My laptop was in my bag while I walked home through very heavy rain, and some water apparently got inside the display. I shut it down and turned it upside down to dry, but the lower-right part of the screen is still flickering even while the laptop is powered off. I opened it up and found moisture near the battery connection and display cable, although the other components appear dry. Should I leave it to dry longer, or does the screen and cable likely need to be replaced?
1 Answer
Keep it completely powered off and disconnect the battery if you can do so safely. Water inside the display can leave permanent damage such as flickering, discolored patches, visible drying marks, or dead pixels. Even if the rest of the laptop stays dry, the display assembly or its cable may need replacement. Letting it sit for a day or two can reduce the risk of further damage, but it may not restore the screen.
I found that the display cable near the flickering side was wet, so I disconnected the battery and cable. Everything else looked dry, and I’m going to leave it off for a couple of days before having the display checked.