13" MacBook Pro - White Screen, External Monitor OK

[rowswell]

Last year I replaced the LCD on my son's 13" Macbook Pro after it cracked when closed on something. All was OK until a few weeks ago it developed a vertical line @ 1" wide in centre screen which could be eliminated by adjusting the angle of the lid. Over the past week several additional lines appeared and adjusting the lid no longer made any difference. The external monitor works OK.

Thinking it was either a bad LVDS cable or connection to the LCD, y'day I opened it up and found that the LVDS connection at both ends looked good with the retaining clips in position. However, when pressing on the connector at the LCD end with the machine booted, it was possible to clear all but one of the vertical lines so I decided to disconnect and reconnect the LVDS cable. However on rebooting after doing this the LCD only came up as a solid white screen. The display is still recognized in the preferences and the screen can be dimmed via the keyboard - just no video. An external monitor works OK.

I'm thinking something has either shorted in the connector or cable, damaging the LCD, or the LVDS cable has gone bad. Before I order parts on spec, I'm concerned that a short may mean the fault may be on the main board and replacing the cable and LCD would be a waste of $$ - but I don't know how I can test this.

My question then is if there is any advice / suggestion on how I can verify if the fault is on the mac or in the cable / LCD before I spend what may be bad money trying to fix the problem.

Advice / suggestion appreciated.

 

[nickandre21]

I had a similar issue, had given my 13" late 2011 for a logic board change i got it home used it and in the morning when i powered up just a white screen, display is detectable in AST external monitor works fine.
Took it back to the service center turns out a fuse or something near the display connector burnt of on the new logic board. Got a new mid 2012 as a replacement from apple

You might want to check the fuses and etc components around that area, ideally you should never try and fidget with the connector when a battery is connected(thats what i have read in the technicians guide) its pretty sensitive.

 

[Astroboy907]

Last year I replaced the LCD on my son's 13" Macbook Pro after it cracked when closed on something. All was OK until a few weeks ago it developed a vertical line @ 1" wide in centre screen which could be eliminated by adjusting the angle of the lid. Over the past week several additional lines appeared and adjusting the lid no longer made any difference. The external monitor works OK.

Thinking it was either a bad LVDS cable or connection to the LCD, y'day I opened it up and found that the LVDS connection at both ends looked good with the retaining clips in position. However, when pressing on the connector at the LCD end with the machine booted, it was possible to clear all but one of the vertical lines so I decided to disconnect and reconnect the LVDS cable. However on rebooting after doing this the LCD only came up as a solid white screen. The display is still recognized in the preferences and the screen can be dimmed via the keyboard - just no video. An external monitor works OK.

I'm thinking something has either shorted in the connector or cable, damaging the LCD, or the LVDS cable has gone bad. Before I order parts on spec, I'm concerned that a short may mean the fault may be on the main board and replacing the cable and LCD would be a waste of $$ - but I don't know how I can test this.

My question then is if there is any advice / suggestion on how I can verify if the fault is on the mac or in the cable / LCD before I spend what may be bad money trying to fix the problem.

Advice / suggestion appreciated.

Idk how to test but it sounds like the cable to me. If pressing it/wiggling the cable still take line or white off I'd say it needs replaced...
Edit: wiggling the cable when power is connected might be bad... Take care. Maybe wiggle it when it's off and then restart.

 

[rowswell]

Thx for the responses.

Searched around y'day for more info. On spec, and without much hope of success, reset the SMC and PRAM - as expected no change.

I found there is a fuse associated with the LCD on the logic board, not far from the LVDS connector. I couldn't determine what functions it controls, but expect it is power related and as I have power to the LCD am not sure how likely it is that it is bad. Regardless, it is a micro fuse and beyond my ability to change & I never tried to test it for continuity.

I'm relatively sure the fault lies in either the cable or LCD as the cable, at the flex point where it passes into the connector has clearly been compressed in the open / close cycle with the external sheath starting to open up and also looks to have been pulling on the connector, so I'd give over 50% odds the problem is not on the main board.

However, an LCD and cable replacement on spec is well north of $100 and given that University life has been hard on it (read it has lots of bumps, dents and scratches), I'm thinking I may take the simple route and turn it into a desktop machine and get a replacement on the education program..........