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In this guide I’ll be replacing failed LCD screen in a Gateway MT3000 series laptop.
To be precise, I’m fixing a Gateway MT3707 laptop which has a failed backlight lamp inside the LCD screen.
Problem description: The laptop starts with reddish image on the screen and after a few seconds the screen light goes completely off. The image is still on the screen but it’s very dark. The reddish image indicates a problem with the backlight lamp. I tested laptop with a new backlight lamp and it works fine. In this case the entire LCD screen has to be replaced.
Turn off the laptop, unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery.
STEP 1.
There are six screws securing the screen bezel. These screws hidden under six rubber plugs.
Remove all six plugs with a sharp object.
Remove six screws securing the screen bezel.
STEP 2.
Start separating the bezel from the screen cover with your fingers.
On the bottom the bezel is glued to the LCD screen with sticky tape. Carefully separate the bezel from the screen.
STEP 3.
Remove the screen bezel.
STEP 4.
The screen inverter mounted below the LCD screen.
Carefully disconnect the screen backlight cable from the right side of the inverter board.
If you are replacing the inverter board, you’ll have to disconnect one more cable from the other side of the inverter.
Now you can replace inverter with a new one.
STEP 5.
Remove four screws from left and right side of the LCD screen (two screws from each side). These screws securing the screen to the hinge brackets.
Carefully separate the LCD screen from the cover and place it on the keyboard.
STEP 6.
Remove tape securing the video cable.
Disconnect the video cable from the LCD screen connector.
Now you can remove the damaged LCD screen from the laptop.
You can find a new replacement screen by the LCD screen model number. This number is printed on the screen sticker.
In my case the LCD screen model number is LTN141W1-L03.
This screen is available here. If you have a different screen, just search by the model number.
March 5th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Mr. I have a Gateway M7 3707 ( Iam a spanish so the english in some parts I dont understand at 100% ) .
I read all the comentaries, and I confused, because I think I need to buy only the inverter and then my problem its resolve but in this moment I dont know if its the inverter if its the backlight or the lcd screen.
My problem:
I turn on my laptop, showme a few seconds the screen and then go dark… ( sometimes the image go back again for a few seconds and then go back dark again ) sometimes, no much times, but sometimes I can see a image in the dark, but sometimes… why I can explain this? because I conect my laptop to an external monitor and I see all my desktop and all what I do on my laptop… so I can work with a external monitor and work and in that period of time, the screen on my laptop go back the image for a few seconds or in any moment ( few moments ) the image can be visible for a 3 o 4 minutes..
so my question its, please Mr. can you helpme to decide what part I need to buy ? becasue for me its very expensive to buy a part and maybe its not the part for my problem, because how I dont know correct the english, I failed to learn what you say in your post and the comentaries and buy a part what I dont need it.
please can you helpme on this.
thanks
December 8th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
godchaser1967,
Did you remove memory modules during the disassembly process? Make sure memory modules connected correctly.
December 2nd, 2010 at 6:08 pm
i have a gateway m6843 and power plugs was little loose i disassemble laptop and touchup solder on plug put everything back together and it powers on but nothing on the screen. i have used and outside monitor no show , i used only mother, board power with and with hard drive still no show. i have disassembled and reassembled to make sure everything was done correctly, Any thoughts???
November 6th, 2010 at 8:35 am
It works!
It was indeed the inverter problem. I’ve just replaced it with new one.
The whole process took only a couple of minutes; However, I had ordered new inverter at e-bay, and it took about 2 weeks for shipping. It was quite cheap though.
Thank you very much again!
November 6th, 2010 at 7:59 am
HI,
i own a gateway mt3707 and i noticed it gets hot easily.
i believe that the fan is filled with llinth
can u make an instruction on how to access the fan of gateway mt3707
thanks ;D
October 20th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
M.Kim,
I hope it works. Let me know if your new inverter fixes the problem.
October 19th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Thank you for your kind, precise, and concise explanation.
As you expected, it did not seem the switch problem.
So I followed your recommendation and ordered an inverter; Now I’m waiting for it.
Hope this guess would turn out to be true.
Again, thank you very much!
October 17th, 2010 at 11:25 am
M. Kim,
I don’t remember this model off the top of my head, but if you cannot see a physical button somewhere close to the hinges, most likely you have a magnetic lid close switch. Older laptops usually had a regular physical switch button but newer laptops come with magnetic lid close switch.
Here’s how it works.
There is a small magnet installed inside the display panel. There is a switch located somewhere on the motherboard. When you close the display, the magnet activates the switch and the laptop goes into sleep/hibernation, etc…
You can find the magnet location by moving a small screwdriver along the bezel and the screwdriver will stick to the place where the magnet installed.
If you have a magnet switch, I don’t think this is your problem.
Most likely it’s either bad inverter or faulty LCD screen backlight. You cannot tell which one is causing the problem without testing the laptop with a known good inverter board.
If you have to guess, try replacing the inverter board first. If it doesn’t help, try replacing the LCD screen.
Here’s how you can troubleshoot backlight problems.
October 15th, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Hello.
Recently, My MT3707 had a similar problem(failing LCD).
However, in my case, I think the problem might be ‘lid close switch’ (Sorry, I am not sure whether this is correct name or not) because
1. When I use external monitor, it works fine. So VGA must be OK.
2. The image is still on the screen, though it’s very weak. So LCD itself could not have a problem.
3. No reddish so far. When I repeat open/close the cover, the screen recovers sometimes.
Of course, it might be still inverter or backlight which causes the problem. Anyway I want to check the switch first as I don’t have additional parts.
The problem/question is that I can’t find on where the switch is.
Can you point out where it is? It would be very helpful to me.
Thank you very much.
October 11th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Gotcha. Thanks for the info.