Monitor graphics comming inverted Colours (negative)

My first thought was that the graphics card component in the machine had gone wrong, but this would be more likely to go quickly I think, and you can use an external monitor, so the graphics card should be OK.
It therefore looks like either the inverter for the screen or the screen itself has broken down.
Either of these requires fairly specialist repair and my advice would be to find out how much it would cost and consider whether or not it would be more economic to put that money towards a more up-to-date machine, depending how old yours is.
I also found a pdf format manual here:
http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/e420_e520_ug_en.pdf
in which you may find more information to help your decision.
Hope this is helpful, if so would you please register that with Fixya
Cheers

Take off the ribbon connector at the screen and the phone and re-seat the cable. That may do the trick.

hello,

this "colours"appear becuase the graphic card cant display the image is too big to handle,check the spec for the game if your car is ok if yes maybe the graphic card itself has a problem.

Check to see if the problem is the screen Inverter, or the graphics chipset, or the LCD screen.
Use an external monitor as a test.

If the screen of the external monitor shows a scrambled display you have a problem with the graphics chipset.

If the screen of the external monitor does Not show a scrambled display, you have a problem with the screen Inverter, or the LCD screen.

90 PERCENT of the time the fault is the screen Inverter.


External Monitor;
1) You can use a CRT monitor, (Looks like a small TV), as a VGA monitor,
Or
2) You can use a flat LCD screen monitor that has a VGA cable.

A) Laptop OFF, and monitor OFF, attach the VGA cable from the External monitor, to the VGA port on the Toshiba Satellite A205 series Notebook PC.

This is an example of a VGA cable, and it's connector, and a VGA connector on the laptop,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector

B) Turn the monitor on. If it is a CRT style let it 'warm up'.
Turn the laptop on.

C) The display is supposed to automatically show up on the external monitor.
If it does not, press, and hold down on the Fn key, and also press the F5 key.

Still no?
Holding the Fn key down, tap the F5 key again.

Display good on external monitor? Problem lies with the screen Inverter, or the LCD screen.
Either OR.

Primer:
An LCD screen does not produce light. It needs an additional light source.
A Backlight is the additional light source.

A Backlight is a CCFL.
Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp.
Similar to Fluorescent lighting used in homes, and businesses, but on a MUCH smaller scale.

An Inverter (screen Inverter) is used to convert the electricity provided by the laptop, for the LCD screen, and Backlight.

As previously stated, 90 PERCENT of the time the fault is the Inverter.

Laptop open looking at the display assembly, the plastic thin frame in front of the LCD screen, and surrounds the LCD screen, is the Display Bezel. (Resembles a picture frame)

The Display Bezel is removed to access the screen Inverter.
The Inverter is right behind the Display Bezel, and located at the bottom area of the LCD screen.

The Display Assembly has to be removed from the laptop, to remove the Display Bezel.
Toshiba's term for the Display Bezel is Display Mask.

The Toshiba Satellite A205-S5804 Notebook PC is one of the Satellite A205 series of Notebook PC's.
This is a link to a free Service Manual for a the Satellite A205 series of Notebook PC's,

http://www.tim.id.au/blog/tims-laptop-service-manuals/#toc-toshiba

Scroll down to the second Satellite heading. The one that begins with Satellite A10.
Scroll across, and click on A200.

After you click on A200 it may take as long as 30 seconds before the first page comes up.
It may also take additional time for the file to fully download.

At the top of the PDF file is the page number box. It is to the right of the Down Arrow.
Go to Page 146.
4.10 Display Assembly

Page 151 shows how to remove the Display Mask.
4.11 Display Mask

Page 153 deals with the screen Inverter.
4.12 FL Inverter Board

Takes a really sensitive (Read fairly expensive) multimeter to test an Inverter.
Due to the low price, and ease of replacing, the screen Inverter is replaced to test whether the old one is bad.

Example of a screen Inverter (FL Inverter Board) for a Satellite A205-S5804 Notebook PC,

http://www.batterysupport.com/toshiba-satellite-a205-s5804-inverter-p-216526.html

Compare to the price of a replacement LCD screen,

http://www.laptopscreen.com/English/model/Toshiba/SATELLITE~A205-S5804/

To summarize so far;
1) Display shows good on external monitor. Replace screen Inverter. Still the same problem? Replace the LCD screen.

2) Display on external monitor is scrambled also?
Fault lies with the graphics chipset.

Chip and Chipset are slang terms for I.C.
Integrated Circuit,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Circuit

The graphics chipset is a GPU.
Graphics Processing Unit,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPU

The GPU for a Toshiba Satellite A205-S5804 Notebook PC (Part Number PSAF3U-0NR00V), is an Intel (Mobile) GL960 Express,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets#Core_2_mobile_chipsets

It is soldered directly to the motherboard, therefore it is Integrated Graphics.

{Integrated Graphics is also known as OnBoard graphics.
ON the motherBOARD.
The GPU is soldered to the motherboard.

In comparison if the GPU were soldered to a removable adapter card, it would be a graphics card, and Not integrated graphics }

This means if the graphics chipset is found to be bad, motherboard replacement is the solution.

{ Disassembly guide,

http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/toshiba-satellite-a205/laptop-disassembly-1.htm }

For additional questions please post in a Comment.

Regards,
joecoolvette

If you have an older graphics card the signal will still be searching for a monitor. Contact Viewsonic and they will get you a non DDC adapter.

service.us@
viewsonic.com
or
T: (800) 688-6688

Good luck
Joe

Seems to me that the LCD cables are not properly atached.
Double check all the LCD connections.
Your problem will be solved.

if the same issue occurs in the BIOS your soluton is to have your LCD screnn replace or have your LCD inverte cable checked/replaced ^_^ this has nothing to do with the BIOS vodeo card drivers do not function in the BIOS to be able to do such in the BIOS screen

Check the caps in the power supply/inverter bd. and on the logic bd. first.
Most common failures in the LCD monitors are bad capacitors (bulging top/seal or leaking) in the power supply, blown fuses, failed inverter circuits (blown fuse, shorted transistors, shorted/open transformers), bad lamps (poor solder connections or worn out lamps). You will need to open it up and inspect the inside, see example of failed monitors to get some ideas what to look for: http://s807.photobucket.com/home/budm/allalbums
Post back what you see inside so we can guide you further and it will help out other people in the future also.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague
http://www.badcaps.net

Hi,
You have ruled out the graphics chip by plugging an external monitor in, the chips fine.
Now you have to look at the inverter. Sometimes a cable will work itself loose from the inverter, causing the display to go wild and show strange colours where is should be white.
What you have to do is remove the screen bezel (the plastic screen surround) this reveal the screen, look at the bottom of the screen for a thin circuit board with cables coming from it and make sure the cables a plugged in properly.
If you need anymore help or advice please post back.



Good luck.

Hi,

That sounds like your video card has gone back into VGA mode, 16 colours and a screen resolution of 640 x 480.

Go into the display settings and try setting the resolution to something like 1024 x 768 and the colour to 32 bit (16 million colours).

If the adjustment cannot be made, it is likely you have a graphics card driver issue. Find out what graphics card or chip you have and download a new driver from the manufacturers website.

Hope this helps.

Andy