Ever had an annoying scratch on your LCD screen that you just can’t seem to budge? Below are a few suggestions, some common, some less well know, for removing it.

1.) The rubber method

First clean the affected area on your screen. Then take a clean rubber, and rub it along the length of the scratch until it has disappeared.

2.) Buying a scratch repair kit

Search Google for +LCD+Scratch+Repair. Some people have achieved successful results with products such as Novus Plastic Polish or Scratch Pro.-One paste called Displex scratch remover has been manufactured specifically to hide scratches on LCD screens. The product comes with a microfiber cloth which can be used to gently ease out the scratches.

3.) Rubbing alcohol and Vaseline method

Apply diluted isopropyl alcohol, (50% solution, 50% water,) to your screen with a cloth to remove dirt. [Avoid abrasive cleaning materials such as sandpaper and kitchen towels.] Then apply Vaseline to the scratches. Remove the excess Vaseline and the improvement should be noticeable. This method requires repeating as and when necessary.

4.) Replacing the damaged screen

With the cost of replacement laptop screens dropping every month, you could always opt for buying a new screen from one of the suppliers online that sells new screens for laptops.

Has your laptop screen gone blank or developed lines or bars or does it just white out?

Have you ever had your screen go blank, only to be replaced by coloured vertical lines, yet, when you plug in an external monitor, the original image is displayed correctly?

Such circumstances are most likely caused by a hardware fault, specifically a problem with either the screen, the graphics adaptor or the ribbon cable which connects the two. The fact that a normal image can still be viewed on an external monitor would make the problem indicative of a screen, rather than a graphics card fault. If this is the case, two clear options are available.

You could either try and locate an external monitor or take the cost effective step of purchasing and fitting a replacement screen yourself.  We offer a wealth of information on our blog to guide you in choosing and fitting a screen. Below are some links you may find helpful: 

1. How to choose a reputable LCD supplier: http://blog.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/post/2011/07/05/Laptop-Screen-Suppliers-How-do-you-choose-a-reputable-LCD-supplier.aspx
2. Laptop screen connector positions explained, when choosing a replacement screen you may find multiple choices with different connector types: http://blog.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/post/2011/05/26/Laptop-Screen-Connector-Positions-Explained.aspx
3. How to replace a Laptop Screen, this is a neat 6 min video that gives you the training you need to replace your screen without the expense of a repair house: http://blog.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/post/2011/04/13/How-To-Replace-A-Laptop-Screen-6-Min-Tutorial-Video.aspx
4. Laptop Screen troubleshooter http://www.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/troubleshooter, will assist you in determining where the fault is with your machine.
5. 7 reasons why you should repair your own laptop screen http://blog.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/category/Laptop-Screen-Information.aspx
6. Information for people who are thinking about trying to upgrade their current display http://blog.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/post/2011/05/11/Upgrading-Your-Laptop-Screen-Resolution.aspx
7. Understanding what sellers mean by "Compatible" replacement screens http://blog.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/post/2011/05/04/Compatible-Laptop-Screens.aspx
8. Understanding what different screen resolutions mean and terms like WXGA, WUXGA, WSVGA, HD and FULL HD, http://blog.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/post/2011/04/23/Laptop-Screen-Resolution-Explained.aspx

Or, perhaps your laptop screen is not broken but intermittently turns black, only to be restored by holding down the button designed to inform the machine that the lid is closed. In this instance, the cause may be one of two things.

1. The machine’s power settings have been altered so that the screen turns itself off after an extended period sitting idle, in which case, one need only go to the computer’s start menu, locate the control panel and adjust the power settings accordingly to rectify the problem. OR, most likely
2. There is a problem with the laptop’s screen latch or other elements which connect directly with the operation of the display, (such as the ribbon cable,) faults often caused by extensive wear and machine ageing. A quote could be sought for inspection and repair; however, one may be better served by purchasing a newer model.                              

A question often heard is how one connects their laptop to a TV so that they are able to watch their favourite TV shows, or share personal videos and photos. This is how it is done:

1. Firstly, you need to locate on both your laptop and TV a connecting port-you should see one of the following connections-Composite, S-video, VGA, DVI, HDMI, in   order to connect an external display. You must locate the connector on your laptop which corresponds to the same connecting port on your TV. (As a side note, if you’re using S-video audio will be produced through the laptop speakers rather than the TV.) 
2. Next you need to configure these settings from your laptop. Click o the start menu, select control panel and then Appearance and Personalization. From the display menu select, “connect an external display” and ensure the display on your laptop is fully duplicated on your TV. 
3. From the current window you can also adjust the resolutions for both the laptop and the TV (If there is a disparity between them it will lead to image distortion.) Click on the display menu, select the used display and then press the resolution button. Use the slider to achieve the correct resolution. (Using recommended settings will produce optimum results.) 

Now you should be able to view the content stored on your laptop on your TV. 

After replacing your laptop screen, you may find that the screen resolution does not appear correct. The screen maybe stretched so that some parts of the display are out of the range of the physical glass, or you may find the desktop is shrunk and duplicated across the screen.

This problem would on first inspection indicate a faulty or incompatible replacement laptop screen, however this is not always the case. Often overlooked is the Windows Screen Driver. This is not the laptops video driver package/display drivers, however this is a specific driver for the display you are using. Usually Windows will use the standard PNP display driver, however often a specific driver file is needed for your replacement LCD display.

The file you need to create is known as a custom EDID for the monitor (custom INF file); you will need to extract the settings from your old .INF file, we recommend doing this with the old screen attached, the registry settings of my old LCD panel (Samsung, LG, AUO) can be extracted and added to the new INF file created when the new screen is fitted. Otherwise, if you do not have the old screen or the old settings, you will need to know the exact monitor setting for the new panel you are adding.

INF files are stored in the folder C:\WINDOWS\INF

You can find out which current INF file your old screen and replacement are using by opening the Control Panel, Display Settings, Going to the Settings tab and choosing Advanced.

The Inf file in C:\Windows\INF can be edited with Notepad.

Instructions for creating a custom .INF file can be found here http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/7947-force-dvi-hdmi-resolutions-refresh-rates.html

Problem:

After replacing the LED screen in your DELL laptop, you may find the brightness controls no longer function. Pressing the brightness up and brightness down on the keyboard has no affect on the display brightness. You may also find that when running on battery power the display is not dimmed; therefore the battery life whilst not using the mains power will be considerably shortened.

Solution:

You’re not alone this problem Is being reported everywhere http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&q=Windows+7+Laptop+Brightness+Control+Problem&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=Windows+7+Laptop+Brightness+Control+Problem&gs_rfai=&fp=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&cad=b

You can try updating the following:

Update your DELL Graphics Drivers at DELL Support
Update the DELL System BIOS at DELL Support

Install the Latest Dell QuickSet: Win7 32-bit Win7 64-bit

If this solution does not work for you, try the neat Freeware stand-alone brightness control called Desktop Lighter

It runs unnoticed in the system tray, uses only 1.5mb RAM, launches with Windows and uses Ctrl+> and Ctrl+< keys to control the brightness rather than the Fn keys.

Systems Affected:

17.3" DELL systems including the DELL 17, XPS 17, Studio 17, 1700 series, 1731, 1740, 1749 and other models that are fitted with HD resolution 17.3 inch LED screens.