ThinkPad 600x screen keeps flashing dark

I have a 6 year old ThinkPad 600x... It's showing its signs of wear and tear.

Just in the last week or so, the screen started just blanking out. The screen was replaced just before the warranty expired last year... but I don't think IBM (it was still IBM) put in a new screen, though they charged me for it even though it was under warranty ($200).

SO this is what happens. It suddenly goes out but it is really like it goes really dark because I can still see what was up on the screen but like a ghost that does not fade. I figured out that if I pushed the little recessed button on the left hand side of the top of the Laptop just below the screen, it will cause the screen to flash back on.

I know I am not describing the location well of this recessed button...but it is what gets pushed in when you close the lid. Right above the light in the hinge that shows whether the laptop is on, charging, or whatever, there is a tiny protrusion. When you close the lid, that protrusion goes into a whole in the base and pushes the recessed button.

A couple of years ago when my screen went out, the tech person thought to push it and the screen came back on. She said it probably just got sticky.

Anyway I haven't had any problem like that again for 2 years, the screens been changed about a year ago and all of a sudden the screen just went dark a week or so ago. So I remembered and jiggled the button and it flashed back on.

Except now, it is happening with increasing frequency...and this afternoon when I was trying to do a fair amount of work, it kept flashing out every few minutes and it wouldn't come back on just because I pushed the button. I would have to keep pushing...and praying... the screen would come... and it would after I keep pushing it for a couple minutes, but it would flash out a second later. Or it would stay on for a few minutes and then flash out. It was variable how long the screen would stay on and how often I had to push the button. This went on for about 2 hours and then it suddenly stopped, The screen has stayed on for a couple of hours now. It flickers occasionally but it does not flash out.l

During the time it w as flashing out a lot, I turned the machine off and then back on. That did not seem to help at all, it kept flashing out frequently during that two hour period.
And pressing that button seemed to eventually get it to come on. Sometimes I would press the button and it would flash on and off immediately. So it seems there is a connection for sure.

So does anybody have a clue and can make recommendations.

For the last two years this laptop is on sometimes 24 hours a day. I turn it on at night by my bedside to listen to internet streaming to help me go to sleep. I usually listen to a talk show that lasts about 1/2 hour and I have the setting to flash off the screen after 2 minutes and to turn off hard disks after 30 minutes. It does not go into standby. I have no idea if it goes into hibernation. I can't figure that out. I have noticed though that lately The machine will darken and freeze like it is in standby or hibernation and I can't get it to come out. I end up having to turn off the computer with the reset button... the off switch only causes it to beep. I turn it back on and after the usual scanning the hard rive... it comes back on fine and naturally.

 

backlight for the LCD is flickering on and off, my 600E sometimes does the same thing. seems radom though, as one week it will do it, then be fine for 6 months. Sorry, can't help you with a solution.

 

Thanks, mods, for moving my post. I realized afterwards I should have posted it here and I came on to ask you to do so... But you beat me to the punch...

 

Well, at least I know what it is called now....

I will modify my post on forum.thinkpads.com as well.

Does anybody have any suggestions how to fix this. It went bonkers for a couple of hours yesterday, twice. Today for the last hour it has been fine. But is gives me a headache and it is incredibly annoying when it happens, particularly when I am trying to do work and trying to work quickly.

 

I am bumping this in hopes for more help. I have another week to wait before I get my ASUS...

then I will send this into Lenovo... the people there are the same ones who were at IBM...and they know they replaced the screen less than a year ago and for a charge even though it was still under warranty (but they only charged me $200 -- which was sort of a compromise as they felt they were not obligated to replace the screen... because it had been "used too much.." (ridiculous, I know...a warranty is a warranty. But it was easier paying the $200 ..and within a couple of months the screen showed some other problems... so out of guilt, they feel they owe me a new screen...but that was a while back and I oculd not let go of my computer again b/c I was too busy.)

So someone, please help.... the blanking screen is driving me nuts!!!!

 

Sounds like an insulate contact to me.

Usually most TFT flicker etc. problems do stem from loose connections of the inner TFT connector-cable or the connector itself. Sometimes also the TFT inverter cards are affected and may have a problem. Also do backlights age over time, so these can loose their funtionality after some years.

Maybe you should give the 600x to the service, so they can check if it's just an insulate contact or possibly some other of the above mentioned problems.