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I have seen a few Toshiba Satellite M305 and M305D laptops with exactly the same display problem. When you move the display panel, the image on the screen flickers, some random horizontal lines appear in random places or the image disappears at all. As soon as you stop moving the display, the image ether turns back to normal or the display continue to remain black.
I did some research and found that this problem could be related to the display cable made by CMI.
How can you tell if the display cable was made by CMI? You’ll have to open up the display panel and take a look at the letters and numbers below the barcode on the cable. If first three letters are CMI, the cable was made by CMI.
The following models could have a faulty display cable: Toshiba Satellite M300, M305, M305D and Toshiba Satellite Pro M300.
If you experience a similar problem with your Satellite M305 or M305D laptop, try replacing the display cable first. If the problem still exists, even after replacing the cable, apparently it’s related to the LCD screen.
If the laptop is still under warranty do not open the case or you will lose the warranty. Take your laptop to the authorized repair center.
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February 12th, 2009 at 10:52 am
aras,
When I add RAMs (2×512)all I get is 448 total. I tried different compatible RAMS and still the same problem. Used RAMs as recommended by SONY support and still it did not help. PC works but RAMs total stays exactly 448 instead of 1024.
It’s possible that one of the memory slots is bad and “cannot see” the memory module installed in it.
Test your laptop with different memory modules installed into different slots. If the laptop works fine with both memory modules in the slot A but not in the slot B, the slot B is defective. If that’s the case, you’ll have to replace the motherboard or use the laptop as is with only one working slot.
Thank you for your advice.
Actually, it was just incompatible RAMs. I tried three different “compatible” types and they did not work. Then I ordered the ones from 4allmeory.com (they guarantee compatibility)
and it recognized it immediately. So, now I have 960 of RAMs. I did not expect 1024 to be displayed, since my PC shares RAMs with video. So, problem solved!
February 13th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Heloo,
I have this strange problem with my display.
Everything is working fine except on black colour when some red pale lines appear in the middle of the screen.
Do I have to change the panel or only some parts?
I uploaded some photos.
Nobody answered to my question if this can be fixed or do I have to buy a new lcd panel.
The strange thing is that except the black colour is everything ok.
Thank you.
The link with the photos>
http://s656.photobucket.com/albums/uu288/hpdv/
I wait for your opinion.
February 24th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
daniel,
That’s a strange failure. In order to narrow down the problem you’ll have to test the laptop with an external monitor attached to the VGA port.
If both screens (internal and external monitor) fail the same way and you see exactly the same problem on both monitors, it’s not related to the laptop screen. Apparently there is something wrong with the video card.
If the failure appears only on the laptop screen but the external monitor works fine, there could be a problem with the video cable or laptop LCD.
You’ll have to test it with an external monitor first.
March 8th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
this is a f*** cable problem! nothing else.
don`t buy this shit (sorry but that is what it is)
April 14th, 2009 at 7:40 am
to day i sucsesfully repair my m300 by my self..
make jamper groud of inverter to groud of body.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:02 am
Hi, my Toshiba Satellite M105-S3041 has developed an issue where the screen dims when the screen is moved up and down or due to some vibration, there is also a buzzing noise when this happens. I have to move the screen around normally to correct it. Does this sound like I need to replace the screen inverter? or could it be the video/display cable that is faulty? or something else? It’s normally fine when there is no physical movement. Please also recommend a site to order the part from. Thanks!
June 8th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Dear Laptop Tech
I have same problem with my notebook (m305-s4820). But when in charge the laptop, the screen seem better, but still flicker occasionally. Could that happen because inverter failure. Can you tell me, what can be happened if inverter failure? Maybe more than flickering screen, I dont know.
Thanks.
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:22 am
I have Acer Extensa 2300 laptop. Since last 3 days, he screen displays a vertical light dark mark (about 1.5 inches wide). Does anyone guide me thru steps to resolve this problem. thnx
August 8th, 2009 at 4:58 am
Same here! Monitor SyncMaster 540n 15″
August 18th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
where can i find a new video cable for M305? i have no idea which company makes the genuine video cable which is not faulty…i dont wanna buy a video cable which will again get fucked up in a few months…any suggestions from where and which brand to buy?i have seen some on ebay but i feel those might be from the faulty lot (and maybe used)
August 18th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
sushant,
I’m not sure if there are many different types of cables for different M305 models, but here’s the part number you can use for search: A000029210
There are three cables listed and I mentioned part number for the latest one. I think it’s a new cable.
Google the part number and you’ll find it.
