Display broken??

lerxcnm

So my laptop is out of warranty, and sending it in rn is kinda not plausible.. So basically:
*I have an acer switch 3*

My laptop one day just stopped displaying stuff. I turned it on, and like normal the indicator light turned blue.. and the backlight on the display turned on but thats all. so it seems like everything is working except for the display. because when i use the keyboard shortcut for sleep (Fn + F4) the backlight turns off and indicator as well.. but when i turn it back on.. the display is backlit but theres literally just nothing on the screen. ive tried a bunch of different resets and everything... some help would be awesome.. thanks in advance

JackE

Try to HDMI out to a TV screen. If you get the same blank screen, then it's likely a graphics chip failure. If you get a normal screen, then it's likely your video ribbon cable has developed conductor trace breaks in the hinge area from wear and tear of open/closing the lid too much. Video cables are fairly inexpensive. Google 'your for switch 3 model number' and 'lcd cable' for vendors convenient to you. Jack E/NJ

lerxcnm

JackE said:

Try to HDMI out to a TV screen. If you get the same blank screen, then it's likely a graphics chip failure. If you get a normal screen, then it's likely your video ribbon cable has developed conductor trace breaks in the hinge area from wear and tear of open/closing the lid too much. Video cables are fairly inexpensive. Google 'your for switch 3 model number' and 'lcd cable' for vendors convenient to you. Jack E/NJ

The switch 3 doesnt have video out.

JackE

Some SW3's do through the USBC port's displayport video out . What is your full model number SW31x-xx?? SW3-01x??  Jack E/NJ

lerxcnm

JackE said:

Some SW3's do through the USBC port's displayport video out . What is your full model number SW31x-xx?? SW3-01x??  Jack E/NJ

on the back it says my model number is n17h1

JackE

OK. You have the SW312-31. The USBC port supports displayport output. Does your TV have a displayport input? If not, you need an inexpensive USBC-to-HDMI cable such as this one from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/WARRKY-Gold-Plated-Braided-Thunderbolt-Compatible/dp/B087213LB3/ref=sr_1_18_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=usb+c+to+hdmi+cable+pc&qid=1593123877&refinements=p_76:2661625011&rnid=2661623011&rps=1&sr=8-18-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExU1NUTDFVSlkyUTVCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjUxMjUyMUJWV0pSN1dJUEo5JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxODY4NDlaNzVPOFVBUUhZREsmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9idGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

But before you order it, turn the machine completely off. Attach the keyboard. Press and hold the F2 key. While still holding the F2 key, turn the machine on. What happens to the screen now?

Jack E/NJ

lerxcnm

JackE said:

OK. You have the SW312-31. The USBC port supports displayport output. Does your TV have a displayport input? If not, you need an inexpensive USBC-to-HDMI cable such as this one from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/WARRKY-Gold-Plated-Braided-Thunderbolt-Compatible/dp/B087213LB3/ref=sr_1_18_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=usb+c+to+hdmi+cable+pc&qid=1593123877&refinements=p_76:2661625011&rnid=2661623011&rps=1&sr=8-18-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExU1NUTDFVSlkyUTVCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjUxMjUyMUJWV0pSN1dJUEo5JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxODY4NDlaNzVPOFVBUUhZREsmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9idGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

But before you order it, turn the machine completely off. Attach the keyboard. Press and hold the F2 key. While still holding the F2 key, turn the machine on. What happens to the screen now?

Jack E/NJ

this time i held f2 and turned it on.. but its stays completely balck when its turned on, for the duration that im holding f2 down (even the backlight doesnt go on) then around 30 seconds after i let go of f2 the backlight turns on again

JackE

Try it again but only hold the F2 key for about 5 seconds after turning on. Jack E/NJ

lerxcnm

JackE said:

Try it again but only hold the F2 key for about 5 seconds after turning on. Jack E/NJ

the backlight just didnt turn on at all, and nothing was diplayed

JackE

Do you see a battery reset pinhole on either the screenback or any of the edges of the tablet itself? Jack E/NJ 

lerxcnm

JackE said:

Do you see a battery reset pinhole on either the screenback or any of the edges of the tablet itself? Jack E/NJ 

no. is this model supposed to have one?

JackE

Some do. Some don't. If it doesn't, then the next step is to see if you have a graphics chip failure or a screen connection failure, the former being most serious since it means the mainboard has failed. I have since found that this machine only supports displayport output through the USBC port. So the external TV or monitor to test the graphics chip must have displayport input. It cannot be converted to HDMI output without an expensive displayport-to-HDMI converter. So disregard the cable I suggested earlier. You need a USBC-to-displayport cable like the one shown on this Amazon link

https://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-uni-Thunderbolt-Compatible-More-Gray/dp/B075V27G2R

But then the TV set must also have the DisplayPort input jack.

Jack E/NJ

lerxcnm

JackE said:

Some do. Some don't. If it doesn't, then the next step is to see if you have a graphics chip failure or a screen connection failure, the former being most serious since it means the mainboard has failed. I have since found that this machine only supports displayport output through the USBC port. So the external TV or monitor to test the graphics chip must have displayport input. It cannot be converted to HDMI output without an expensive displayport-to-HDMI converter. So disregard the cable I suggested earlier. You need a USBC-to-displayport cable like the one shown on this Amazon link

https://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-uni-Thunderbolt-Compatible-More-Gray/dp/B075V27G2R

But then the TV set must also have the DisplayPort input jack.

Jack E/NJ

alright what would i do for both of those? in terms of trying to repair

JackE

If it was mine, I'd first have to check out the graphics adapter with an external displayport monitor or TV. If I didn't have access to a monitor like this, I'd then take it to a local laptop repair shop that did. If the TV screen behaves the same as the tablet screen, then a repair probably wouldn't be practical. If the TV screen was OK, then I'd ask the local shop for  repair estimate and decide if I'd let them or myself do it. Lethbridge seems to have some shops with decent reviews like Lethbridge Laptop Repair who can probably do the test even though they seem to be MAC specialists. Not too much difference in the hardware between MACs and PCs these days. They're open till 6p (403)892-0742 https://www.yellowpages.ca/bus/Alberta/Lethbridge-Laptop-Computer-Repair/7825472.html?what=Computer+Repair+&+Cleaning&where=Raymond+AB&useContext=true

Jack E/NJ