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This guide will help you to remove the LCD screen and inverter board from a Sony Vaio VGN-SZ645 laptop display. I think these instructions will work for many other Sony Vaio models.
Do not forget to remove the battery before you start.
Related articles: In my previous post you’ll find how to remove the keyboard and replace the hard drive.
OK, let’s take apart the display panel.
STEP 1.
Using a sharp object (or small screwdriver) remove four rubber plugs. There is on plug in each corner of the display bezel.
STEP 2.
Remove four screws found under rubber plugs.
STEP 3.
Start removing the screen bezel as it shown on the picture below.
STEP 4.
Continue removing the bezel. Be careful, do not apply to much force because the the screen bezel is made of thin plastic.
STEP 5.
Remove the screen bezel.
STEP 6.
In order to replace the screen inverter you don’t have to disassemble the laptop any further. Simply unplug two cables from both sides of the inverter board. I pointed these cables with two red arrows. Carefully remove the inverter board and replace it with a new one.
STEP 7.
Here’s how you can replace the LCD screen.
Carefully remove the LCD screen from the cover and place it face down on the keyboard.
STEP 8.
In order to remove the LCD screen you’ll have to:
1. Unplug the video cable from the connector on the back of the LCD screen.
2. Unpug the LCD backlight cable from the right side of the inverter board.
Now you can replace the LCD screen with a new one if needed. Search for the replacement LCD screen here.
October 20th, 2011 at 10:11 pm
Thanks so much for this! I have a VGN-NW180J (PCG-7171L). The screen is extremely dim and cannot be seen under normal circumstances. However if I shine a flashlight on the screen I can make out what is on it. So I am assuming it is either the inverter or the panel (its not the video card because an external monitor works just fine).
Can you please explain how I can test the inverter? I read online that you can test the output from the inverter to see if it is 6v. Is this indeed a valid test? Is it easy to know which two pins for positive and negative to connect to my volt meter?
Also I was told that if I do not have 6v out of the inverter, I should check the input to the inverter to see if it is 19v. Again, is this true? And if so, which pins on the input are for the positive/negative that I should connect my meter to?
I am not handy at all so quite apprehensive about taking about the screen. But the repair costs will be more than what the laptop is worth if I send it out, so I’m going to give it a try.
Any tips are greatly appreciated. Thanks again!
October 17th, 2011 at 11:45 am
Can you tell me if the graphics is in the motherboard or is a separate card? vgn sz 370p
Thanks
September 30th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
@Madmax, if you receive this, I had the same issue and my problem was the screen was receiving too much pressure from the back lid. I simply took the LCD screen out and popped it back in and it’s working beautifully. Hope this works, and best of luck with your hard drive. I don’t presently have that problem but I hope you are able to resolve that.
August 24th, 2011 at 5:18 am
i have a sony vaio laptop model PCG 392L it has vista ultimate OS system wich loads and searches fine and shuts down normally.the problem is that alot of green fluid that resembles ink is coming out of the area of the hard drive cover door.and the screen is mostly clear on first vaio screen with some colored verticle lines.then on second screen as it loads i get red and brown blocks horisontally across the screen then on desktop i get very thin blue and green horiziontal lines making it hard to see desk top icons.have you ever seen this before.i have turned on and shut down normally many times but each and every time the screens are just like ive described.any help would be very welcome.ty
August 3rd, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Hi,
Thank you for these instructions. After I was finally able to remove the bezel from my VPC-EB33, I saw that the LCD screen was glued to the bezel. What can I do in this case?
Thanks in advance for your response!
May 29th, 2011 at 10:04 am
@ traumaut,
Apparently, your laptop has a LED-backlit LCD screen which doesn’t require the inverter board. The video cable connected directly to the screen.
In order to replace the screen, you simply unplug the video cable from the screen and replace it with a new one.
Take a look at this guide as an example. It shows how to unplug the video cable from a LED-backlit LCD screen.
You can find a new replacement screen if you google the model number from the original screen.
It’s hard to tell what is wrong, probably just a failed screen.
May 29th, 2011 at 8:48 am
Thanks for these great instructions. Got the screen on my SZ450N off in 10 minutes. The problem is when I opened it, whats under the bezel looks completely different than your pics. I don’t think there is an inverter, or atleast I do not see cables running underneath the screen like yours. It looks like the screen and inverter are all one piece attached to only one cable behind the screen, which I’m not even sure is detachable. Do you know how I should treat this? The screen is really dim, and plugged into an external monitor works well.
April 13th, 2011 at 9:05 pm
99leesea,
Follow the harness which is coming from the display panel. The display harness routed though the left hinges.
Locate the harness and find where it’s connected to the motherboard.
It’s possible you’ll have to remove the top cover. I cannot tell for sure because I don’t have this laptop in front of me.
April 13th, 2011 at 6:35 pm
thanks for the reply.
Could you tell me how I’d identify the video cable when i’ve removed the keyboard ? (sorry for my incompetence).
The thing is, from the tiny, tiny portion of the laptop screen that I can actually make out, I can see some text, I’m just not sure how to divert the signal to the external monitor while windows xp osnt booting up automatically.
Is there anything that I should remove a well as the video cable ?
Also, how exactly might removing the memory modules work ? (again sorry for my ignorance)
Thanks again.
April 12th, 2011 at 7:51 am
99leesea,
No, it’s different. The video cable connection located under the keyboard. It’s necessary to remove the keyboard in order to disconnect the cable.
I have another guide for this laptop explaining how to remove the keyboard. Take a look here:
http://www.insidemylaptop.com/how-take-apart-sony-vaio-vgn-sz-series-laptop/
If after disconnecting the video cable from the motherboard you still have no image on the external monitor, there could be a problem with the laptop.