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Replacing a laptop LCD

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Freedom Kira:
Alright, one problem to the next.

I got a new laptop LCD screen to replace a cracked one. So far I've successfully taken it apart and removed the old one, and connected the new one and put it back together. At this point, the laptop is plugged in and the battery indicator shows that the battery is charging. When I attempt to power on the laptop, the power indicator lights up, the fan turns on, and about one second later everything shuts back off. There is no screen reaction. When an external display is connected, the results are the same.

I've checked the connections. Actually, the connector for the LCD cable is reversed for the new screen so I had to twist the cable around. There was also a second cable that consisted of two wires, which was not a problem as far as I can tell. But to be safe, the connector was pushed in pretty firmly, but just how much firmness is generally required?

So I'm wondering what the problem might be. I suspect that the laptop is performing a self-check on startup, and is not detecting the LCD screen and thus shutting itself back off.

I've worked with laptop refurbishing for a four-month work term, so I have a good idea of what I'm doing, though this is the first time I've worked with a laptop LCD screen.

Laptop specifics:
Sony VAIO VGN-X360, 2005
RAM/CPU/HDD unknown (friend's laptop)
LCD purchased from oemtogo on eBay
The item description page has some tutorials that I am looking at but so far they haven't been much help, mostly because it's a generic display that is used for other models too.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

JoonasTo:
Haven't messed around with any Sony's but at least in every other brand it's just plug and play. So you sure the panel works in it? Laptops tend to be a little too sensitive with components sometimes. Positive that all the cables connected?

If it's connected with a zif, as most are in these days, then no force is required. Just push it to the hole slightly and then lock it.

So did you just leave the other wire free? Just thinking that it might also be a grounding problem. Very unlikely but you never know with electronics.

Freedom Kira:
Apparently most laptop brands, Sony included, are pretty much the same when replacing screens. According to a tutorial anyway.

Yeah I didn't expect it to be a cable problem... though some of the wires are loose. I shoved them back in but it didn't help. Do they need to be soldered in?

The other cable I was talking about, the two wire one, is HCA1. AFAIK it's pushed in pretty firmly, thus my conclusion that it's not a problem.

BTW it appears this is a generic LCD. There's an adapter plugged in to the screen. Is that perhaps the problem?

Edit: One of the soldered wires on the adapter seems to have broken off. Looks like I might have to resolder it. Actually most of the solder shows cracks... But I think the cracks weren't there when I initially pushed the cable in and still had the same problem.

JoonasTo:
Loose? Do they come loose by themselves? What kind of cables are we talking about? A normal push in connector?
None of the laptops I've tampered with have needed any soldering. In any connector.

If the soldering wasn't broken in the beginning then what caused the soldering to broke?
Did you try to turn it on when you had just connected the screen and not put the machine back together? Maybe you cracked the solderings when you put it back together and that's why it doesn't work?

Can't say anything about the adapter as we use official spare parts at the place I work.

Rebs:
Hmm, I am by far not qualified to give advise here. Just want to make that clear.

However, could the malfunction be related to what cracked the LCD in the first place :-\
A cracked LCD screen sounds a bit extreme to me.

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