Repair Gateway LP2207 Part 1

So I see a local Craigslist posting for a "Repairable Gateway LP2207"  
Supposedly the backlight was out.  Well I worked on a similar flat panel which turned out to have blown caps on the power/inverter board.  


Here it is:

Now remove the base (two screws) 

Remove the 4 screws for the vesa mount (around the Gateway logo on the back see photo above)  Remove the three screws along the bottom (in the picture above there are 2 screw holes on either side of the base -- these are for some kind of sound bar, so don't be surprised to find no screws there)  


Now I have to admit my own mistake.  I didn't see the middle screw which made the whole process all that much harder.  

screw post broken off -- screw not removed

Now comes the aggravating part, removing the front bezel from the back.  There are a bunch of snaps between the two pieces of plastic.  Start prying from the sides (not too hard) 

Actually this is later but pry up and hear the snap

Then pry along the bottom (hard part)  Even harder if you forget that middle screw. 

When you get the sides and bottom free pull out the bottom of the bezel at the same time prying the snaps at the top.  


Be very careful there is a small ribbon cable to the right from the front.  It runs from the control board attached to the back to the bezel. 

Ribbon cable in center of the picture

 

When the front bezel is free flip it over taking care to not pull on the ribbon cable.  

Right is panel left part of bezel with ribbon

Above is a closeup of the bezel propped up on a roll of tape next to the panel back.  The ribbon is slid into a connector on that little circuit board and is locked in place with a brown tab.  Flip the tab up (like a trunk lid) to release the cable.  Put you fingernail under the tab from the cable side and gently lift. 

(Ribbon cables are generally locked in with either a flip up tab or a slide out tab.  You look very closely or try each way without forcing too much.  Note the slide out kind only moves a small amount -- like a mm or so.) 


Now that the bezel is free from the back, remove the 4 screws securing the panel to the back plastic. 

Pull out the panel and flip it over panel side down.  The problem board is back there. 

Control board and power board are under the shield

In the center under the metal shield is a speaker (this lcd talks to you?)  To the right is the thin ribbon cable we disconnected from the bezel earlier.  On the left, that bundle of wires is the lcd signal cable.  The controller is under the shield on the left and the power/inverter board underneath on the right. 
Unscrew the speaker and let it flop there. 
Disconnect the lcd signal cable from where it connects at the shield. 

Lcd signal cable

Squeeze the tabs on the sides and pull it out.  (It was tight for me and I had to pry with a very small flat screwdriver) 
Remove the 3 screws on the usb hub (2 on a shield and one on the board)  Disconnect the cable. 

Screws and shield already removed

Remove the 8 screws securing the shield (and boards) to the lcd. Flip it over mindful of the backlight cables. 

Disconnect the backlight cables from the side. 

Peel back the foil and pull the 4 backlight cables

Here we go: the boards

Control board left, power board right

Remove the screws on the power board.  Don't forget the 2 screws attaching the power plug to the shield. 

Now we flip that board over.  And here is a problem: 

Bulging capacitor. 1000uF 25V  


Ok That's it for Part 1.  In Part 2 I replace the faulty cap and see if it works.