MBA 2011 broken screen - Help!

[Wickintime]

I've just been given a 2011 MBA 13' (A1369). The case is unmarked but it has a badly damaged screen - central impact damage with radial cracks. Inside, it is very clean with no signs of damage. When I boot it, the chime sounds and the screen illuminates in a black/white pattern consistent with the cracked segments. The coloured marks in the image are just optical interference on the photograph. The spinning wheel is there but it makes no further progress. I tried booting it with another screen connected via the thunderbolt port but nothing. I just tried with a High Sierra install USB connected and held down 'Alt" and I could see the very lower part of the opening page - select MacHD or High Sierra installer. Everything else is behind the black dead segment. Does this mean the logic board is probably ok?

A replacement screen assembly here in Australia is around AUD$300 which is not really an economic purchase for a 2011 MBA. I have access to an iMac (2012, Catalina) and another MBA (2015 Catalina).

Any thoughts on where I can go from here?

 

[chscag]

Without replacing the screen, I guess you can always sell it for parts on eBay. Make a few A$ to use for other things as needed.

 

[Isamilis]

If using external monitor is still issues then practically, not much you can do economically. Probably sell for parts is the only option.

 

[SmOgER]

Try reinstalling OS with external display. If all goes well and it loads everything fine then it might be worth to look at 2nd hand LCDs. They seem to be around 100USD on ebay.