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The following set of instructions explains how to remove the LCD screen and inverter board from a Dell XPS M1530 laptop. You can disassemble the display panel without removing it from the laptop.
STEP 1.
Turn off the laptop and remove the battery.
There are no screws securing the screen bezel. Start separating the screen bezel from the display cover with your fingers.
STEP 2.
Continue removing the screen bezel on the top.
STEP 3.
Remove bezel from the hinges.
STEP 4.
The screen bezel has been removed.
STEP 5.
Remove six screws securing the LCD screen assembly.
STEP 6.
Separate LCD screen assembly from the display cover.
STEP 7.
Place the LCD screen assembly face down on the keyboard. Now you can access the back side of the screen and disconnect cables.
STEP 8.
Disconnect the video cable connector from the LCD screen controller board.
STEP 9.
Parts of the video cable could be glued to the screen. Unglue the cable.
STEP 10.
Disconnect cable from the inverter board.
STEP 11.
Remove the LCD screen assembly.
If you are replacing the LCD screen you’ll have to transfer mounting brackets from the old screen to a new one.
If you need a new LCD screen for your Dell XPS M1530 laptop, you can find it here for less than $100.
STEP 12.
It looks like the inverter board is a part of the LCD screen but it’s not. The inverter board can be removed and replaced separately.
Remove one screw securing the inverter board to the LCD bracket.
STEP 13.
Disconnect the screen backlight lamp cable from the left side of the inverter board.
In order to remove the inverter board, you’ll have to slide the inverter to the right side about 3-4 millimeters, lift up the left side of the inverter and remove it from the bracket.
The inverter board can be glued to the bracket, so work slowly.
Need an inverter board? Find a replacement inverter here.
In the previous guide I explain how to remove and clean the cooling fan in a Dell XPS M1530 laptop.
May 8th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
I replace my screen and inverter with compatible units – excellent instructions, btw!… When I turn on the computer, I get a blank WHITE screen. The whole panel is lit, just not displaying anything. The computer boots, just no boot screens, and no desktop. I plugged in an external monitor (works fine) and after futzing with it on & off for a few days, I managed to disable the nVidea driver (don’t ask me how, I have NO IDEA), and I was able to get my desktop to display. The display was across 75% of the screen horizontally and 95% of the screen vertically, but it worked-ish. I reinstalled the nVidea drivers (because I’m daft), and now, nothing, blank white screen, and I can’t figure out what I did to get it to half work in the first place.
Any suggestions?
April 26th, 2011 at 7:31 am
As it seems this comment field is rather active I will put my question here:
Is it possible to replace my current display (1280×800) with a higher resolution one (say 1680×1050 or 1920×1200) or do the replacement display have to have the same resolution as to original?
April 19th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
Mark,
It’s not the GPU failure, that’s for sure.
Most likely it’s either bad backlight lamp inside the screen or faulty inverter. Which one is causing the problem? It’s hard to tell without testing the laptop with another good tested LCD screen.
If there is a visible vertical line dividing dark and bright sides, most likely this is LCD screen failure.
If the screen gets darker gradually, it’s either bad backlight lamp (probably getting old) or failed inverter (not providing correct voltage for the backlight lamp). Again, cannot tell without testing.
You can try replacing the inverter board first. They are pretty cheap. If it doesn’t work, replace the LCD screen. Make sure to find one with the inverter installed. In Dell laptops the inverter board must match the backlight lamp. Otherwise the screen brightness will not work properly.
April 18th, 2011 at 9:12 am
Another XPS M1530 screen failure:
Almost the entiry left half of the screen is darker than the right side. This is even during rebooting – not software related. Changing the brightness has no effect on the left side. I plugged in another VGA screen – works flawless. I guess it’s not the GPU.
Is it the LCD or the inverter? What do you think?
Thanks a lot!
April 13th, 2011 at 9:01 pm
Kimberly,
It’s possible that you have a failed AC adapter.
It’s possible the laptop was working for a while because the battery had some charge.
Now the laptop will not start because it’s not getting any power from the AC adapter and the battery is dead (or almost dead).
Can you find a voltmeter and test the adapter? Do you have a LED light on the adapter brick? Does it turn on when you plug your adapter into the wall outlet?
April 13th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Hi
I replaced the screen on my XPS m1530 and it worked! For a while… it worked perfectly.
I was so happy that things were running after being out of commission for a while, that I allowed updates to the computer (software updates) then it shut down. I thought it was just part of the update but now it won’t come back on.
I press the power button and I get nothing – zip – nada! However, occassionally, i get a blue glow from behind the power button but then nothing happens.
Help!
It DID work… what do I need to do???
Any thoughts?
Kimberly
March 22nd, 2011 at 9:01 am
I have a crack on my Dell XPS 1530. I can still use my computer properly but it is rather annoying. How do I know which screen/parts to buy to replace it?
March 18th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Chris,
Your screen is blurry but still has backlight (you said it’s readable), so this is NOT inverter related problem.
You said the laptop works fine with an external monitor, so I assume the video card works properly.
From your description it sounds like your problem could be related to one of the following:
1. Bad connection between the video cable and motherboard or LCD screen. Try reconnecting the video cable on both ends.
2. Failing LCD screen. Try replacing the screen.
3. Failing video cable. Try replacing the cable.
I cannot tell which one is bad without testing the laptop with spare parts.
Just in case, test your laptop with the external monitor again. Make sure the external image has no problems whatsoever.
If there is a problem with the external image, this might be video card failure.
March 18th, 2011 at 9:27 am
stephen,
The backlight lamp + inverter is not much more expensive than only inverter.
You can buy the combo. Why? If replacing the inverter board will not fix the problem, you can use the backlight lamp for further troubleshooting.
March 16th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
I have a M1530 15.4 WSXGA+ (LG screen) I have an issue with the screen. When I am on native resolution (1680 x 1050) its impossible to read the texts…the screen is very blurry…too a point where I have to run it on 800×600 in order for it to be usable.
This issue will come and go. When its working the screen will flicker and then the screen becomes blurry. This will last about a day and then all of sudden it will flicker back and starts to work again.I believe its an LCD issue. The other night when it was blurry I am able to connect it to a secondary monitor via vga and the blurriness was not present on the secondary monitor. Do you think its the lcd or the inverter?