Display problem (not the usual)

Have display problem where on powering up the screen and backlight come on but backlight powers off after 5 seconds. Backlight isn't dead since i can see briefly it works and can tell rest of laptop is fine since can hook up to crt but this renders it useless as a laptop.

Thinking from what I've read that its some power issue, maybe Power management unit dodgy (though reseting the pmu did not solve it) or more likely display inverter broken. it could i suppose by cable problem except sypmtons stay same regardless of angle opened up at and so am pretty sure its not the common flickering cable snatched in hinge thing.

Problem is its difficult to tell which is wrong or how to fix - probably very expensive to get technician to repair so was hoping it could be done at home if i could work out what it is and get the part. So if anyone knows what problem these symptons match up to or where i could get a display inverter in the uk, then please let me know.

Ok, really dumb question coming up, you've been warned!

Have you set the display brightness down all the way?
I mean, have you tried pressing the F2 key to turn the brightness up again?

Aptmunich said:

Ok, really dumb question coming up, you've been warned!

Have you set the display brightness down all the way?
I mean, have you tried pressing the F2 key to turn the brightness up again?

Click to expand...

That makes no difference since the backlight goes off after 5 seconds, after that you cant see anything no matter what you press!
But I know the laptop works being connecting it up to network and remte login gets the picture and can be used.

Another note is that we've tested the display cable and voltage seems ok, so I am reluctant to try replacing that.
Does anyone have a good idea what might b wrong?

This is a long shot, but perhaps something in OS X's Energy Saver or a display driver has become corrupted. You could try a format and re-installation of OS X to see if that solves the problem before you attempt to replace any parts.

Hi.
Thanks for the advice.

Its my boyfriends laptop and he's got so sick of it he's ordered a nice new ibook and is selling the old one off for parts.
But I will suggest he tries reinstalling os x again just incase, since he could obviously get more for a working laptop rather than just parts of it.

Well he says he's botted off mac os x cd and into his gentoo linux install on the ibook and all have same problem, so its definetely hardware.

Can't you take it to some repair place?
Even if they charge you 20$ to check it and then tell you that it'd cost too much to repair, you will still get more on eBay for a broken laptop with a possible cure than a broken laptop with unknown faults...

Aptmunich said:

Can't you take it to some repair place?
Even if they charge you 20$ to check it and then tell you that it'd cost too much to repair, you will still get more on eBay for a broken laptop with a possible cure than a broken laptop with unknown faults...

Click to expand...

Well they'd want 10 pounds but we pretty much already know its the display inverter since its not the backlight and wiring good (data is getting through and voltage checks out) so its really only that or maybe logic board or display cable.

Obviously it would be better to do that but my boyfriend just doesn't want to spend the money or have to go to the place, as we are students and the place to take it to is all way across town, difficult to reach.