I have an R51 1836-Q6U. When I turn on the laptop I get a series of screens that show scrambled patterns (these are not the test patterns one would normally see during a bios check of an lcd) they are more of an undecipherable checkerboard. I thought it might be the ccfl but now I'm wondering if it's the inverter. I'm not sure of the symptoms that would require a replacement of an inverter or ccfl? Any help would be appreciated. TIA

Scrambled is a subjective term that is useless in trouble shooting.
Sounds like a virus.

"scrambles"? Has the Laptop been cleaned? Fan and vents? Overheating? You may have to open the unit to clean, also replace the CPU and GPU Thermal Paste, if the Graphics Adapter hasen't been damaged by overheating that may help. It may be Done. Try booting to Safe Mode with Networking, that will apply the generic driver. Perhaps the driver is incorrect or corrupt. post results. Drivers for your computer can be found here , select your OS: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DriverDownload.jsp?prodNameId=424540&locale=en_us&taskId=135&prodSeriesId=424676&prodTypeId=321957

Either your monitor died or your video card/chip died. Test your tower with a different monitor or test your monitor with a different tower.

It's dying. You could always buy a new webcam that plugs into one of your USB ports. You can get a good deal on one here:
http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=152&name=Web-Cams&Order=REVIEWS

Check to see if the problem is the screen Inverter, or the graphics chipset, or the LCD screen.
Use an external monitor as a test.

If the screen of the external monitor shows a scrambled display you have a problem with the graphics chipset.

If the screen of the external monitor does Not show a scrambled display, you have a problem with the screen Inverter, or the LCD screen.

90 PERCENT of the time the fault is the screen Inverter.


External Monitor;
1) You can use a CRT monitor, (Looks like a small TV), as a VGA monitor,
Or
2) You can use a flat LCD screen monitor that has a VGA cable.

A) Laptop OFF, and monitor OFF, attach the VGA cable from the External monitor, to the VGA port on the Toshiba Satellite A205 series Notebook PC.

This is an example of a VGA cable, and it's connector, and a VGA connector on the laptop,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector

B) Turn the monitor on. If it is a CRT style let it 'warm up'.
Turn the laptop on.

C) The display is supposed to automatically show up on the external monitor.
If it does not, press, and hold down on the Fn key, and also press the F5 key.

Still no?
Holding the Fn key down, tap the F5 key again.

Display good on external monitor? Problem lies with the screen Inverter, or the LCD screen.
Either OR.

Primer:
An LCD screen does not produce light. It needs an additional light source.
A Backlight is the additional light source.

A Backlight is a CCFL.
Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp.
Similar to Fluorescent lighting used in homes, and businesses, but on a MUCH smaller scale.

An Inverter (screen Inverter) is used to convert the electricity provided by the laptop, for the LCD screen, and Backlight.

As previously stated, 90 PERCENT of the time the fault is the Inverter.

Laptop open looking at the display assembly, the plastic thin frame in front of the LCD screen, and surrounds the LCD screen, is the Display Bezel. (Resembles a picture frame)

The Display Bezel is removed to access the screen Inverter.
The Inverter is right behind the Display Bezel, and located at the bottom area of the LCD screen.

The Display Assembly has to be removed from the laptop, to remove the Display Bezel.
Toshiba's term for the Display Bezel is Display Mask.

The Toshiba Satellite A205-S5804 Notebook PC is one of the Satellite A205 series of Notebook PC's.
This is a link to a free Service Manual for a the Satellite A205 series of Notebook PC's,

http://www.tim.id.au/blog/tims-laptop-service-manuals/#toc-toshiba

Scroll down to the second Satellite heading. The one that begins with Satellite A10.
Scroll across, and click on A200.

After you click on A200 it may take as long as 30 seconds before the first page comes up.
It may also take additional time for the file to fully download.

At the top of the PDF file is the page number box. It is to the right of the Down Arrow.
Go to Page 146.
4.10 Display Assembly

Page 151 shows how to remove the Display Mask.
4.11 Display Mask

Page 153 deals with the screen Inverter.
4.12 FL Inverter Board

Takes a really sensitive (Read fairly expensive) multimeter to test an Inverter.
Due to the low price, and ease of replacing, the screen Inverter is replaced to test whether the old one is bad.

Example of a screen Inverter (FL Inverter Board) for a Satellite A205-S5804 Notebook PC,

http://www.batterysupport.com/toshiba-satellite-a205-s5804-inverter-p-216526.html

Compare to the price of a replacement LCD screen,

http://www.laptopscreen.com/English/model/Toshiba/SATELLITE~A205-S5804/

To summarize so far;
1) Display shows good on external monitor. Replace screen Inverter. Still the same problem? Replace the LCD screen.

2) Display on external monitor is scrambled also?
Fault lies with the graphics chipset.

Chip and Chipset are slang terms for I.C.
Integrated Circuit,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Circuit

The graphics chipset is a GPU.
Graphics Processing Unit,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPU

The GPU for a Toshiba Satellite A205-S5804 Notebook PC (Part Number PSAF3U-0NR00V), is an Intel (Mobile) GL960 Express,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets#Core_2_mobile_chipsets

It is soldered directly to the motherboard, therefore it is Integrated Graphics.

{Integrated Graphics is also known as OnBoard graphics.
ON the motherBOARD.
The GPU is soldered to the motherboard.

In comparison if the GPU were soldered to a removable adapter card, it would be a graphics card, and Not integrated graphics }

This means if the graphics chipset is found to be bad, motherboard replacement is the solution.

{ Disassembly guide,

http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/toshiba-satellite-a205/laptop-disassembly-1.htm }

For additional questions please post in a Comment.

Regards,
joecoolvette

Your video card adapter might be damage. Or you have installed a wrong driver for your laptop.

Another cause of the problem is your RAM or memory might be damage. I suggest you buy a new memory to test it.

Thanks. Cheers!

maybe overheating graphics card, check the fan is actually turning on, usually you can hear it whirring around.

Video inverter is bad or the display has gone out.Sounds like the inverter though.

can you access bios screen (hold f10 during startup)? if so go there and test memory modules (run in test) and this also will test hdd. can you see any blinking/lit leds? then give me more info.

I did a check and the D600 series I am pretty sure is not capable of running Windows 7. Re install the original OS or a Linux and go to the Windows 7 RC page and run the compatibility tool.