HomeIn this tutorial I’ll explain how to remove LCD screen and replace inverter board in an Acer Aspire 5100 laptop. This tutorial will work for many other Acer laptops with the same body.
In my previous article I was taking an Acer Aspire 5100 apart.
OK, let’s get inside the display assembly.
First of all, turn off the laptop, unplug AC adapter and remove the battery.
The screen bezel has four screws hidden under for seals. Two rubber seals on the top of the bezel and two plastic seals on the bottom.
You can remove all four screw seals with a sharp object as it shown on the picture below. Glue removed seals somewhere on the bezel so they don’t get lost.
Remove four screws found under seals.
Start remove the screen bezel with your fingers. Proceed slowly while removing the bezel.
Continue removing the screen bezel.
The bezel has been removed.
The inverter board is mounted below the laptop screen. If you are replacing the inverter board, you’ll have to separate the top cover from the screen first.
Remove four screws. Two of them securing display hinges and other two securing the inverter board.
Carefully separate the display cover from the screen and access the LCD cable connector.
You’ll have to unplug the LCD cable from the screen.
First, unglue the clear sticky tape securing the connection.
Second, unplug the LCD cable from the connector on the screen.
Now you can access the inverter board witch is still connected to the laptop by cables on both sides.
Carefully unplug cables from both sides of the inverter board.
Remove the screen inverter board and replace it with a new inverter.
Here’s how you can remove the LCD screen.
Simply remove four screws securing the LCD screen to the display hinge. Remove four more screws from the other side of the screen.
Now you can remove and replace the failed or cracked screen with a new LCD screen.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:57 pm
I did try messing with the button, as well as reconnecting the cables. None of that helped. Just ordered up an inverter, so hopefully that helps. Thanks again!
March 31st, 2009 at 8:50 pm
David,
Sounds like a problem with the inverter board or backlight.
1. Does your laptop have the lid close switch – a small button located close to one of the hinges? Try tapping on the button, make sure it moved freely. Sometimes, the button gets dirty and might stuck inside the case. The laptop “thinks” the lid is closed and because of that turn off the backlight. Tapping on the lid close switch might fix it.
2. Do you feel comfortable taking your laptop apart? You can remove the screen bezel, access the inverter board and try reconnecting cables. Maybe the connection got oxidized.
3. If reseating the cable doesn’t help I would try replacing the inverter next.
4. If a new inverter doesn’t fix the problem, most likely you have a faulty backlight lamp. If that’s the case, you’ll have to replace the LCD screen. You can attempt to disassemble the screen and replace the backlight bulb but it’s very hard. LCD screens are cheap these days.
5. Finally, if nothing helps, that could be a problem with the motherboard or video cable but this is not common.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Becky,
In the comment 70 you said the laptop was purchased with no screen installed. Maybe the seller removed the screen because he couldn’t get it to work either?
If you are installing the right LCD and using the right cable, but it’s not detected by the laptop, there could be a problem with the motherboard.
Start the laptop with an external monitor and enter the BIOS setup menu. Check the settings in there, maybe you have to specify the monitor (internal or external) in the BIOS. Try loading default BIOS settings.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:12 am
Sorry for all the messages. After searching the web more, I found a post that suggested to put a flashlight to the screen. I did this, and was able to see the image on the screen. Apparently something is up with the backlight. Is there a way to trouble shoot this, and if so, what should I check. Thanks again so much for your time.
-David
March 30th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
After posting, I tried the memory swap. It didn’t work however, I then tried hooking the VGA port up to another monitor, and it worked. The screen works thru the VGA port, and not thru the laptop itself. This would denote a problem with the screen or inverter? Thanks for the help.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Hello,
Recently, after using my Acer 3680, I closed the screen as normal and left. Upon returning, the laptop powered up, but the screen was completely black. Only problem I can recall in the past was occasionally, (and it hasn’t happened for a while) the screen would seem to slightly flicker, and I would lightly tap the screen on the back and it would fix it.
From your comments here, I see you’ve recommended perhaps checking the memory. Is it possible that could be the case here, or might it be something else? Please help, and thank you for your time.
March 29th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Yes we did buy compatible and we already tried that suggestion and it didn’t work. It for some reason doesn’t recognize the screen being connected at all. We have heard that it could be the capaloid or something like that on the motherboard but not sure where to find it on there to jump it.
March 29th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Aiden,
Does the screen flickers only when you move the display?
How it flickers? Is it loosing backlight or loosing image?
March 29th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Becky,
I assume you are buying compatible screen/inverter/cable.
Here’s what you can try. Connect the screen and turn on the laptop with an external monitor, make sure it works properly. After that try switching video from the external to internal mode. You can do it by using the keyboard shortcut Fn+F5 (or Fn+F6 I don’t remember).
March 28th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Hi the screen on my aspire 5100 sometimes flickers when opening and closing the display. I think its the backlight thats coming on and off.
Ive had it repaired by Acer twice under warranty but that has now run out, one time they replaced a cable and the other time they re seated it.
Any ideas on how to sort it?
Thanks