[Solved] No backlight in Dell Studio XPS 13 (Nvidia)

tapia · 2013-07-20 06:31:11

Hi,
I hope someone can help me with this. Yesterday my screen started to go black. It happens when the screen turns off to save power, and when I move the mouse it turns on for less than a second and then I can't see anything. So I have to write my password without seeing much. Only if I put a lamp very close to the screen I can read.
I have tried "acpi_osi=Linux" and "acpi_backlight=vendor" but it doesn't work always... really strange. At first I thought it was fixed (after I used the acpi options ) but then it begun again. And now nothing seems to help. This is really annoying, I have to connect my laptop to an external screen to use it.
I'm using the "kernel-ck" and the proprietary nvidia drivers.
When it turns off, it stays always off. Even when I reboot. The whole time stays off until It works again.

I don't think it is a hardware problem, since it works sometimes and I see the screen flashing when I turn the computer on and also when I unlock the computer (I use gnome-shell). Does anybody has an idea of what I could do?

Thanks

Last edited by tapia (2013-07-20 16:58:05)

Aestus · 2013-07-20 07:00:46

Does this problem ONLY occur after Arch begins loading? I.e., is it also happening with the BIOS screen, or boot menu? It sounds like a hardware problem... screens are really fairly simple, driver wise. Can you try booting with a different distro, for example with a Ubuntu install cd, and see if the problem persists? As to its working sometimes and not others, hardware sometimes takes awhile to give out... once saw a TV slowly turn bright orange over a few hours from a blow to the screen.

ifixit.com wrote:

"Backlight problem with Dell Studio 1536 Screen flickers on and off when the battery in ues and some times with the power cord in"
"I had a similar problem with my Studio 1535 and I lived with it for about 2 years as I couldn't find any solution. Installing Windows 7 on it reduced the frequency of the problem but eventually it did get worse and my screen just turned off. Dell replaced my screen when this happened and I haven't had any problem since. I think it was caused by some loose contact."
"I have a sort of similar problem...coming out of sleep or hiberante when I lift the screen it is very dark, I can just make out some data but barely, I need to move the screen panel back and forth to get the backlight to turn on. It must be a switch or connection in the screen mechanism. Does anybody have any experice going in and fidling with the connection mechanisms."

Similar?

Last edited by Aestus (2013-07-20 07:18:40)

tapia · 2013-07-20 16:41:38

Hi Aestus,
thanks for your reply. Yes, this is also happening in the BIOS. I've tried with the ubuntu live disc, but the problem persists. Maybe it is a hardware problem. I bought this computer back in 2009, so it is possible. If it is a loose contact, maybe I can fix it by myself.

Aestus · 2013-07-20 16:45:46

Yeah. Dells tend to be easy to take apart, nice and logical. Mark as solved?

tapia · 2013-07-20 16:53:06

Now it's working again... :S

tapia · 2013-07-20 16:56:30

Is the same as is happenning to this person: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index … 331AAO0axQ
He is using Windows, so it must be a hardware problem. I'll mark this as solved.
Thanks

Arch Linux

#1 2013-07-20 06:31:11

[Solved] No backlight in Dell Studio XPS 13 (Nvidia)

#2 2013-07-20 07:00:46

Re: [Solved] No backlight in Dell Studio XPS 13 (Nvidia)

#3 2013-07-20 16:41:38

Re: [Solved] No backlight in Dell Studio XPS 13 (Nvidia)

#4 2013-07-20 16:45:46

Re: [Solved] No backlight in Dell Studio XPS 13 (Nvidia)

#5 2013-07-20 16:53:06

Re: [Solved] No backlight in Dell Studio XPS 13 (Nvidia)

#6 2013-07-20 16:56:30

Re: [Solved] No backlight in Dell Studio XPS 13 (Nvidia)

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