September 9th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Having same problems with the toshiba screen, m305d-s4380, the screen flickers, i have found that applying a bit of pressure on the borders of the screen the flicker is gone, so i have done a research, everything seems to be a problem of the lcd cable, Question.
How do you know if the cable has to be repalced?
can i fix the same cable? might it be a short o a loosen cable?
what is the cable part number, where can i find it and how much does it costs?
This website was the most helpful one. Regards!
November 7th, 2009 at 11:00 am
giorgio,
Disassemble the display panel and take a look at the cable. If the part number starts with letters CMI, most likely the cable has to be replaced.
I haven’t tried it myself but most likely you cannot. There are many wires inside the video harness and I really doubt that you can fix it.
In your case (m305d-s4830) the cable part number is A000029210.
Google the part number and find how much it is.
November 16th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Laptop tech,
I have an M305-S4822 and I’m experiencing the same problems as shown in the photo above. What would the cable part number for my specific model be?
November 16th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Christine,
Here’s the video cable part number: A000029210
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:03 pm
i have m305-s4822 laptop and i am going through same screen problem. After reading this i opened my lcd panel and try to reconnect my cable but it doesnt work it still flickers after so most likely need a new cable. Try to find it on ebay, i found it for 17$ but its used so lets see if its works ok or not
December 10th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
What is the cable for the screen called??? you guys said u found it on ebay whats it called?
December 10th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
actually i found it and does it usually run about 100$
December 12th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I bought the cable on Ebay and connected it in to my labtop and the screen seem to be working fine. But if I push the screen down to like a 45 degree angle the screen goes blank, When I push the screen back up right the screen is working fine. I’ll see how long this last before the screen will start flickering again?
December 16th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
I need some help finding the parts, can anyone give me the website or what to search under on Ebay.
thank you
ps. any ideas on how to fix the UBS port on m305d-4830. do i have to buy the parts separate and solder it in. the port is jammed in.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Tou,
It depends. Which USB port you are asking about?
There are two USB boards on the left side of the laptop. These ports are soldered to the motherboard.
There is one USB port located on the right side of the laptop. This port is soldered to the LAN board.
I doubt that you can find a new USB port separately.
January 31st, 2010 at 6:42 am
I have a M305D-4831 and my screen did the same thing as those listed above but NOW won’t work at all. I tested it on a desktop and know the laptop itself works. Do I order the same part A000029210? Thanks for your help. I want to try and fix it myself since it costs about $200 to have someone else fix it for me. Regards!
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:51 am
I have a toshiba m305-s4819 with the same problem mentioned I have read that you said it was that cable but mine also does it on start up regularly the computer will turn on but the screen stays black and if i shut it off and shake it a bit I can usually get it to come back on the laptop itself works great when the screen cooperates would this also be related to the cable? Thanks for your help
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:52 am
Also I took it to a computer place and they told me the screen is going but I really don’t believe that because it has a nice bright clear picture
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:39 am
Hi. I have a Toshiba M305-S4820, and I have a similar problem. The screen flickers when moved, but instead of being all black, it is all white. When I find a good position it works well unless moved. Is this the same problem? Changing the LCD cable will solve the problem? Thanks you
February 7th, 2010 at 2:47 am
Hello,
I have a Toshiba M305-S4910, I had minor flicker issues recently and then today while on my computer the screen simply went black. The odd thing is I can still start the computer in windows safe mode and it works perfectly fine, no flickers no black screen. When I try to start it in regular mode the screen flickers and then goes black within about 30 seconds. Does that sound like a wire issue to you? I can’t really return it as I’m currently in Afghanistan. I wish i’d known about this problem before I got this damn computer, 6 months left on a deployment without a computer is a major drag.
February 7th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Robin,
In order to troubleshoot the problem, you’ll have to start the laptop with video on external monitor. Can you get video on the external monitor in normal (not safe) mode?
Could be, but I’m not sure. If the laptop works fine with video on the external monitor, but the internal screen remains black or works only in safe mode, it could be related to the video harness.
February 9th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Nicolás Abel Carbone
First of all, I wold check connection between the video cable and LCD screen. Maybe the connection is loose.
If reconnecting the cable doesn’t help, try replacing the cable.
February 10th, 2010 at 8:38 am
Hello, my name is Leander, I’m from Brazil, and I have this same problem (the only diference is that the image be all white, and not black. Have more than year that my notebook is bad. Sometimes I need to punch the screen to back to work. Someone can help me to solve this problem? This cable can really be the problem? I’m near to buy another PC… Thank you.
February 10th, 2010 at 10:59 am
Leander,
You can try reconnecting the video cable on the back of the LCD screen. It’s possible the cable is not making good connection with the screen. Just a guess.
