LCD inverter, panel and backlight question

I know this question gets asked time and time again, but after searching I'm still unable to really pinpoint my problem.

I have an HP dv2000 that was bought exactly 4 years ago, and the hinge broke since then. It was covered by my credit card warranty, and I sent it in and HP repaired the entire upper half of the laptop. The plastic casing was new, but I would assume they used my old LCD, inverter, and backlight.

Well about a year or two ago, the screen stopped working. I didn't try to fix it and just hooked up an external monitor to it and use it as a desktop.

Since I am on semester break, I've found myself with enough time to take a look at it.

I took the casing off and I had previously broken the connector from the motherboard to the inverter, but the copper connectors were still there. I secured it into the inverter (very tightly) and turned on the laptop. The screen worked, didn't seem dim at all, and it was usable. After about 20 or 30 minutes of use, the laptop's screen died again.

At that point, I would close the laptop and open it again, and the screen would work for 20 seconds, then turn off. Closed and opened again, worked for 10 seconds, kept doing it until it wouldn't turn on anymore (maybe 4 or 5 more times).

It should also be noted that the external monitor will not receive a signal from my laptop until the windows logon screen appears. I am unable to use the bios.

When the screen "dies" as I call it, I think the panel still works, as I am able to see what's on the screen, there's just no light. I can take a big flashlight and put it up to the screen and use it to access the bios and other preboot screens.

So i think it can only be:

1. The connection between the motherboard and inverter - I don't think it's this, because I'm sure it's absolutely secured to the inverter. I do not touch the machine at all and the screen will die.

2. The backlight - I don't think it's this because I was able to use it for 20 minutes without it going dim. And now and then, the backlight works if I open/close it, or fiddle with the inverters. Also, backlights are rated at 30,000 to 50,000 hours, and I know I haven't used nearly that much. Not even close.

3. Loose connection somewhere - Very possible, but I don't know where to look. I also want to point out that during the 20 minutes when the screen worked, if I pressed on the bezel on the right side, lower half, the screen would turn off. When i released, it would turn back on. Constant fiddling with it would make it stay off.

4. The panel itself - don't think so, since I can see what's on the screen, at all times.

5. The inverter - most likely the problem, but I have my doubts since the screen did in fact work for 20 minutes.

So my question: which is the most likely problem? I'm hoping it's just a loose connection, and that I can find it somewhere. I'm not sure what happens when screen hardware fails, but how could it work for so long then just die? Then work again then die, over and over?

Any help, suggestions, or guidance is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

I would say the inverter and the cable are the two cheaper parts to replace. I'd start with the inverter since you think that's the problem and it seem the more likely issue, at least as far as one can tell over the internet. If that doesn't work, try the cable. And sometimes just taking things apart and putting it back together does some good too.

 

So I took everything apart, put it all back together, and the screen doesn't work. But the screen lights up for a tenth of a second right when I boot up. Now I'm not sure how CCFL tubes work, but regular fluorescent bulbs don't light up at all when they are burnt out. Don't think any kind of bulbs do (I could be wrong). So it tells me that the bulb itself is not broken or burnt out, and that the inverter is sending electricity to the bulb and then it immediately stops doing so.

I'm guessing it's the inverter...

Now the cable going from the motherboard to the inverter is damaged (just the plastic tip/connecter. Is there any way to get this fixed? Is the cable soldered directly onto the mobo, or can I unplug it and get a new one? This inverter power cable is also connected to the one that sends the signal to the LCD.

Thanks again.

 

It's simply plugged on the motherboard. Two cheapest parts you can replace on a laptop, so there's no reason to replace both now that you are going to open the computer anyways