My screen has random blue pixels
My screen has random blue pixels, usually within the gray areas of windows that are open (top of Firefox, taskbar etc). This can occasionally be fixed by tapping the side of the screen on both sides, but this does not appear to be fixing it now! I have the latest video drivers etc, which have not made any difference.
If you move the window around the screen the blue pixels will move with it, however if the screen is all white you will not see any blue pixels. Yellow images appear to make the blue pixels the worst. Would this be damage to the LCD or something else?
First of all, test the laptop with an external monitor. If you see the same video defect on the external video, most likely your problem is related to the motherboard and there is a problem with the graphics card. If the graphics card is integrated into the motherboad (most likely it is), the whole motherboard has to be replaced.
If external video is fine and random blue pixels appear only on the laptop screen, you can try the following:
1. Your failure could be related to loose connection between the video cable and the LCD screen. Reconnecting the cable on the back of the LCD screen may help. Instructions for taking apart the display panel can be useful.
2. Bad video cable. If moving or touching the video cable (without touching the screen itself) changes pattern of random blue pixels on the screen somehow, apparently you have bad video cable and it has to be replaced. For some reason, I think your problem is related to the video cable. Just recently I fixed a Toshiba Satellite M105 laptop with random blue pixels by replacing the video cable, but there is no guaranty that this will work in your case.
3. So, you reseated and then replaced the video cable but still experience the same problem? In this case I would suspect the LCD screen.
By the way, before you replaced any hardware parts, try reinstalling Windows. Just in case, to make sure it’s not a software related failure.
March 23rd, 2008 at 3:33 am
Hi,
Thanks very much for the feedback! I have tried it with an external LCD monitor and the problem disappears. If both displays are on, the laptop screen may have the blue pixels. (But this issue is intermittent). I have re-installed Windows and installed a new video driver. Neither of these have resolved the issue.
I have also noticed occasionally the screen will flicker, and a few times the screen will go black and I will need to restart the computer to get this work again.
I will however look into the screen cable. I am a little nervous about accessing the screen, as I cannot find the exact instructions for the model: M100, PSMA0A-0J4002. I have looked at the link you provided but it looks like different to my model. Do you know of any other links?
Thanks very much for you help.
Cam
March 23rd, 2008 at 4:43 am
Hello again. I have found the guide that you linked to is really good! I will have a crack at this later and let you know how it goes.
Thanks,
Cam
March 25th, 2008 at 6:38 am
I have a Dell Inspiron 1000 notebook that runs fine otherwise, but I’m having trouble with the video-out port.
When I connect the external VGA port to my projector (which has worked together for years), I get a garbled display, and the laptop cycles through attempts to sync with the display of the projector. It displays some very strange resolutions as its cycling through (nothing normal like 800×600@75hz, but really weird stuff, like 1100×250@82hz).
Looks like the display is not outputting the signal at a rate the projector can display. I’ve tested the notebook with a monitor, and it’s just blank (doesn’t even attempt to display anything). Any suggestions?
I’ve updated the bios, done a fresh install of WindowsXP Pro SP2, updated to latest video drivers (all suggestions of Dell support). I don’t think it’s an operating system issue, since the laptop won’t sync with the projector at boot time (like it would previously). I could boot and it would display the system bios screen, or whatever, now it won’t do that.
Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Sherm
April 4th, 2008 at 3:43 am
Hi,
I have a Screen resolution problem with my toshiba 1415-173 laptop after installing XP professional. The resolution is not upto 1024 X 768 and as a result there is a blank portion on the right side of the screen. I tried seaching toshiba site to find a solution but no luck. Please help me!
April 20th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Real,
Did you reinstall driver for the video card? You can download this driver from Toshiba website.
April 29th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
The first Q. i think the laptop display has dead pixels
a google will tell, that plasma and lcd display devices sometimes have a pixell that is intermitent going bad.
I found a home theatr home page explained it so well
it even had a program that was for download and burn to a cd/dvd and play on ur new TV…or for a device with bad pixells….anyhow what it did was show “snow” the picture a tv gets when it doesn’t have a signal…
June 18th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Please help this novice!
I have a Toshiba Satellite P105 laptop.