February 15th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
please tell me, where should i buy lcd cable for my toshiba satellite m305d-s4840, i have the same problem with lcd flicker and turn out black some time, any help would be appreciated, i have display cable was made by CMI, thanks
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Someone on another forum said that everytime they pushed 2 inches left of toshibas name on bottom of screen, the problem would go away. The power cord for the screen is locted right at that spot(2 in Left of Toshiba Name). Everytime i have this problem with mine, i pop the cover off the screen area and wiggle some wires and miraculously it quits. Probably a wire conact problem right there. If you open it up, it is the plug in going straight into the small curcuit board right under neath the screen.
March 26th, 2010 at 8:56 am
I have a M305 LCD cable that is not made by CMI. It is faulty as it is shorting out my laptop(only power on for a few seconds). I say call Toshiba @ 800-457-7777 and make a complaint. There is no reason Toshiba owners should put up with their faulty components and let them get away with it. Like all banks PC manufacturers are in a conspiracy to take advantage of the general public…..The modo most to be concerned with, get rich off their money.
March 27th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
I have same problem . anybody know how to repair the cable by yourself.Anyway I lost my money. I donot want buy toshiba again.
March 31st, 2010 at 11:15 am
bob,
I doubt that you can fix the faulty video harness. You’ll have to buy a new one.
Or try calling Toshiba and explain what’s going on. Most likely they will replace the cable at no charge even though the laptop is out of warranty. This is a known issue and not your fault.
Try calling Toshiba first.
April 7th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Same problem here!!
I bought my computer in Aug 2008 and not even a year after started having these problems, but did not think they would get worse…of course, they did. Pressing down near the Toshiba logo does help, but only sometimes. This is the SECOND Toshiba in as many years to have screen problems. I would NOT recommend Toshiba to ANYone unless I hated them – seriously.
DO. NOT. BUY. TOSHIBA.
April 9th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
M305-S4848 monitor flicker so bad and goes blank for several long seconds that it interferes with my work. It has increasingly gotten worse immediately the PC went out of warranty. It appears the problemis systemic and should be fixed by the manufacturer.
1. Has anyone been able to get Toshiba to fix the problem at no cost?
2. Does anyone know of a class-action suit I can be a part of?
April 9th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Larry,
Call Toshiba and explain what’s going on. Most likely you’ll get a free repair even though the laptop is out of warranty.
This is a known issue with this model.
April 21st, 2010 at 5:41 pm
my toshiba M305D-S4829 screen just goes completely white. sometimes you are able to see what is on the screen but it slowly fades back to white. any suggestions before i start ordering parts?
April 21st, 2010 at 7:45 pm
brad,
Can you temporarily fix the image if you move or torque the screen? If the video goes back to normal when you move the screen but slowly fades to white as soon as you stop touching it, most likely this is the LCD screen failure.
April 25th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
I am in the middle of fixing mine. You tube videos seem to track it down to 4 main problems.
1) The monitor screen’s back light which is a small flourescent light inside bottom of inner screen case. If going bad the white parts of the screen should get pinkish before turning white at start up.
2) The back light inverter located below the screen in the center. It has two wire plugs at each end. When replacing you can slide it out of the transparent sleave and the new one back in the same way.
3) This seems to be the most likely as I was wiggling wires and watching the screen flicker because of it. The Plugs that connect the wires seem to be loose. Either the plugs slide apart or some of the individual wires float in and out too loosely to make a good contact. One video showed that the main rounded black cloth coated cable bundle that goes from the screen or laptop lid into the base of the computer has a larger white plug after a couple inches and that it comes partially unplugged as the moving of the lid on the hinges moves the cable slightly. He wedged a wad of tissue against the wire bundle near the hinge and solved this problem.
4) A capacitor could be faulty inside the computer. If this is the problem perhaps the cost to repair it is more than the value of the computer.
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:31 am
UPDATE: Well after I replaced the inverter it would not work and then I pulled the tiny wire plug out of the left end of the inverted and replugged it one more time it worked. Then for good measure I clamped the both pluggs together for good measure at it went black for good. I investigated and found the the green wife in the back of that plug was broken loose. Wow that plug and wires are so tiny I can hardly see them well enough to fix and my fingers are just too large. Even tweezers might be too large for the wires. How do you pull the rubber coating off of wires that tiny?
May 25th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
I am trying to fix my cousin’s Toshiba’s M305-S4910 laptop and it has the same flickering problem. I have bought an “advertised as new” display cable. Replaced it and still have the same flickering problem. I realized that the cable I used was missing a webcam connection, so I ended up getting a replacement for the right cable. I replaced it again and the flickering still persists. I can’t seem to figure out what’s wrong at this time and it’s annoying as hell.
