Basically you do not have to remove the entire display assembly from the main assembly, allowing you to skip steps 7 through 11 in this guide. Nice advice chucko!

 

Can someone tell me if led 1440x900 screen would suit for my lid - now I have samsung (1680x1050) and i'm about changing it myself to sth better. Could it be led screen?

 

Good question, I don't know yet. I thought I read something about the lid being slimmer but I can't find it now? Maybe ask the OP of this thread as he has 2 1530s to compare, one LED and one CCFL.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=243531

 

Hey, a DELL tech guy came not so long ago to change my palmrest, but he left the LED cables messed up and now the black part that has the touch buttons broke (the right-bottom corner of it popped up) so i would appreciate if you could just tell how are the cables of the LED routed in the right-upper corner of the laptop, sent you a PM with the details, pictures would be really appreciated

 

Just a question.. how do I tell which screen I have? There isn't anything but generic PnP monitor listed under system information.
Thanks!

 

A bit off topic, but does anyone know is grain a problem with the LED backlit screens as well or just the LCDs?

You have to go into your Device Manager > Monitors > Generic PnP monitor > Properties and look at the hardware ID:

SEC: Samsung
LPL: LG

iirc

 

Cool ! I have the LG screen. Thank you, I didn't know how to determine this until now. I can honestly say this is the best computer I have ever owned. I have had it for about a week, and so far, there are ZERO defects or complaints. There isn't even any cosmetic damage. It is absolutely perfect. way to go DELL!

 

HELP!!!!! The display panel cable port on my OEM replacement screen is smaller than the cable that is on my XPS! Are there any remedies? Do I have to return it and start over?

Very, very tired momhazzard

 

what replacement screen did you get? did you buy it from dell? are you sure you have the right part number?

 

I bought it from spare parts warehouse...13.3 inche, 1280X800 WXGA, GLOSSY BRITE.

IT IS LISTED AS A REPLACEMENT SCREEN FOR THE DELL XPS M1330

AM I HISTORY?

 

I Still Have Time To Return It...

 

hmmm, so your new screen did not come with a cable? that's too bad. did you maybe get the LED screen instead of the regular screen? i can't see why the cable port would be different.

You are probably best to call Dell and see what's up. Make sure you have the exact part number of your new screen. Maybe they can send you the right cable?

 

Hi,

I tried to open my M1530 but I wasn't sure how to remove the plate with the media buttons (what Dell calls the Center Control Cover in their docs). My problem is I can't really tell where the plastic tabs holding it are and I was quite afraid of breaking it if I applied too much force. I've highlighted some parts in your picture of it:



Is everything that I've highlighted a plastic tab holding the plate down? Does it usually require a lot of force to remove?

Thanks.

 

I find that working that piece from the top first (side closest to the screen), as opposed to the bottom (side closest to the keyboard) works best. If you have a chopstick with a flat end or some kind of plastic wedge tool to help pry it up that helps. You do want to be careful but the 1st time you remove this piece it will likely be a bit tight.

 

Just installed my new screen. Thanx for the great guide!!

 

Sweet, you are very welcome.

 

I really thank you for this guide!! Nevertheless I'm french, all was really clear for me, the descriptions as well as the pictures, which proves that it's a really good guide!!

I would just have a little precision to add, but it's not for a global case :
I bought on ebay the LG XK309 screen to replace my broken LG WXGA+ (1440*900, I don't remember the P/N).
The point is that Dell mounts some specific fixing on its original screens (I'll take a picture when I'll have time), which were not on the XK309 I bought.
If that case occurs to you, don't panic (like I did ^^ ), because that's not a problem.

What you have to do is to unplug the pink and white cable off the printed circuit (I don't know if it's the right word) which is fixed on the bottom of the screen.
Then remove the little screw which holds the printed circuit).
Then you have to pull it out of its location (it's a little bit hard).

On the new screen, you simply plug the pink/white cable on the printed circuit that you've juste extracted, then plug the smaller connector of the flat double connectors XPS cable on the back of the printed circuit.
Now, plug the big connector on the back of the screen, like it's said in the guide.

Almost done! Sadly, you can't correctly fix the printed circuit because there is no specific metallic fixing on the bottom of the screen, but when you replace the new screen, be careful that the printed circuit is correctly located in a sort of a plastic hole which is approximately of the same size.

Put back the 4 screws (yes it remains two screws that you can put back because the screen miss the two top fixing which were on the original screen).

Put back the plastic cover, and so it goes, the printed circuit won't move, there is no floating pieces in the screen like I was firstly afraid and the printed circuit is compatible with the new screen!

By the way the XK309 is really amazing!! Even better picture than the LG WXGA+ model!!

Well the conclusion is, make sure that the new screen you'll buy is not a generic version of the screen, but the Dell version with the specific fixing, if you don't want additional howeworks (if you buy it to Dell Parts there will be no problem). But if it's the case, don't panic, there is still a way to correctly mount it!

Bye and thanks again!

 

It makes me glad that people find this guide so helpful. Roupette I look forward to those pictures and thanks for the detailed report on your particular scenario. I didn't know there was a difference between the Dell part and non-Dell part. I have to wonder if maybe part of the discrepancy lies in the fact that you went from WXGA+ to WSXGA+? Or maybe it is just as you think, Dell vs non-Dell. I am glad it all worked out for you and I will happily add your experience to the guide but I will wait for some pictures from you to help illustrate your situation. Thanks

 

Hi Guys,

Sorry to bring this thread up again, I just have a quick question -

I'm currently have a XPS M1530 with the crappy 1280x800 screen, and want a bit more resolution, so i'm going to get one of the LG WSXGA+ panels.

Will I need to change the inverter as well as the LCD panel?

And also - can anyone recommend any good UK stockists of LG parts?

Cheers,
Joe

 

Excellent contribution great work man.

 

No worries I am happy this thread is still useful.
It's hard to say if you can use the same inverter. It may depend on the manufacturer? If they are different you may need a different inverter. I would ask for the inverter that goes with your new screen when ordering.
Cheers

Thank you

 

Thanks for the reply, I'll ask for that when I'm ordering :] As far as I can tell, there is just one inverter for all M1530s, so I hopefully won't need to.

 

amazing job by the OP but what exactly is so bad about the Samsung screens?


I just got a 1737 with the RGB LED screen and its pretty darn good. My RGB LED screen is made by LG. very high craftmanshift and high quality I have had 2 other LG displays before, LCD PC screens both with Zero dead pixels.

And on because the CCFL backlighting was getting dim I was within my 3 year warranty they replaced it with a totaly new and better model for zero cost.

 

Well, I just bit the bullet and ordered the LG panel from the US, should be here in a week or so... it comes with its own inverter, so hopefully all will be fine :]

 

where are you from? How did you order the new panel? How much did you pay for?

 

I'm from the UK, ordered the LCD panel off of EBay from a US seller "Smart-Micro USA". They have a proper website and stuff, but for some reason the panel was cheaper on EBay, and it comes with the inverter, plus you can pay with Paypal. It cost just over $200. I'll let you know when it arrives!

 

Thanks I am looking forward for news from you!!!
'If everything is ok, I am living in Belgium and will ask you for some help, because I've searched so long for this screen!