How can I troubleshoot my 713 3w 5102 How can I troubleshoot without having to buy each part or all

Giantmetalrabbit

My Chromebook is slightly over 2 years old and I've never had any issues. I take good care of it, so I was surprised when I had the Chromebook open as I wasworking, using my companies PC. It went to sleep and I just tap the space bar and...nothing. After troubleshooting (yes, I did that...yes, I did that...) turns out everything works fine, including the camera, except for the display. External monitors work fine and I noticed, it seems as though the chromebook isn't sensing the top case movements. I put into tablet and ext. monitor still shows normal desktop. So...is it the LCD itself, the g-sensor cable, or the g-sensor board. How can I troubleshoot without having to buy each part or all three? Any assistance is appreciated!!

[Edited the thread to add issue detail]

billsey

So likely one of the CP713-3W models, which specific SKU (those last four digits -xxxx) only really tells which options are installed. There are really just a couple of possibilities. Since the external screen works we know the video circuits are doing their thing, and that is all part of the Tiger Lake chipset. That leaves the eDP cable running between the motherboard and display and the display itself. Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do to diagnose which it is, the service guide just says 'replace' to test. :( Most likely the issue is the cable:

though it's possible there's some corrosion built up on the connector itself. Having the camera and mic working only tells you that those wires within the cable are still good, it doesn't tell you anything about the video signals. If it's just the cable the issue is likely worth fixing, if the display itself has gone bad then it's likely not.

a_happy_laptop_user

It's unfortunate that you're experiencing display issues with your Chromebook. Based on your description, it does sound like there might be an issue with the connection between the display and the Chromebook internals. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Power Cycle:
   • Ensure that you've powered off and restarted your Chromebook. Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve display issues.
2. Check Display Settings:
   • Go to Settings > Display and check if the internal display is recognized. You can try adjusting the display settings to see if it makes any difference.
3. Check Display Brightness:
   • Increase the brightness of the display to ensure that it's not a simple issue of the screen being too dim.
4. Inspect for Physical Damage:
   • Examine the Chromebook for any signs of physical damage, especially around the hinge area. A loose or damaged cable could be the cause.
5. Connect to External Monitor:
   • Since you mentioned external monitors are working fine, connect your Chromebook to an external monitor. If the external monitor displays properly, it might indicate an issue with the internal display components.
6. Check Tablet Mode:
   • As you mentioned putting it into tablet mode, check if the internal display activates when the Chromebook is in tablet mode. This can help identify if the issue is related to the hinge or sensor.
7. Inspect Hinge Area:
   • Look for any loose cables or visible damage around the hinge area. If possible, try gently moving the screen to see if there's any change in the display.
8. Factory Reset:
   • Perform a factory reset on your Chromebook. This will wipe all local data, so ensure you have backups. If the issue is software-related, this may resolve it.
9. Check for Software Updates:
   • Ensure your Chrome OS is up to date. Sometimes, software bugs can cause display issues, and updates may include fixes.
10. Contact Support:
    • If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it's advisable to contact the manufacturer's support or take it to an authorized service center. They can provide more in-depth diagnostics and help you identify the specific problem.

By following these steps, you should be able to narrow down the potential causes of the issue. If it turns out to be a hardware problem, professional assistance may be required to identify and replace the faulty components.

Giantmetalrabbit

Thank you for responding! Yeah, I have already done all of those except for taking it to get a repair. It just was sitting open and went into sleep and then the display just was black when I tried to wake it. Very odd that there were no display issues at all-no signs of it going bad. I checked the connectors and reseated them, just in case.

Are there any schematics available, so I can check for power to the display and a few other things? I'd rather not pay a tech to repair it if I can troubleshoot it. It's been a few years since I've done any bench work on digital circuits but...

Anyway, I really appreciate any further assistance and thanks again for responding!

billsey

No schematics that Acer has published, even in the service guides. You don't give us the actual model number, so I can't tell which of many different 713 models you have. Your full model number is usually on the same sticker as your serial number, it should look something like xx713-3W-xxxx. Does it have a touchscreen? Does an external monitor work? Typically on the Chromebook Spin series the G sensors don't affect the screen, other than rotation, only the keyboard to turn it off in tablet or tent mode. With the base model 713 Chromebooks they don't open all the way like the Spin models do, so a lot of that circuitry just isn't there.

Giantmetalrabbit

Hi Billsey!

My 713 Spin is a 3W 5102, with the touchscreen. What you stated about the G sensor affecting keyboatd and screen rotation makes sense.

External monitor works perfectly and not sure if this means anything but the internal display does not show in devices. Unsure if that is normal when connected to external display. The external display shows the regular desktop when in tablet configuration, not the tablet screen.

I found no pinched cables from the board to display, the internal web cam works.

I appreciate your response and if you have any ideas regarding more troubleshooting or what the issue is, well, you are way more knowledgeable with these than I am, so THANK YOU!

billsey

So likely one of the CP713-3W models, which specific SKU (those last four digits -xxxx) only really tells which options are installed. There are really just a couple of possibilities. Since the external screen works we know the video circuits are doing their thing, and that is all part of the Tiger Lake chipset. That leaves the eDP cable running between the motherboard and display and the display itself. Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do to diagnose which it is, the service guide just says 'replace' to test. :( Most likely the issue is the cable:

though it's possible there's some corrosion built up on the connector itself. Having the camera and mic working only tells you that those wires within the cable are still good, it doesn't tell you anything about the video signals. If it's just the cable the issue is likely worth fixing, if the display itself has gone bad then it's likely not.

Giantmetalrabbit

Once again, thank you Billsey!! You are a true asset to this community!

I will try a new cable and post the result.