Original Cable: MECDD0TE1LC000090321. 03/21/09
Replacement: MECDD0TE1LC000080811. 08/11/08
Replacement w/o webcam: MECDD0TE1LC100080417. 04/17/08
June 8th, 2010 at 10:30 am
I have a M305 and I tried calling Toshiba and get sent to their customer relations. The lady said that there isn’t a known issue with the screen flickering and said because I was out of warranty, I will have to pay for it myself. Is there a way we can make this use known and recall this crap. I getting tired of Toshiba…
June 8th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
I have a M305D-S4830 which the screen flickers to a blueish green color. I had the screen replaced under warranty for a different type of flicker. Does anyone know which cable I need to replace the connection from the LCD screen to the MB? It is driving me nuts!
June 12th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Patrick,
The cable part number is A000029210.
June 12th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Colin,
Call them again and talk to a different representative. Sometimes it helps.
June 17th, 2010 at 12:58 am
Hi everyone, i have problem with my Toshiba Satellite m300, the screen completely dark. The laptop works and under light i can see that there is content on the LCD but its just not bright. Ive replaced the inverter but it didnt fix the problem. Do you guys think it might be the lcd lamp, or something else, and do you guys know the part number for the lamp if thats the problem. Thanks alot for the help.
June 24th, 2010 at 5:33 am
I bought my M305 in 08. Within six months of purchase I had the same problem. Paid $120 to get it diagnosed and repaired. Repair people said they’d seen the same problem before. They blamed the brand of cable used by Toshiba. It is 7 months since the repair using another brand of cable. The same damn problem has returned.
Toshiba says there is no known problem. Toshiba is purposely lying. They know about this. I always liked Toshibas, but they are not making this right. They are screwing their customers and they just hope this will all go away. I am now an evangelist against Toshiba.
June 24th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
Ken,
Could be bad cable again.
June 29th, 2010 at 3:36 am
Hey guys,
I have had this problem. I was going to buy new cable, but I decided to open my toshiba m305d and check what is up. I have squeezed and pressed out the video cable and now the problem is gone! The screen doesn’t flicker anymore.
The cable is in left top corner, beside left speaker.
July 9th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
I Have the same issues only worse the cable sorted out screen and smoked it pretty fryed I talked to toshiba about they agree to look it they bezal looked like it rub all way thought display cable and short out power
it nastyed chared cable I Diffently will be send this site along with that It not safe
Doughboy Says:
March 26th, 2010 at 8:56 am
I have a M305 LCD cable that is not made by CMI. It is faulty as it is shorting out my laptop(only power on for a few seconds). I say call Toshiba @ 800-457-7777 and make a complaint. There is no reason Toshiba owners should put up with their faulty components and let them get away with it. Like all banks PC manufacturers are in a conspiracy to take advantage of the general public…..The modo most to be concerned with, get rich off their money
August 3rd, 2010 at 7:40 am
I have a M305-S4848…a few weeks ago I noticed if I opened the screen beyond being straight up it would get flickering lines. Now the problem has gotten worse and if I open the screen more than half way the screen goes completely black. I called Toshiba and they gave me the whole out of warranty crap, my warranty expired 12/21/09, told me what was wrong with it and gave me a number for the parts dept. I call the parts dept and am told its an $80 part! I just paid this damn thing off last month and now it needs an $80 part that I am prob gonna need to have installed!!
August 8th, 2010 at 7:35 am
I’m on my third video cable. The cable brand doesn’t seem to matter. When I talked to someone at Toshiba they wouldn’t admit there is a problem. Bull!
I can’t reward Toshiba’s indifference. I feel I’ve been cheated. I will never by Toshiba again.
September 1st, 2010 at 12:54 am
I’ve got a M300 which someone picked up by the screen and cracked the LCD display. I got an aftermarket LCD display which fitted fine (using the original inverter cable) and worked without any problems for a few months. For the past couple of weeks the display’s been going grey but coming right if a bit of pressure is applied to the top of the screen frame. I wondered if it was the cable or the connection so opened it back up and unplugged the inverter cable from the display. Next thing there’s no power to the laptop at all, won’t turn on with battery or mains, no lights going on the front of laptop. Any ideas? By unplugging the inverter cable could I have stuffed up the power supply to the whole laptop?
September 5th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Dominic,
If your laptop doesn’t start after reassembly, unplug the AC adapter, remove the battery and wait for a few minutes. Plug the AC adapter and try turning it on again.
Not likely. I’ve don it many times before (even with AC adapter and battery connected) without any problem.