FW13, Gen 11, Win11 failed horizontal line in display

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1

Received this laptop 12/21, so less 5 years old. It has developed a failed horizontal line in the display, 1 pixel height, about 1cm from the bottom. It is not quite dead, as when the screen is mostly dark (Framework opening screen) that line shows a reflection of sorts of what’s happening above it. There is also a single short vertical line intersecting the horizontal one, maybe only 10 pixels long, showing in contrasting colors, not dark like the horizontal one.

I have restarted several times, installed the latest driver bundle, plugged in a remote monitor via HDMI (the problem did not show up on the remote monitor), and removed and re-seated the display cable connector. It seems to me that indicates it is not a software issue or the graphics module. To me it indicates my display is faulty.

I’m an engineer with decades in electronics packaging, and was working with flat panel displays when the concept was new. I know electronic parts sometimes fail. But over the years my family has ground through maybe a dozen cheapo laptops (usually until they’re held together with duct tape and a prayer after 7 - 10 years). NOT ONE of them ever had a failed display. So imagine my consternation at my first $1000 laptop (ironically purchased so it would essentially last forever) having a display go south on me less than 5 years in. I bought this so it wouldn’t go obsolete - not to make it easier to replace failed parts so early in its life.

I’m not an EE or computer specialist. Does it seem from my description that I have eliminated any other likely causes of this failure? Is this kind of glitch a known issue? I have not yet removed the display. Are there any exposed contacts behind it that might be broken or shorted by debris in there?

Or do I need to pony up for a replacement display?

2

You could try checking the display connector on the back of the display. Are you sure that nothing impacted the screen at the point where the two lines intersect?

3

Huh. The display cable seems to be bound with something and feeds into a bigger bundle bound with the same stuff at the bottom of the display. Didn’t know there was another connector back there. I’ll open it up again and check.

There has been no significant impact to the screen that I know of. Seems to me anything that would damage the innards would leave a mark. The screen face is pristine in that area.

4

It’s behind the display. You will have to remove the panel to access it.

5

Checked it. On mine there is in fact a connector at the bottom of the screen. But the mated pair is secured with some clear tape that doesn’t look like it was intended to be serviced. The tape is quite sticky, everything in that area is flexy and the connector is very fine pitch. Nothing looks like it’s been disturbed and the two mated halves look to be in perfect alignment. My Spidey sense tells me to leave it be.

6

Apologie for the error, I haven’t had one of the displays out it a while and thought that I recalled needing to have it out to access the other end of the cable - this one: https://frame.work/products/edp-cable. If you wind up planning to buy a replacement display, before you pull the trigger, it won’t hurt anything to take it out, carefully peel back that sticky ape around the other end of the deplay cable, remove and replace it, then see if lines are still present. Good luck getting things sorted out.