VOGONS


Orange spider web on the screen , Help :(

Topic actions

First post, by Angus MacGyver

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Hello everyone,

I need help 🙁

Yesterday I bought a Retro Eurocom 486 66 Mhz laptop

Unfortunately I am very sad 🙁

It was well protected during shipment, but the screen was covered with an orange spiderweb

The matrix is not cracked.

I don't know what caused it, whether it was humidity or low temperature.

The pressure causes it to move slightly
Is there any way to save her 🙁

Purchasing a similar matrix is bordering on a miracle

Heating it with a hotair brightens the matrix, so it is harmful

I would like to ask for reliable help.

Thank you 🙁

MacGyver

Reply 1 of 32, by megatron-uk

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

It almost looks like fungus spreading between the cells. That or the cells leaking in some very strange way.

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 2 of 32, by Angus MacGyver

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Before the purchase it was like this

Reply 3 of 32, by elszgensa

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

This looks somewhat similar (but worse) and also mentions fungus/mold and liquid damage. As for how to fix it... I think the damage is already done, but I would probably try a warm, dry place (something like a food dehydrator? set to something like the CPU's operating temperature) to dry out whatever's in there and at least stop it from spreading any further.

In the very first photo, is the screen on or off? Because if it looks like this even without a backlight then god damn!

Reply 4 of 32, by Angus MacGyver

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
elszgensa wrote on 2024-02-27, 21:14:

This looks somewhat similar (but worse) and also mentions fungus/mold and liquid damage. As for how to fix it... I think the damage is already done, but I would probably try a warm, dry place (something like a food dehydrator? set to something like the CPU's operating temperature) to dry out whatever's in there and at least stop it from spreading any further.

In the very first photo, is the screen on or off? Because if it looks like this even without a backlight then god damn!

Turned off in this photo 🙁

Reply 5 of 32, by Big Pink

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

It reminds me of Vinegar Syndrome, and indeed the page is illustrated with an image of a laptop with a heavily degraded screen. In your first photo in the bottom right corner, are those bubbles or just marks on the screen?

I thought IBM was born with the world

Reply 6 of 32, by elszgensa

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

I wanted to see the early stages of VS but turns out it's surprisingly hard to find other images of it at all. Here's some of photo, not LCD, material at least. (edit: here's something that looks somewhat similar, but I'd still call that look "tension lines" rather than "fungus".) I don't think this is it exactly - OP's intricate patterns just don't look a lot like VS's blobs - but you may be on to something wrt something eating away at the polarizer. Which appears to be fixable, but it certainly wouldn't be the first thing I tried doing.

Reply 7 of 32, by Shagittarius

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Looks like people are calling this LCD rot...I haven't seen any explanation as to what causes it but do some image searches on that and you can see similar issues. My guess is the guy didn't send you the unit that he pictured, I doubt this was from shipping damage.

The attachment LCD_rot.jpg is no longer available

Reply 8 of 32, by Aui

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

If it is indeed Vinegar Syndrome, not al is lost, although the repair is challanging. The repair needs the replacement of the lcd polarizer which can be done. The key challanges are:
- Disassambly of the screen without breaking anything
- removing the (glued on) polarizer without force or damaging the actual screen
- adding a new polarizer, if possible in a zero dust environment, and without any bubbles
- putting everything back together.

Best to practice first with an old gameboy

Reply 9 of 32, by rasz_pl

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

This is what it takes to fix it in a modern display:
TEF #157 | JVC DT-X92HX2 - Two 8.9" Displays With Brown Stains - That Electronics Fool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05n8pB0GyJo
I also agree its very unlikely this just showed up in transit.

AT&T Globalyst/FIC 486-GAC-2 Cache Module reproduction
Zenith Data Systems (ZDS) ZBIOS 'MFM-300 Monitor' reverse engineering

Reply 10 of 32, by Dominus

User metadata
Rank DOSBox Moderator
Rank
DOSBox Moderator

I'd compare the unit you have to the unit in the pictures before purchase. Look out for scratches or so that one has but the other doesn't.

For example these scratches in the *previous* pictures I circled. If these are also at the same spot as on the actual device, you know at least that it is likely to be the same one.

Windows 3.1x guide for DOSBox
60 seconds guide to DOSBox
DOSBox SVN snapshot for macOS (10.4-11.x ppc/intel 32/64bit) notarized for gatekeeper

Reply 11 of 32, by Angus MacGyver

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Hello, I will let you know when I find time, I think for the weekend

Reply 12 of 32, by Angus MacGyver

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Hello everyone, not happy 🙁

Unfortunately, I have to look for such a matrix.

I am sad
Thank you for help.

Reply 13 of 32, by Angus MacGyver

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Photo glass matrix

Reply 14 of 32, by Angus MacGyver

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

🙁

Reply 15 of 32, by Nemo1985

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Other than try to find a solution to fix the issue, you should follow the Dominus suggestion.

Reply 16 of 32, by rasz_pl

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Its already bad so no harm opening up the display module and looking between the layers. 2 screws and 8 metal tabs to unbend and you are in. Be gentle to not rip off very delicate flex bonded to the glass, and try to do it in a cleanest room in the house, away from pet hair 😀

AT&T Globalyst/FIC 486-GAC-2 Cache Module reproduction
Zenith Data Systems (ZDS) ZBIOS 'MFM-300 Monitor' reverse engineering

Reply 17 of 32, by Aui

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

I just share a repair attempt that went 85% ok. This is a early Vaio sub-notebook which had serious vinegar disease. I managed to install new polarizers, but you can see 2 spots on the screen where some tiny dust flakes remained causing small bubbles on the display - but otherwise it worked ok. If you are really thinking about repairing - the gameboy suggestion is actually a really good idea. Vinegar disease Gameboys are aound in vast numbers and you learn all the critical steps on a very cheap screen.

Reply 18 of 32, by kingcake

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Looks like when Fungus grows inside old camera lenses.

Reply 19 of 32, by Angus MacGyver

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

There is no foil there