I hooked up an external monitor (Samsung SyncMaster 932bw)… The monitor works but I can not see the laptop screen anymore. There was nothing wrong w/ the laptop before I hooked up the external monitor. I’ve tried all I know to do. I am trying to put all back to original so I can take this monitor back and get a refund. The display quality is terrible, especially the printed words.
Thanks, Dee
June 18th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Dee,
Start the laptop with an external monitor. After that press down the Fn key on the laptop keyboard and at the same time press on F5. A video output menu should appear on the screen. Keep pressing the F5 key until you swtch the video output from the external monitor to the laptop LCD screen.
June 22nd, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Thanks for the input and I did as you suggested. I was able to get the screen on the samsung but nothing on the laptop. I found this “bad news” on the toshiba website as follows…(of course I did install the software)
The MagicTune software is designed for use with desktop computers that do not have a built-in LCD display screen. The MagicTune software ships with Samsung SyncMaster LCD display screens, and may be downloaded from Samsung’s website.
Resolution
If your LCD display screen has been disabled by the MagicTune software, make arrangements for repair with a Toshiba Authorized Service Provider.
Is there any info you might can give me or am I stuck getting it repaired?
Thanks again,
Dee
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:30 am
I have a Dell inspiron e1505/6400. At random times, my lcd screen goes black/shuts off. The lights are still on (power, wifi, scroll lock, etc.) and I can hear it running. I hooked it to an external monitor and still nothing. I also reinstalled windows. The screen isn’t dim either, its off. Not sure if it has anything to do with it, but sometimes when I try to start the computer, I hit the power button, lights come on, then it shuts right off. I have to do that several times before it boots up. Please Help. Thanks.
October 20th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Hey,
I have an HP DV1660SE (DV1000) notebook. I’ve noticed that I get red dots through out the screen. Especially when I look at a pictures or video. It doesn’t seem like stuck/dead pixels because if I move the picture or video around the screen the red dots are in the same place in the picture/video no matter where it is on my desktop. I’ve upgraded my bios and video driver since noticing the problem but neither helped. The red dots do go away when I change the display setting from 32 bit to 16 bit, but it sucks because the display isn’t as vibrant. Any ideas?Thanks for the help
Will
February 3rd, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Hello there,
I have a Toshiba Satellite A205 Laptop. This summer it will be 2years old. I am trying to upgrade the the video card in it. I understand that it is “integraded” into the motherboard. I was looking though some sites and I have found one that shows very clearly how to get it so that the card is accessible. I was wondering how had it would be to actually remove the card form the motherboard itself. This is the website I found…
http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/toshiba-satellite-a205/laptop-disassembly-4.htm
In picture 23 I see the card, but I do now know how it would come off. If you could help me in figuring how to take this off it would be great.
Thanks again
Tom
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Tom,
Where do you see the video card on that picture? I can see the video chip but it’s soldered to the motherboard. You cannot unsolder and replace the video chip at home.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:10 pm
I spoke with a Tech online and they said yes it can come off and get upgraded, but at the factory. Again I knew this, I cant unsolder it at home. Also, is that little Intel chip the actual “video card”, if so thats small, never seen one before.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Tom,
I guess your A205 laptop has a discrete video card. Right now I’m fixing a Satellite A215 laptop and usually it comes with an integrated video card, but in my case it has a discrete video card.
If you can give me the laptop model number, something like PSAELU-038010 from the sticker on the bottom, I can look up if it has a discrete video card and if there is more than one card listed for that model.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:33 pm
The model number is PSAF0U-02F00U, the 0 are zeros
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Tom,
OK, looks like it’s a Toshiba Satellite A205-S4629 (or something really close).
I pulled the list of parts for this model but there is no VGA board mentioned anywhere. The video chip 945GM is integrated into the motherboard (part number: V000108030) and cannot be removed or upgraded.
I guess they have no idea what they are talking about.
Please correct if I’m wrong.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Well then, that sucks. It sucks that I spoke to a Tech Support guy from Toshiba and they said that they can upgrade it. Well looks like I will have a word with them again and double check.
Thanks for your help
Tom
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Yep, try calling them again and just in case ask how you can ship the laptop for the upgrade.
Please, let me know if they can.
By the way, here’s a quote from the product specification:
Shared means there is NO dedicated video memory, which means there is NO dedicated video card.
Or maybe he has never seen one?
Also, ask the same Toshiba tech how many laptops he fixed or at least disassembled.