Monitor/Screen Troubles - W860CU/NP8690

TLDR: Look at the bottom edit to see what the first 5 pages are about.

Hey all,

I've been having a problem with my screen. Whenever I turn on my computer it flashes to white immediately. I don't even see the startup screen.

Everything works fine when I switch to an external monitor. I can't enter Safe Mode or even click the "Detect" button under display properties or it severs the connection to the external monitor.

This first happened while playing SimCity 2013, but I stopped playing after I thought the game was causing the issues, and then it happened again when playing Civ V. I haven't tried playing a game off the external monitor yet, but I assume it would work fine.

Overheating isn't the problem, I was able to check the most recent heat logs from GPUz and they had it hovering at about 85C, which is pretty far below where I would start getting a permanent problem like this.

I'm not computer-smart enough to know exactly what the problem is, but I THINK it is either the connection between the GPU and the monitor, or the monitor itself is broken.

If it turns out the monitor is broken, does anyone know of a good Clevo/Sager repair shop I can send it to?

Thanks!!

EDIT: No one likes reading long threads right? So here is what we have found out so far:

1) When plugged into an external monitor, it works fine (although the laptop screen still freaks out - but the external monitor doesn't seem to notice).
2) Both the laptop screen and the cable connecting the two have been replaced - the problem persists.
3) Physical manipulation doesn't seem to have anything to do with it.
4) It can handle lower power games pretty easily, but once we get to even medium power games, the screen goes wonkers again.

Any and all help is appreciated.

 

so this has never happened before, just for the first time during your civ 5 session and now it's stuck that way? do you monitor temps while you game/run under load? what happens when you run extended desktop? it'd help to narrow the issue if the GPU drives an external monitor okay but the internal display is still showing the white/black screen issue.

and it doesn't seem like what you describe so far is a panel failure, but if that was the culprit it could be replaced fairly easily ( see here). your GPU, the 9800m, is exceedingly prone to overheating issues. that's more likely the cause.

 

I updated the first post so it wasn't so damn long and wordy. And also updated my signature because it was... about 3 years old

I have a W860CU with a 5870m. Overheating has been a problem in the past, but I have cleaned it regularly for about a year now using compressed air and some q-tips. The graphics card is able to duplicate the screen, but nothing else, onto an external monitor.

When I boot into Safe Mode it shows up, starts loading the files, then cuts off the external monitor.

 

Sounds like a bad card, given the symptoms and history. I would recommend trying to stress test it if possible. Does anything happen with your white screen when you pivot the lid?

 

I will try to stress test it later today. What result will mean the card is broken? Are there any other things I can do to confirm it is the card, not the screen?

When I pivot the lid it sometimes does nothing, and sometimes starts flickering from the white screen and eventually ends up black. (But, not black as in it is no longer on, black as in it is showing a black screen)

 

This would imply a loose connection with the video cable, or a bad video cable. The video stress tests will be fairly self explanatory in feedback/results. Hopefully it's just your video cable though, as that's an easy fix (even if you must replace it), not to mention a more affordable one.

 

my money is on "dead" panel that needs replacing.

 

Trust me I'm right there with you on this hope.

But then again, I have to find a 5870m replacement cable if that were true and those might be hard to find.

 

Ok so report back.

I connected my computer to an external monitor in order to start a FurMark stress test. About 5 minutes into the stress test the monitor turned back on. I have no idea why. The temperature was about 62C. I wanted to hear your opinions before I started using the computer again. Right now I just shut it down and placed it on my desk like usual.

 

Use it and see if you can recreate the problem from normal use. If not, try stress testing again using the laptop monitor, but watch your temps. If it's a thermal problem, it would be a shame to brick it while testing.

 

I was able to recreate the problem again. Using Civ V as last time. I was able to undo the problem the same way as before, using FurMark. GPU-Z was reporting a massive increase in GPU temperature too, which freaked me out. So I might give it a good thorough cleaning again.

I may try to play a different game that is graphically demanding. It's probably the GPU getting overheated (90C+ as reported by GPU-Z), but I just want to be sure.

Besides some really deep cleaning, do you have any recommendations?

 

Update: Able to recreate the problem a third time. This time playing SimCity 2013.

GPU only got to about 78C this time when it did flashed to black. The fan was also only going at about 60% (according to GPU-z log). Anything you can think of that could be causing this problem?

 

are CPU temps high as well, or is everything otherwise normal except for the laptop display not functioning? your most recent update makes it seem less like a thermal problem, and more like a panel problem with the lid-pivoting. when the panel came back on after your first stress test, what was the hottest temp reached?

