Warning: a drop of isopropyl alcohol fixed a flickering laptop screen in Phoenix

The backlight connector on a Dell Latitude was just oxidized, not broken. Has anyone else found a weirdly simple fix for a problem that looked expensive?

3 comments

3 Comments

lee.diana2mo ago

That oxidation trick works on old game cartridges too. Had a Nintendo 64 that wouldn't start, a quick clean with some alcohol on the connector pins and it was good as new. Always worth trying the free fix first before assuming the worst.

wells.brooke2mo ago

Huh, I've actually had that make things worse sometimes.

james5332mo ago

Remember when we used to blow on game cartridges? Turns out my breath was probably doing more harm than good with all the moisture. I spent a small fortune on a "broken" VCR in the 90s that just had a jammed tape. A butter knife and some gentle wiggling fixed it. Makes you feel smart and silly at the same time.