generally speaking, how difficult is this? Andrea's screen cracked and there's a big black blotch on it now. We bought a new screen, and are waiting for it in the mail. I intend to install it myself if I can, and if not, I'll take it in to Best Buy and pay them to do it.

Any tips on doing it myself? Anyone done this before?

I think it's just a ribbon band and some power cables... but I could be wrong.

Typically you'll have to remove the casing around the keyboard, the keyboard itself, and of course the frame from the LCD (unless the new one comes with the bezel attached). Most laptops you'll have to take the hinge covers off and disconnect the hinges as well.

its fairly simple, and generally you can find the diagram or photo/video instructions for your specific model online.

I would suggest leaning the rear LCD housing up against something when you begin taking the associated screws out of the LCD bezel/mask &/or hinges. There are several laptops out there that are poorly designed & the weight of the LCD panel itself will crack or break something (often the rear LCD housing) or it'll come crashing down & crack/shatter. I would also recommend securing the LCD cable/harness to the LCD panel (at the connector) w/ something adhesive (e.g: a piece of tape) so that it doesn't become loose over time). Also, as obvious as it sounds when I say it, don't forget to test it before you put it all back together so that you don't have to take it back apart again (this happens far more often than one might think). Another issue that you may run in to when dealing w/ 3rd-party vendors (you'll often get a generic part or at least a brand other than the original) is that the LCD inverter cable (the new one that comes attached to your new monitor) could be too short, that the LCD cable/harness socket on the new LCD panel could be reversed or that a pin w/in said socket is bent (there's a ton of incompetent people in this industry).

http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2007/02/03/repair-notebook-lcd-screen/

That tutorial should give you a general idea of what you're doing. There are a few other relevant tutorials on that website as well (if you run in to trouble).

thanks for the link.. Now I'm wondering if the screen I bought will come with the background layers or if I'll have to peel them off the old screen like he did... If it's the latter I'll probably take it in to Best Buy. I don't want to mess something up and I know those things are fragile. But we'll see when I get the screen in a couple days.

did it fall off her back while you were playing wow?

ha no. (haven't done that since the 1 time, it's too distracting)

Actually, we're not sure how it cracked.. I think there might have been something on the palm rest when she closed it.

If you get down to where you're transferring the background layers (assuming you even have to w/ the part you receive, which to be honest is hit or miss) then the difficult part(s) are already over. In other words, that's really the least of your worries. I've seen "trained" technicians electrocute themselves on LCD inverters dozens of times (several of these incidents were at the very same company that you're considering taking your computer to). It's quite a visual experience (sort of like a poor man's Pink Floyd concert). My advise is to do it yourself. You'll be surprised at just how easy it is & it'll encourage you to do more things like this in the future, which will ultimately save you a ****-ton of heart-ache & money.

P.S. If you have an insurance policy through Best Buy (AIG) then you're allowed one replacement as long as you just say that it's "cracked" & don't specify how it happened (depending on your answer they can deny your claim). If you don't have a policy, you're looking at a minimum of $150 for labor that a deaf, dumb & blind kid that plays a mean pinball could perform.

hah you tell me I can electrocute the **** out of myself, then you tell me it's easy and I should do it myself. I'd better consult Admiral Ackbar. :p

But really, I do think I can handle it myself, and it'll be fun to experiment... I guess worst case scenario, I mess up the new lcd screen that we bought and have to buy another, so I'll be out another $100. But I think I can manage it just fine, as you say.

As long as you don't have the laptop connected to a power source while you're playing w/ the LCD inverter cables you'll be just fine. It's shocking (literally) just how many "technicians" out there fail to do this on a regular basis & then illegally charge insurance companies or even customers for said mistakes just to cover their own asses when something goes wrong.

Mission Accomplished!

Was pretty easy... I ran into a couple minor difficulties, but I was able to resolve them all with a little examination and logical thinking. I used a YouTube video to guide me through disassembly.

Also, unfortunately, I could not test the screen with the computer disassembled, because of the design of the laptop.. Nearly the first thing I had to disconnect was the power button, and it was the almost the last thing to be put back in (also had to take out the RAM and the HDD in order to take the thing apart). But luckily, it all worked fine on the first try, so no harm there.