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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.
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.
April 11th, 2011 at 7:44 am
Thanks for the reply.
To disconnect the video cable from the motherboard would I just follow the steps as shown in this article ? Or is this something different to what is shown above ?
I’m reasonably competent with things like this but could do with all the help I can get really.
Thanks again for your reply – I really appreciate it.
April 11th, 2011 at 7:27 am
99leesea,
Yes, it’s very likely that disconnecting the internal screen will make the external to be the default screen.
Try disconnecting the video cable from the motherboard and start the laptop with the external screen connected.
If you still cannot get any external image, check laptop memory. Try reseating memory modules, try removing them one by one.
April 11th, 2011 at 6:22 am
Do you think that by disconnecting the screen on my viao laptop, the external monitor will become the default ?
I ask because my laptop screen has been broken for a while, but an external monitor has always worked fine. Now though I know there is a problem with my OS and it wont boot up automatically, meaning that my external screen wont receive a signal, meaning that as my laptop screen is broken, I cant see anything on either the screen or external monitor.
If anyone can help id be very grateful.
April 4th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
thanks for your response. Mind enlightening me how to do that external monitor trick? Have it plugged in now and laptop won’t recognize it when I shift the feed. I’m down to 4-bit graphics which is pretty awesome – Don’t have windows disk – just Sony recovery disks. My Knoppix disk doesn’t get past “PCMCIA cardmgr” prompt… Which is rare as I recall. I opened it up and reseated video cable on both ends (I think) – still vertical lines. Tried original nvidia driver. Maybe it’s time for drive enclosure and a new laptop? Replacing the motherboard seems like a haze.
March 30th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Creep,
First of all, I would test laptop with an external monitor. Check out the external video. Does it have lines (or any other problem) too?
If it does, most likely you have a problem with the graphics card.