 

The hottest reported temp was 78C when it flashed to black. Happened about 15 minutes ago.

I could repaste, but 78C shouldn't be hot enough to make anything bad happen anyway...And again the fans were only on at just about 60%. Does this problem really have to do with temperature?

 

it seemed that way after a stress test brought it back, but it could just be that the changing temperatures/bandwith are causing the connection to go in and out...? i think it's a bad panel, whether it's the monitor cable or the panel itself. and let me get this straight: now that you've recreated the issue for the third time, running a stress test (using an external monitor) is what will bring it back?

 

Only the first time was an external monitor and stress test necessary to bring it back.

The second time when I recreated it, I shut down the laptop when the screen turned off (blindly using Alt+Tab, then Windows Key, then the right arrow key [to select shut down] then enter). When I started the computer up (immediately) the laptop monitor was black (again, transmitting black, not off) but when the Windows login screen started the monitor turned back on. It was, however, very fuzzy, but I could use it enough to stress test it back to normal once it got to about 90C.

I went into the computer and did some basic cleaning using q-tips and air cans.

The third time there was no fuzzy screen or need to use a stress test to bring it back. But, the screen still didn't turn on until a few moments after it had arrived at the windows login screen (signaled by the windows sound).

 

you need to replace the panel. pivoting/physically manipulating the screen and fuzzy screens and black screens (that's the backlight by the way) etc. etc. would indicate that there's a problem with the panel. even if the problem is only with the panel's connection/cable, that cable is an irreplaceable part of the panel. so it's the panel itself that needs to be replaced. it's unlikely that the GPU has anything to with it in my opinion, and your temperatures, though reported somewhat erratically, seem pretty normal.

 

Ah ok.

The panel only flickers after the screen has gone bad. While the screen is still working properly, I can mess with the panel all I want.

Do you have any idea where I could get it fixed? Would any reseller work? I bought this computer used about 2 years ago.

 

i would just check the model number using a utility like HWiNFO and google a replacement, and/or read this thread.

 

Downloaded that utility and found a replacement screen. About $70. Just going to have to search around for a guide to removing and replacing the screen (I've never replaced a screen on a laptop before).

I am curious though, as to why the screen would only be effected during gaming? It sounds like an interesting problem. When I'm doing the internet, or video playback, it all works flawlessly.

Sorry, I'm always interested in finding the explanation to these kinds of things

Also, before I spend any money on a replacement screen, is there anyway to verify that the problem is, indeed, the panel? Like would playing a game for an extended period of time off an external monitor with no problems prove it was the laptop panel that is the problem? Not questioning your diagnosis, just want to find ways to test it myself in case this happens to me or someone I know in the future.

 

hey, i agree. i'm no expert, just a fellow sager owner.

i've replaced a few laptop panels on various brands (e.g. dell, hp) and honestly, the most challenging part is getting into the panel housing without snapping any plastic. even if you've never disassembled a laptop, you'll find that it's pretty simple insofar as there's only one way to do it. here's a disassembly guide; it's not step-by-step and you actually won't need to remove most of the components it goes over, like the heatsinks/processors. you really just need to get underneath the keyboard, and then you'd be able to figure it out from there just by seeing it. it'd be nice if there was a video disassembly guide like the one i posted for your old asus machine but i can't find one.

unfortunately the only way to know that it's the panel for sure is to replace it and verify that the problem has ceased. i agree that it's very strange how the whole thing is "triggered." and then the way it's come back has been a little bit different each time, which is also strange. i think running an external display under your normal use (including gaming) for awhile to further rule out it being a GPU problem is definitely a good idea before ordering a replacement panel. but the fact that physically manipulating the panel has an effect on it when it's flickering narrows things down a bit--which is why prostar asked about it i think. and it still makes sense that pivoting it while it's working properly has no effect. i'm 90% sure that replacing the panel (which includes the video cable like i mentioned) would resolve your issue completely. let's see if prostar agrees based on your updates from today.

 

Couple more updates as I tinker around a bit.

I was able to play Victoria II: A House Divided for as long as I wanted with a severely downclocked GPU. Then left it on overnight, and played more in the morning. Absolutely no problems whatsoever.

I restarted the computer and rolled back my GPU drivers to the basic ones and tried playing Civilization V again, this time using DX9 to see if that was any kind of problem. I loaded up a game and started playing, then let it sit for about an hour. Everything was fine, but about 5 minutes after I came back and started playing it started bugging out again. (This was all on the laptop panel btw, haven't had a chance to use an external monitor yet)

The thing that keeps bugging me is that the computer only freaks out when I am gaming. Yet, severely underclocking my GPU made it work too. Really not sure what to think of it, but it makes me continue to wonder.

