Recently the LCD screen on my Gateway Solo 5150 Laptop went black. I took it to a repair shop where they replaced the inverter board that supplies power to the LCD lamp. The unit worked very well for a couple of days and the problem re-appeared.

I took it back to the repair shop. They ordered a second inverter, and low and behold, that inverter also failed in about the same amount of time. It may be important to point out that both of the replacement inverters were used.

I am considering buying a new inverter, but I am concerned that I may have an additional problem(s) that could be contributing to the failure of the inverter. I don't want to buy a new board and have it go out as well.

Has anyone had this kind of a problem with the LCD display? Could something be causing the inverter to fail. Could the LCD display be contributing to the problem? Should I try another inverter or what approach should I take.

Thanks. Any help will be appreciated

Does the laptop display to an external monitor? If so, the video chip is not the problem. When the screen turns black can you still see a faint image of the desktop if you tilt the screen at different angles? If so, check the lid close switch. That turns off the backlight when the lid is closed and if it is faulty, the backlight may turn off while the system is operating. Try pressing and releasing the switch a couple of times to see if the LCD comes back on. If that is the cause, I would suggest returning the laptop and having them replace the switch at no charge. That should have been one of the first things they checked.

Thanks Buggz.

The Laptop does display through an external monitor and I also believe that a faint image of the desktop can be seen.

The unit is not in my possession right now, so I will check the switch as soon as I get it back.

Again Thank you very much.