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Question

Bad LCD or bad video card?

Jan 25, 2015 11:40PM PST

I've got a HP Pavilion G7 laptop, that the screen will start to get lines on it, and then get really jumpy, and then eventually will freeze up with whatever was onscreen with all the lines and missing areas. I replaced the thermal material on the integrated GPU and now it works a little longer before it acts up, but when I connect it to an external monitor, the monitor picture is perfect, and the laptop display is still messed up. Is it the LCD or is it the graphics processor? I want to know before I get a new LCD and find it still doesn't work. Thanks

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Before you change either.
Jan 25, 2015 11:54PM PST

Time to go deep and clean the internals of the laptop. Be sure to test if that helps. If not I replace the heatsink compound, cleaning as I go. Lots of youtubes on this common work.
Bob

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Already did
Jan 25, 2015 11:56PM PST

I already tried both of those things, but thanks

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Then most likely a new motherboard is needed.
Jan 26, 2015 2:13AM PST

Some won't do that and keep using an external display. Keep in mind I'm using my experience and all the HP G7 posts you find on google.
Bob

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Answer
Basic HP operation
Jan 26, 2015 1:02AM PST

I have become leery of HP laptops. Video is a real PITA is seems at times. Since, you have good display on the xt. monitor then that suggests the video is OK. The laptop LCD may have some loose connection or the it has become wonky over time due to whatever reason. That sometimes is the best answer I can give when doing the typical fixes never seems enough. As stated to you clean the dickens out of it and also be sure you don't put TOO MUCH compound on the GPU, just a dab does it. If you have access to a laptop cooler pad, see if that helps. I also suggest, visit the HP support website and check the customer form and see if numerous issues arise with the G7. That alone can be a very good clue of the overall history of a problem laptop.

tada ------Willy Happy

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Answer
It could be the
Jan 26, 2015 3:12AM PST

cable from the graphics card to the screen. I had the same issue and it was a LCD cable that was bad. If it works on an external screen it's most likely not the graphics card.