And I still don't know how to comfortably disassemble the monitor. That disassembly guide is only showing me how to take all the pieces out of the bottom. It separately shows all the parts of the monitor, but I don't know how to access the monitor itself to get the new panel into it.

 

i feel like if it were a GPU problem, it would happen much more consistently and not just when you play certain titles. that said, because it seems to happen only during certain titles also points to the GPU. but then again you're not reporting artifact shapes and patterns like is common with GPU failure. see this current thread where a user experiencing GPU failure posts pictures of what his screen looks like.

as far as disassembly goes, like i said you're only really using that service manual to figure out how to get underneath the keyboard. you shouldn't have to remove major components. obviously take the battery out, pop out the ram and hard drive, unscrew any screw that isn't obviously holding down any of the major components. you shouldn't have to remove the chips and the heatsinks, and you may not even have to rewire the wifi antennas because you're just removing the display bezel from the housing.

did you try manipulating/pivoting the sceen when it was "bugging out again"? and what exactly is bugging out? what happens when you play victoria with normal clocks or OCed? if you want to really figure out what's going on here you have to be a little more methodical with your testing. and you still haven't hooked up to an external long enough to isolate the issue to the GPU, which was suggested in my first reply.

 

Probably should have done this earlier, but I will get some pictures for you of the screen when it stops responding again. I haven't tried manipulating it after it stopped working since the first time, but I can do it again.

Also, I was able to play Civ V for about 3 hours tonight with the clocks turned down. Similar to my time with Victoria 2. I'll turn on the default clocks and see if I can play Victoria 2. I have plenty of other games installed that I can test it on as well to diversify some more.

I sometimes get extremely minor versions of the problems he posted in that thread after the screen stops responding and I restart the computer immediately.

 

Using a few other games, with clocks still turned down resulted in smooth play. However, even default clocks with Victoria, Civ V, SimCity, the Witcher 2 (had to get a super high end game in there!) will cause the issue, or some variation of it, after a certain period of time. The screen issues didn't seem connected to GPU temps. The only connection I have been able to make between temps and the screen issue is that the stress test (FurMark) seems to fix the screen issue when it hits around 83 - 85C.

SimCity played fine with default clocks even bringing the temperature up to 83C, but after the computer was shut down, the screen problem returned when the computer was started up again (a few hours later). Civilization V lasted roughly two hours with default clocks, but when the computer was shut down and left off for an hour or so the problem came back upon startup - exactly as it had with SimCity.

Gaming clocks create the problem no matter what. Never been able to play long with gaming clocks.

External monitor test will happen sometime tomorrow afternoon. I'll report back what I find.

I've also made an album with a few descriptions of the problems I'm having once stress testing the screen issue away. When the laptop panel starts displaying again, it sometimes leads to a blurry/distorted screen.
W860cu Monitor Problems Photos by delimeat567 | Photobucket

I did try manipulating/pivoting the screen when it bugs out, and I'm not sure it has any connection to the laptop monitor flashing colors, or freaking out. It seems to be more random - as sometimes it will happen when I'm not moving it - and doesn't happen 100% or even 50% of the time when I'm manipulating it.

 

it's not the panel. when's the last time you reinstalled GPU drivers?

Sent from my PI39100 using Board Express

 

I went ahead and reinstalled the GPU drivers today, and it seemed to work great for a bit but then failed again. I had it connected to the external monitor and there were no problems on that end. I could continue playing my games as normal using the external monitor. When I put the laptop screen down (which would normally turn off the screen) the external monitor also stopped receiving a signal as it should.

 

you may want to try a couple different driver sets if you haven't already. if the GPU is driving an external display without issue, then we're back to the panel (more specifically the video cable/connector) and/or drivers. i'm not a big fan of system restore to resolve something like this, but you could try to restore to a point when this wasn't happening if possible. because the culprit is beginning to seem more and more software related, you may want to try a clean windows install. at this point, it sounds like that's your best bet if neither driver reinstallation nor system restore rectifies the issue.

 

Alrighty. Hypothetically, would a clean install of Windows 8 be ok, rather than reinstalling Windows 7? I have a Windows 8 disc I have been meaning to go ahead and use to update. Don't imagine there would be a problem, but wanted to make sure

 

as long as you can handle some slight UI changes, i think that's a great idea. (and i mean that with all due respect--my comment is aimed more generally at the rest of the internets.) at this point most all current/relevant drivers have been updated for W8, released, and updated some more. so to answer your quetion, yes, i think you should go ahead and upgrade. we've been all over with this one but the chances are quite good that a fresh OS install will further isolate your issue, if not resolve it altogether.

