Is the panel failing on my G9-791 or just a loose connection?

When I turned on my laptop Saturday morning I was greeted by a surprise on the screen: vertical static lines completely covering the display.

It never happened before but is now common whenever I turn on my laptop or wake it up. However, my external monitor is always perfectly fine, allowing me to log in and access other necessary functions. As the laptop warms up, the screen gradually regains its picture. It tends to go through an evolution toward that, changing colors:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/y9/5z90xa2hz8rk.jpg

And then the last phase before regaining the full picture is for those bands toward the left side to begin showing the desktop beneath:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/2z/pacduepigbk4.jpg

After that, I finally have a working laptop screen, albeit one with a bit of a shaky flicker for a few minutes. My laptop is then perfectly fine so long as I don't move it. The static briefly returns if I tilt the screen forward or back, or if I press on it or bend it slightly.

During all of this, moving the mouse cursor around doesn't have any visible effect on the static, though it is fully functional if I am lucky and manage to blindly click on a button. I am running the latest version of Windows 10 Home with all current drivers and the update history doesn't show anything more recent than June 15th. I have not made any hardware changes, done anything differently, or even moved the laptop from its spot on my desk in a long time.

Since I'm able to trigger the static by moving the panel it seems to me like a hardware issue. This version of the Predator G9-791 is the one with an Ultra HD display, which according to laptopmedia.com is model AUO B173ZAN01_0. Has anybody else experienced the same problem? I've already contacted Acer and have a case # and shipping label to send my laptop off to Texas, but I'd rather not be without my primary work computer for a couple weeks, and who knows if the problem would be fixed when it returns. Could the problem be as simple as a loose connection that I can fix myself? I have opened up other laptops and replaced parts in the past. I don't care much about voiding the warranty because it's set to expire anyway in a few days on July 12th. What do people recommend?

Thank you for any help!

Accepted answers

Metal_Masher

To me it sounds like that power supply system (feeding the processing unit in the panel) in the panel is going as I have a LG tv which behave in the same manner if its been left off for period of time and has to warm up as well before the display returns to normal as the panel itself is fine just something related to the system feeding the panel its power or as you say a loose connection so re-plugging the main feed might fix it but not is guaranteed to fix it so my advice is replace the panel in question with same one since you have already mentioned its part number so you should be able source one online.

All comments

brummyfan2

Hi,
It could be the Display adapter driver or the loose cable, you could try reinstalling the original drivers from Acer support site link below, if that doesn't help, remove the screen and inspect the cable and reseat it. As you have mentioned that this happens when the screen moves, I suspect it's the loose cable causing this problem.
https://www.acer.com/ac/en/GB/content/support-product/6371?b=1

Metal_Masher

To me it sounds like that power supply system (feeding the processing unit in the panel) in the panel is going as I have a LG tv which behave in the same manner if its been left off for period of time and has to warm up as well before the display returns to normal as the panel itself is fine just something related to the system feeding the panel its power or as you say a loose connection so re-plugging the main feed might fix it but not is guaranteed to fix it so my advice is replace the panel in question with same one since you have already mentioned its part number so you should be able source one online.

ELand

Thank you brummyfan2 and Metal_Masher!

I tried both rolling back the Intel HD 530 driver and turning it off with no effect. I thought those thick vertical bars toward the left of the screen that appear different from the rest might be a clue to some physical problem, but I don't know what they mean. Is there some sort of connector on that part of the panel, or maybe the power supply or processing unit mentioned by Metal_Masher is located there?

I'll try reseating the screen cables to see if that helps at all. I've found several guides online for accessing and replacing internal components through the underside of the G9-791, but none specifically address the screen. Before I tear into this, can anyone recommend a webpage with info on how the screen is attached in this laptop? I know the basics, like unplugging the power and removing the battery before messing with any wires, but some further guidance would be much appreciated.

brummyfan2

This video is a good guide for reconnecting the cable:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoO9q_svwz0

ELand

brummyfan2 said:

This video is a good guide for reconnecting the cable:

Thank you (and go England in the World Cup)! He uses a plastic pry tool extensively in the video, but I didn't have anything like that and it was a few days before I had time to get one. In the meantime, the problems with my laptop screen persisted and even worsened, with the bottom of the panel around the "PREDATOR" logo becoming very hot, painful to the touch, whenever the computer is on. Does that sound like something that would be caused by an issue with the power supply, as Metal_Masher suggested? Pressing with my hand on this spot also can cause the screen image to partially return, but only as long as I hold down and continue to press.

The video posted by brummyfan2 is for the different Predator Helios 300, and I discovered while following it that opening up the bottom of my G9-791 is quite a bit different, so if anybody else has the same problem as me and is following these posts, make sure to find an appropriate video for accessing the internals of your laptop. The instructions in the video on unplugging and removing the panel were very similar and helpful though. After taking everything apart, accessing the panel connection, reseating it, and putting everything back together, the problem is still the same. So now I'm going to box everything up and ship it across the country to Acer repair. I'll post a follow-up in a few weeks with how that goes.

Metal_Masher

Hey Eland found a guide for the g9-791 laptop https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Acer+Predator+17.3-Inch+Repairability+Assessment/79132

brummyfan2

@ELand
Thanks, good luck with the repair and please let us know the outcome

D0mii

@ELand

Could you fix it? I own a predator g17 with also a 4k Display and i have the exact same problem. Also the bar on the left side is the same. I can also slightly press the logo to get the screen back. The problem just randomly started while i was using the laptop typing something...

ELand

D0mii said:

@ELand

Could you fix it? I own a predator g17 with also a 4k Display and i have the exact same problem. Also the bar on the left side is the same. I can also slightly press the logo to get the screen back. The problem just randomly started while i was using the laptop typing something...

I was lucky to still have a few days left on my warranty, so I shipped it off to Acer repair and they replaced the panel for free. It's worked fine ever since!

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