Is There Any Way to Fix This Without Buying New Parts?

HP Pavilion laptops are some of the cheapest and poorly made. That screen is toast and not worth fixing, in my opinion. I recommend buying another laptop.

Rowan said:
HP Pavilion laptops are some of the cheapest and poorly made. That screen is toast and not worth fixing, in my opinion. I recommend buying another laptop.

If you read the additional info OP posted, it’s not a screen issue. This is a bad solder joint on the GPU or LVDS connector. Pavilions are notorious for this problem.

For more context, my laptop doesn’t stay like this permanently. After an hour or two of use, it starts flashing white or different colored horizontal lines. This started happening about 3 months ago and gets worse each time. If the screen hits something hard, it’ll start flashing regularly.

@Freddie
That’s a textbook case of a bad solder joint, likely on the GPU or where the LVDS cable connects to the motherboard. HP laptops are famous for this.

When the laptop heats up, the joint drifts slightly out of position, and as it cools, it partially returns. This will continue until it stops working altogether.

The fix is to reflow the affected component. You can narrow it down with an external monitor. If it only happens on the internal screen, it’s likely along the path between the GPU and LVDS connector. If it also happens on an external screen, or if the laptop crashes at the same time, it’s where the GPU is soldered to the board.

Unless you have a friend with the required tools, it’s probably not worth the cost to repair. If it’s only the LVDS connector, you can use an external monitor in the meantime. Keep the laptop cool to minimize occurrences.

@Zion
Could OP reflow using something like a heat gun? I’ve fixed broken GPUs with that method. But it’s risky and might make it worse.

Lex said:
@Zion
Could OP reflow using something like a heat gun? I’ve fixed broken GPUs with that method. But it’s risky and might make it worse.

It’s hit or miss. Sometimes it works but can also worsen the issue. Using an oven can be a better solution for marginal connections, but not guaranteed. Given the value of that model, I’d recommend looking for a similar ‘for parts’ model to swap the board.

@Zion
If the laptop starts but shuts down after 10 seconds, is it fixable? I have a similar Pavilion, and the shop said the GPU is fried. Can a reflow fix it?

Azriel said:
@Zion
If the laptop starts but shuts down after 10 seconds, is it fixable? I have a similar Pavilion, and the shop said the GPU is fried. Can a reflow fix it?

If it boots and you have video, the GPU likely isn’t fried. The shutdown sounds like thermal protection kicking in. It could be a poorly soldered GPU or something else. Reflowing may help, but it’s uncertain. Check the event log and use a thermal camera to identify hotspots.

No.

No :frowning: the screen is damaged.

Either a cable is disconnected/damaged or your screen is dying. It’s tough to fix if you’re not good with repairs.

I see a four-breasted woman in a bikini.

Hayes said:
I see a four-breasted woman in a bikini.

I had to confirm if you actually saw that xD.

Thanks for the comments, everyone! I decided to buy a used ThinkPad T480. Although this post was about the screen, I’ve had many other problems like a broken trackpad, so I think it’s time to replace it. For those suggesting it’s fixable, I might still try to fix it and keep it as a spare.

@Freddie
Good decision. It’s often better to cut your losses with HP laptops, which are mostly built to fail early. It can be fun to mess around with a secondary machine. Try fixing it on the cheap with no pressure.

No buttons to push to fix this. It’s a hardware issue that requires labor at a minimum.

Rip off the screen and plug in an external display.

Poe said:
Rip off the screen and plug in an external display.

That won’t fix the problem.

You require percussive maintenance.