 

Great. I'll go ahead and do that tomorrow.

Throughout the day, random ideas pop into my head about what the problem could be, and one thing that I thought about today was the BIOS. Could that cause a problem such as I am having? I don't know much about the BIOS besides that it is extremely important

 

Well unfortunately there were no software problems. A completely fresh install of Windows 8 led to nothing. In fact the screen remained off the whole time. Had to use an external monitor to install Windows 8 actually. Stinks.

FurMark was able to jump the screen back to life with distortion as shown in that album I posted.

So have we pretty much narrowed it down to the panel now?

 

hmm, i think we've narrowed it down to hardware--and yes, i'm more inclined to think it's the panel. the GPU is consistently driving an external monitor without issue, correct? i should say that each time you've reported the external cutting out is explainable anyway. it is quite strange that thermal changes appear to be having an affect, but then again maybe it has less do with temperature and more to do with "graphical load"/bandwith. if it's the panel's video cable that's faulty, the increased bandwith from running stress tests could be "jump-starting" the panel as it were. that could also explain why certain games are having the opposite effect.

as a practical or logistical aside, it may be more prudent to replace a $70 panel over a ~$200+ GPU that you might even have to flash (and potentially brick) depending on what you find for sale. a quick ebay search turns up mostly dell/alienware (and a single MSI) cards and without doing a little research i'm entirely unsure if they'd work. i say try a couple different driver sets if you haven't done that yet and if that's unsuccessful, order up that panel. i'm telling you it's a super straightforward job and you strike me as somebody who could definitely "handle" it. 95% sure that a panel replacement will resolve this. and yes, i went from 90% sure that it is the panel to 100% sure it isn't the panel, and now i'm saying i'm 95% sure a replacement panel will work.

 

Aye, I sure hope so. At this point, I can't think of anything else besides the monitor that could be causing the issue. I just have a few questions about it, if you don't mind. I mean, you've already come this far right? Why quit now!

1) Is it really just prying the plastic around the screen open? That won't break the plastic? Will it snap shut after replacing the panel?

2) What does the video thing look like beneath the keyboard? I've never seen a video bezel (or if I have, I didn't know it was called that).

Thanks for helping me out to this point

 

haha, we're in it together at this point. my cred is on the line here.

i think the answer to both of your questions can be found in this invaluable thread. similar enough chassis design. it looks like you have two less bezel screws. it's definitely a humongous pain in the tail to remove/detach the bezel (i.e. screen frame) and the plastic will snap pretty easily if not pried apart correctly. if it doesn't feel like it's going to give, stop prying. if it's any consolation a snapped bezel will still go back together and not be too distractingly noticeable, but take your time and you shouldn't have any issue.

 

So it's been busy at school lately and I haven't gotten around to ordering a new screen yet. I'm going to do some final driver tests tonight (replace the old drivers and try out a few older versions).

I can't seem to get HWinfo to detect my screen anymore. I bookmarked a page on eBay that sold the screen that used to be detected when I was using Windows 7. I also found this site: https://www.laptopscreen.com/English/model/Sager/W860CU/

That sells the screens at a good price. And I saw a quick review of them here on these forums that said they were good.

 

Hey mattcheau,

Hoping you can provide some help for this last part. I ordered the new screen as the drivers didn't work as expected (was worth a shot!).

I also went ahead and disassembled monitor just to make sure that if I screwed up it was on an already broken LCD Anyway, it was much easier than it seemed and I was done in no time at all.

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums...7309FC9-3894-000001F577BDB29A_zps7f657ee2.jpg

I was wondering if the cable part at the bottom there was what I needed to replace. If so, how do I access that? Is that what I have to get under the keyboard for? And do you know if the new screen will come with a new cable? OR, is replacing the LCD itself enough?

Thanks again for everything

 

been wicked busy. will edit this post sometime in the next 24-hours. nice to see you did a little disassembly dry run--easy, right?

 

Very easy. I figured, if I break this panel doing the dry run, no problem!

Had a lot to do (going to graduate from college in a month - with all that that entails) so wasn't too crucial.

But, I was able to get underneath the keyboard only to get more confused. I'm looking at the Service Manual to see if I can find where the LCD cable goes, but not with much luck. So my only question/problem now is how in the heck do I get to the other end of that cable!? I'm completely comfortable replacing the panel and I practiced taking out the cable out and putting it back in just so I could do it =D

So, the ONLY thing I don't know is how the heck to get to the other side of that cable....

 

So screen didn't work. Too bad. But I bought return insurance. So I'm only out like $10.

Next option is the flex cable I suppose. But until I can find out how to get to the other side I can't find the part number.

