Hi, I have a DELL Inspiron 8500. After turn on, I get vertical color bars - sometimes. Most of the time nothing. Connecting a TV for external monitor (VGA port) I get the color bars more often then on the laptop screen. Pressing down on the center part of the strip just above the keyboard makes the color strips change, or disappear. Disassembled, cleaned the connectors between the display and the rest w alcohol, reassembled, no change in behavior. How to identify where the problem is?

Hi,

It is unfortunate that the LCD screen has vertical bars on it. Please send me a picture of the LCD screen via email to [email protected]. You may also try performing an LCD BIST using the below link:
http://dell.to/1irqbYp
Also try connecting a known good external monitor and check if that helps.

Thanks and Regards.
Kiran Kumar.
#iworkfordell.

Try connecting an external monitor to the 15 VGA (video) plug on the laptop and see if it displays properly on the monitor. You may have to direct the video from the laptop to the monitor by holding down the blue <FN> (key next to the space bar) and then press down the <F8> key.
If the display on the external monitor is correct, then you either have a problem with the laptop's LED display screen or cable that connects the LED to system board. Here is a link for the service manual:
ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_laptop/esuprt_inspiron_laptop/inspiron-9300_service%20manual_en-us.pdf

It is the screen, hook your spare monitor back up, press FN key and the F key at top that is assigned, " mine is F5 " there should be a diagram on the F keys to help.

Try connecting an external monitor to the laptop (15 pin VGA connector). If the display appears normal on the external monitor then you have an issue with your laptop's LCD display. If the external monitor also has vertical screens then your video circuit on the laptop has a problem.

Hi Friend, In this case I would recommenrd you to please try and connect any external monitor to the system to check if you have the same issue in the external one as well..
If you got the same lines on the external one as well, it indicates that we can try updating the video drivers of the system
To update the video drivers, try the following link: http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&ServiceTag=&SystemID=INS_PNT_P4_8500&os=WW1&osl=en&catid=&impid=
Please make sure to select the Operating system first you are using on the system and after that the last option you will see the Video drivers.
If the external one is working fine, it indicates that the issue is with the laptop screen itself and needs to be repaired or replaced.
Please let me know if it was of help
Thank you.

Your video card it bad. You will need to replace the motherboard in the computer to fix this.

Try connecting an external monitor to the Dell Inspiron 9300and see if the vertical line is also present on the monitor. If themonitor display is fine, then your laptop’s LCD display panel isdefective. If the monitor also displays the vertical line, then yourproblem is with either the video card or motherboard located insideyour laptop.
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Another answer:

run the PSA diagnostics. to do so, press and holdany non-keyboard button( like the internet hotkey or access directbutton or even the speaker mute button) and then press the power buttonand power up your system. if your inspiron doesn't have a non-kbbutton, then press the <fn> key.
release both the buttons and the diagnostics begin to run.after thediags finish. if the monitor is working fine, it'll simply say"passed". however, if it fails it would emit a few beep codes.carefully check those beep codes:
1.) if you get a 3-3-3 or a 3-3-4 error beeps, then we use the LCDbuilt in self-test (BIST). boot to PSA diagnostics again. Watch thescreen and listen for the color bar test prompt tones emitted by thePSA Diagnostics. Press <N> or wait approximately 30 seconds tofail the color bar test. The system will emit a 3-3-3 or 3-3-4 PSAerror after failing the color bar test. Wait for two iterations of thefailure code then press <Y>.
Watch for the BIST color generation and listen for the single beeps that indicate LCD BIST is running.
NOTE: Patterns of flashing color should appear on the screen. Withevery color change, an audible beep will be heard. If the patterns ofcolor do not appear, and the beeps are audible, an LCD failure may bethe issue. If the patterns of color appear, a video card or motherboardfailure may be the issue.

2.)if you get an error code apart from 3-3-3 or 3-3-4 :Ensure thesystem is powered off. Press and hold the <Fn> key and press thepower button to power the system on. Release both buttons.
The PSA diagnostics sequence begins. Make note of any alert tones or error messages.
error codes:
123- memory fails
141,142,143,144,145,146 hard drive error
147- IDE optical drive fails
148 optical drive built in test fails
122-memory test initialization test failure
111- fatal diagnostics exception.

i really hope you dont get any of these. these will help you determine,if you need to change the LCD. when you call dell, they will run youthrough these steps anyways. so if you finish them beforehand, you wontpay much to talk to them. cheerio then.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060722190406AAHejuS

1. try connecting laptop to an external monitor and check if this vertical dark gray bar appears. if yes it means video is the problem. you need to boot in safe mode then uninstall the video driver. boot to notmal mode then download and install the latest video driver. if still same problem then replace video card. if video is built in with motherboard you need to replace motherboard.

2. when the vertical dark gray bar did not appear in the external monitor then it means issue is with the LCD panel. Do this turn off laptop. press and hold D key then press Power button at the same time or Press and hold on the Fn key then Power button check if the test will run. Color displays full screen when you keep pressing on N key when the colors appears check the vertical dark gray bar if still exist in the test, this means LCD panel and LCD cable needs to be replaced.

with the external monitor attached press <FN><F8> to toggle between internal and external display. if still nothing then it sounds like the video card.

MANUAL

Check all the connections (especially the ground screws) that was a problem with one I worked on last year.

Hi,
Best Option Is To Purchase Another Video Card, Or check it has all the required Drivers Via The external Monitor. With No Conflicts Et,c. Only Other Suggestion Is Screen Inverter Board.

Thankyou For Using FIXYA.

Mike @ Compurepair. ( posted @ 21.55 PM G.M.T )