Help with a Satellite L20

The screen on my laptop is distorted at the bottom 3/4 of the screen. It only restores itself when I press on a certain part of the screen, and only restores while I have this pressed down. The moment I take off, it seems to go back to distorted. I think maybe a connection is loose or something. If anyone know how to fix this, can you give me a step by step guide on how to fix this. I'm a noob when it comes to fixing these kinds of things, so I'd really appreciate the step by step guide. Thanks

 

Well I'm no expert but I do own a Toshiba L20. I can give instructions on how to access the connection between the screen and motherboard but I'm not sure if this will fix the problem.

Just to make sure we are talking about the same laptop, here is a link to the review page at NBR. If this is not your laptop or for any reason you don't want to follow these instruction, by all means don't!

The connection is located in between in the power on button and the keyboard and is accessed by disconnecting the panel at the front of the laptop. The method below will not enable you to fully remove the panel but will allow enough access to the connection for you to disconnect it check that the connectors are fine and reconnect the lead.

1. Switch off the laptop and ground yourself.

2. Remove the battery, in the compartment where the battery resides you will see a number of tabs (I counted around 7). These tabs are what hold the panel in place.

3. In order to loosen these tabs you must push them to one side (I'll let you figure out which direction) And push them in slightly so that they don't fall back into their original position. Use a non-conductive material if you need a tool. I used a plastic cutlery knife. Try to use something that wont snap off.

4. Do the same to all the tabs you can see.

5. Turn the laptop back around so that it is sitting how it should be. You should notice that the right hand side of the panel is a little raised. You wont be able to access the tabs closer to the left hand side panel this way so you will have to get under this and pull up slightly but firmly on the panel. Follow this towards the left hand side of the panel ensuring that you are not applying too much force. try to avoid bending/warping the panel or even snapping it off.

CARE! also be extra careful as this panel also consists of the screen hinges so you don't want to cause any unnecessary damage to your laptop

6. Carefully you will get to opening up slightly the left hand side of the panel. Inside you will see a PCB containing buttons for the media controls and the power switch. You will also see a cable running connected to a black tab. This is the screen connection.

CARE! try not to disturb the PCB as they may not alight with the buttons on the panel.

8. Try giving a firm press down on the connection to ensure all the pins connect. If this works. Fantastic! If you want to disconnect the cable, read step 9.

9. To remove the screen connection from the motherboard, pull the black tab. This can be a little tricky as the panel is not removed fully. Be patient and you work out a way. here you'll be able to look at the connectors and ensure there are no obstructions etc.

10. To reattach the connection, firmly push down the connection back into its port.

11. To close back the panel, carefully alight the panel back into its position and firmly press down. You will be a "Snap" where the tabs are snapping back into place.



Be sure to be very careful when handling the laptop. For this reason I just want to say that I will not accept responsibility for any damage caused. This is my first tutorial of this sort, so I hope I have been comprehensive and clear enough for you to achieve this. If you do follow these instruction, I would very much appreciate some feedback towards my instructions. Leave a message if I haven't been clear about any of the steps and I will get back to you. I will try and post some pictures of the process with my own laptop.

Good Luck!