 

hah, knew it. as soon as you posted that picture of the back of the screen i knew it. i even looked up what return shipping was going to cost you and searched for cables over the weekend. should have just beat you to the post. i've never replaced a panel with an lvds cable like that and i even said in one of my earlier posts that the cable came with the panel. cred shot, prostar nailed it in his second post.

anyway, so that just about narrows it. there's a part number below the yellow tape, isn't there? i can almost see it in the picture--looks like 6-43-xxxxx-011. it doesn't look like it matches this one (same here), but i wonder if it would still work...? i doubt it given the different resolutions. you can just search that part number.

you'll need to get underneath the keyboard now regardless which starts with popping off the speaker "grate." i'll try to find a step-by-step disassembly but i'm pretty sure i've read that you can push up on the grate from underneath if you remove the bottom cover. once you get under there there's a whole bunch of obvious screws, keyboard lifts up, be careful with the keyboard ribbon.

 

Yea, I've been underneath the keyboard in search of the other side of the LVDS Cable. But once I got underneath it.... I couldn't find out where to go. hah.

The Service Manual says the connection to the motherboard is going to be on the bottom side of the motherboard (the opposite of the processor) which makes sense, and I'm completely comfortable doing it but can't quite find out how to remove that last partition between me and the bottom of the motherboard Maybe I'll take a picture and hope you can see something I can't.

The tag says this:
Clevo W860CU
LVDS Cable
6-43-W8601-011
HL 09 01 17

As I was ordering the screen I just couldn't help but feel like the problem wasn't going to be resolved so I bought the "return insurance." Basically, I pay $5.82 and they pay for it when I ship it back to them if my problem isn't resolved.

 

of course that's the one cable that can't be found (p/n: 6-43-W8601-011). there's a bunch that are close, but no way to tell if they'd work. i would call sager tomorrow and see if they can help you source one. they have to either know where to get one or know of a replacement.

smart man going for that return insurance too, by the way. sorry for my contribution to you being out ~$10.

 

Right? I've been searching for hours. I'm sure they are all relatively similar, but can't be exactly the same.

I'll give them a call. Thanks.

 

Often enough, the retailer/reseller won't have a part for a system that's no longer in production/circulation. Even though it's only a 4± year old system, chances are that if there's a cable out there, even Sager will have to acquire it from Clevo (or you'll have to ask Clevo directly).

Perused through several sites and ebay, and nobody seems to have it. Clevo makes a great system, but the lack of market penetration makes it difficult to acquire spare parts.

 

Thanks for the insight Prostar!

As both you and mattcheu said, I had to contact Sager directly. They said they could get me the cable for $25 + shipping. However, my only hesitation is that I don't know how to get to that bottom of the motherboard still! Any help on this matter would be appreciated.

 

Sheesh @ the markup, but I guess that's the way the dice tumble.

Tried 4 - 5 different download links for the manual. Only one that I could get was the one from our site, but it doesn't have teardown instructions.

Here's Clevo's manual for it. My download initiated but was met with a network error at the end of the download (and it took forever for such a small file). Maybe you'll have better luck with it.

 

W8xxCU_ESM.zip

There's a link for the Service Manual, but I'm just not technically smart to find out how to get past the last barrier between the bottom of the motherboard and the keyboard. I can get the LED console off and the keyboard off, but there is another copper tinted barrier between me and the bottom of the motherboard. Can't make head or tails of that service manual to get the barrier off.

 

Hey everyone, long time no diagnose.

So after ordering the cable and finally figuring out how to install it (the hinge cover has to be unscrewed and pinched - but I had no way of finding out it needed to be pinched until I basically wanted to rip it off), the problem persisted.

At this point, I've replaced the screen and the LVDS cable (which connects the screen and the motherboard). I'm pretty much out of ideas, and all the professionals I seem to talk to think it's a GPU problem until I tell them it runs perfect on an external monitor. Then they are as clueless as I am.

Any assistance on this matter would be great. Is there any way it could be a problem with my power supply brick? How could I test that? Again, I'm a pretty cautious person, and a pretty poor person, so I'm not wanting to just dive into ordering something unless I know it makes reasonable sense.

Let me know what you all think

Thanks guys and gals!

 

Wanted to give this a bump, and report a few extra things.

A friend and I used the Hiron Boot CD to check out a few things, and we noticed it seemed as though the laptop was not detecting my GPU correctly. Any idea why this could be? Is it a BIOS issue?

All video drivers have been verified, reinstalled, and all that jazz. They're up to date. And I'm pretty sure we have already verified that it wasn't a driver issue anyway.