[mdlug] Laptop repair question

[Raymond McLaughlin]

Robert Adkins wrote:
>>
>>  My niece handed me her Sony VAIO (can't remember the model 
>> number), and I confirmed that the backlight isn't working. 
>> You can, in bright light, sometimes see a shadowy image, but 
>> that's it. Things show up fine on an external monitor, though.
>>
>>  Now, a little Googling has shown I can get a replacement 
>> CCFL bulb for ~$12, or a whole screen for $90-$100. I'm 
>> pretty sure the backlight is the only real problem; the LCD 
>> panel itself seems to be working okay.
>> I'm reasonably sure I can disassemble and reassemble it, but 
>> I'm not sure what's involved in replacing the bulb; I haven't 
>> done that before.
>>
>>  Has anyone carried out a similar repair? Any tips or suggestions?
>>
> 
> 	You should only have to replace the bulb. Often times those are just
> held in place by a few screws or clips and connected to the power source via
> a plastic connector and sometimes they are soldered into place.

Rather than the flash lamp itself I would consider that it could be the
voltage converter/regulator module that has failed. This is very common,
and can be easily replaced as it it a snap in, in line part.

> 	It will take you anywhere from 2 to 3 times as long to complete as
> you initially believe it will take.
> 
> 	While performing the job, get yourself one of those little pill
> boxes with 7 or more cups. To help in putting it back together, maybe create
> some rough sketchs of the laptop showing the position of which screws and
> then which of the bins you put those screws into. If you don't... You're
> going to stand an inordinately high chance of ending up with more screws
> left over than you should.
> 
> 	-Rob