Laptop screen extremely dim - unusable

Hi everyone!

So *someone* spilled beer on my roommates laptop. It only went over the keyboard... I think. Well, everything works fine... all the keys, ports, everything... except the screen. It's so dim now. I think the backlight is dead, because the only way you can actually see anything is it you shine a light on the screen. If you take it into a dark room you see nothing.

Is this a backlight problem? If so, do you guys know where I can get a replacement part to fix it?

Also, if I .... I mean, someone spilled beer all over the KEYBOARD, why would it break the screen?!?!

It a HP Pavilion dv4000

Thanks!!

 

I just saw this http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2007/01/31/replace-screen-inverter-fix-backlight/

That does sound like my problem, and the inverter is right there by the keyboard. Grrrr

Anyone know where I can buy a new one ?

 

First you have to get the beer out of the cracks in the keyboard. Beer dries sticky and you might not have problems today but you probably will in the future.

The screen problem might not be the inverter. Under the keyboard is a ribbon cable connector to the screen; perhaps beer got into it.

Look for the manual, remove the keyboard, and use cotton swabs (better yet, electrical cleaning swabs - they're foam so nothing comes off) with DISTILLED (not tap) water to wipe down everything, including the screen connector. Let everything dry for at least a few hours, put it back together then see how the screen looks.

 

You can buy a can of spray-on contact cleaner that's designed specifically for electronics and circuit boards at most electronics shops; Radio Shack may even have it. Isopropyl alcohol works well too. Be careful using water; do not use too much, and be sure that it has COMPLETELY dried 100% before powering on. I have personally used this stuff with GREAT results: http://www.blowoff.com/electronics/contact_cleaner.htm