i dropped my dell inspiron 1525 and it starts up fine with the start up music etc, but i can only see the top inch of the screen and the rest looks like a barcode but in different colours?? there isnt any breakages to the actual screen as there arent any cracks or "ink" like splits across it, and from the top inch i can see that the laptop is starting up fine and appears to be working, i just cant see anything !! what could be the problem ??

gracedell, November 2008

three options

lcd screen defective
cable damage or bad connection
videoboard defective

the easy test to isolate to solution

check this through attaching an external display
if the external display shows up fine, the videoboard is okay
be ware of display resoltion settings, witch could mislead your results

that leaves us to lcd defect, or bad cable, cable connection
if you are a handy, dismantel the machine
check the videocable, it might be damaged in the hinge
or have come loose at connectors through the fall

at last, replace the lcd screen
get a second hand one from ebay

Jeroen van Putten, November 2008