Question Laptop backlights stay lit when laptop is completely powered off (regardless of OS or method of shutting down)

[TrentM]

My laptop screen never fully powers off (at least the backlights do not). When I shut down the screen goes blank but the back lights remain lit.

I tried shutting down on Windows 8, Linux, etc. This is a year old problem but just started happening one day -- no notable changes to the hardware or software. No recent updates etc.

The only way to get the backlights to turn off is to pull the power cable. I have been doing it this way for over a year. It did not matter if the battery was present or charged. I tried powering down, removing the battery and power cable, and then plugging the power cable back in (without the battery present) and the back lights turn back on immediately (even before booting). Only when the power cable is plugged in did it have this issue. I have tried removing the battery and cable and holding the power button to drain excess energy (don't know if that would even have such effect), but it did not fix it.

Now the last two nights, it happened when the adapter was unplugged, with just the battery present, so now I have to remove the battery now too which is way too inconvenient to ignore.

Any ideas on what may be causing this or how to fix it? I did try tinkering with the bios ACPI settings awhile back but it didn't make any difference.

It's a thinkpad x120e.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

Hardware issues. Get it repaired or look for a new laptop

 

[TrentM]

Hardware issues. Get it repaired or look for a new laptop

I suspect as much, but I would like to address the issue directly, not avoid it by replacing the laptop or taking it to a repair shop (whether or not that be of benefit). I prefer to fix this myself. The problem is that I do not know what the problem is, only the symptoms. I am hoping for some insight, as to what may be causing this, so I have something to confirm or rule out.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

And without looking at your laptop how would we ever know? Are you a repair technician? If not you probably won’t be able to solve this on your own that’s why I said take it to a shop

So good luck. I suspect your motherboard is gone or going

 

[jsmithepa]

Always check with youtube, somebody always go, "hey fixed my TV for $2!" and opened my HD, fixed it myself works fine!"

 

[TrentM]

And without looking at your laptop how would we ever know? Are you a repair technician? If not you probably won’t be able to solve this on your own that’s why I said take it to a shop

So good luck. I suspect your motherboard is gone or going

I would suspect the inverter long before the motherboard. The only reason I can think of for considering the motherboard in this instance, is that it exists. There's a lot to be examined before I would target the motherboard. Furthermore, the laptop passes POST with no errors which shouldn't be the case if the motherboard was going bad. And if it was the motherboard, there should be other components affected and more symptoms than just the backlights staying lit. The laptop is flawless otherwise.

Of course you can't physically look at it on a forum but If you want to see what it looks like google 'backlight bleed' on google images, then look for a pic of a screen that's blank, fairly dim, with some backlight bleed.