Samsung R580 System Freezing problem.

I've got an Samsung R580 laptop that I'm having serious problems with. Any help would be much appreciated! I'm desperate to get it working again!

Problem is whenever I apply pressure to the left of the laptop, or move it, bend the screen, use the keyboard, or at complete random even when I don't touch it at all, the system completely freezes (even at BIOS) The image becomes distorted with rainbow lines on the screen and then slowly fades into a white screen. It also emits an ear-splitting screech/buzzing sound whenever it does so. I'm not sure whether it's the GPU, CPU, or something else that is causing the problem. It isn't the hard drive either as it does this without it connected. I've also tried different RAM sticks and used memtest which tells me that the RAM isn't the problem. Running off the battery runs into the same issue as well.

Perhaps it's the display cable?

EDIT: I'm almost certain it's the LVDS (Display) cable. I've had the laptop running with the screen disconnected and connected to an external monitor, and it hasn't had a problem. I've moved it around, rattled it, and applied pressure to the area, and it hasn't crashed. I think the cable is faulty, and is shorting the board. I still need to confirm whether it is the cable or not. Help would be highly appreciated!

 

I would start by disconnecting / reconnecting the cable where it is connected to the mainboard.

That will also give you the opportunity to check whether the socket itself is OK.

John

 

Thanks! Re-connected the cable, and ripped it out. Connected it again, and it didn't crash, but when I tilted the screen forwards, it did. I'm not sure if it's a cold-solder joint, or the socket went bad. Perhaps it is the LVDS cable?

 

If tilting the display causes problems then it is either the cable itself or the end of the cable is moving in the socket.

You should be able to check for the latter by watching the connector with the bottom off the computer and opening / closing the display.

John

 

Checked.

Cable doesn't seem to move in the socket at all, and the socket seems perfectly fine to me. Solder is perfectly intact with the board, and none of the pins are fried. I'm pretty freaking sure it's the cable now.

Thanks for helping me confirm this! Much appreciated.. I'll report back when the new cable arrives and post the results.

 

I agree. All the evidence points to the cable itself although we can't be 100% sure until you have tried another cable. Given that the cables get twisted every time the display is opened / closed I'm surprised there aren't more problems of this type.

I look forward to your update in due course.

John

 

Sadly it has not worked at all.. I received the cable today, and installed it. Applied pressure to the top of the motherboard, and it froze.

I'm starting to think it might have something to do with the GPU, or the socket.

 

That's bad news.

It's now time to get out a magnifying glass and closely examine the soldering of the socket onto the board. I wonder if there are one or more dry joints but also check the contacts in the socket.

John