Question:

What causes horizontal and vertical lines on a laptop screen and how can they be fixed?

I have an Acer Nitro 5 laptop that displays thin black horizontal lines and coloured vertical lines that change depending on the background. The problem persists even after updating the graphics drivers. I suspect that the screen or the cable connecting it to the motherboard is damaged. Is there a way to diagnose and repair this issue?

Answer:

If you see horizontal and vertical lines on your laptop screen, you may be experiencing a common display problem that can affect any laptop model, including Acer Nitro 5. These lines can be thin or thick, black or colored, and they may appear and disappear depending on the background or the viewing angle. They can also interfere with your work or entertainment, making your laptop screen hard to read or enjoy.

There are several possible causes for this issue, ranging from hardware failure to software glitches. In this article, we will explain some of the most common causes and how to fix them.

Hardware Causes

One of the most likely causes of horizontal and vertical lines on a laptop screen is a faulty display panel or a loose connection between the panel and the motherboard. The display panel consists of a thin layer of liquid crystals that are sandwiched between two sheets of glass. These crystals can be damaged by physical impact, heat, moisture, or age, resulting in dead or stuck pixels that form lines on the screen.

The connection between the display panel and the motherboard is made by a thin ribbon cable that runs through the hinges of the laptop. This cable can also be damaged by wear and tear, bending, or twisting, causing signal loss or interference that manifests as lines on the screen.

To diagnose and fix this hardware issue, you will need to open up your laptop and inspect the display panel and the cable. If you are not comfortable with doing this yourself, you can take your laptop to a professional repair service or contact Acer’s customer support for assistance.

However, before you do that, you can try some simple troubleshooting steps to rule out other possible causes. Here are some of them:

• Adjust the screen resolution and refresh rate. Sometimes, the lines on the screen can be caused by an incompatible or incorrect screen resolution or refresh rate setting. To change these settings, right-click on the desktop and select Display settings. Then, click on Advanced display settings and choose the recommended resolution and refresh rate for your laptop screen. You can also try different values and see if they make any difference.
• Update or reinstall the graphics driver. The graphics driver is the software that controls how your laptop communicates with the display panel. If the driver is outdated, corrupted, or incompatible, it can cause display problems such as lines on the screen. To update or reinstall the graphics driver, open the Device Manager by right-clicking on the Start icon and selecting Device Manager. Then, expand the Display adapters section, right-click on your graphics card, and select Update driver or Uninstall device. After that, restart your laptop and let Windows install the latest driver automatically or download it from Acer’s website and install it manually.
• Connect your laptop to an external monitor. Another way to test if the problem is with the display panel or the cable is to connect your laptop to an external monitor using an HDMI or DisplayPort cable. If the lines appear on the external monitor as well, then the problem is with the graphics card or the motherboard. If the lines do not appear on the external monitor, then the problem is with the display panel or the cable.

Software Causes

Another possible cause of horizontal and vertical lines on a laptop screen is a software issue, such as a virus infection, a system error, or a configuration conflict. These issues can affect how your laptop displays images and colors, resulting in lines on the screen.

To diagnose and fix this software issue, you can try some of the following solutions:

• Run a virus scan. Some viruses and malware can infect your laptop and cause display problems such as lines on the screen. To remove them, you can use a reliable antivirus program and scan your laptop for any threats. You can also use Windows Defender, the built-in security tool in Windows 10, by opening the Settings app and clicking on Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection. Then, click on Scan options and choose a full scan or a custom scan.
• Run a system file check. Some system files can be corrupted or missing, causing display problems such as lines on the screen. To repair them, you can use the System File Checker (SFC) tool, a command-line utility that scans and restores the integrity of system files. To run the SFC tool, open the Command Prompt by typing cmd in the search box and selecting Run as administrator. Then, type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Wait for the scan to complete and follow any instructions on the screen.
• Perform a clean boot. Some programs or services that run in the background can interfere with your laptop’s display and cause lines on the screen. To identify and disable them, you can perform a clean boot, which is a process that starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and programs. To perform a clean boot, open the System Configuration tool by typing msconfig in the search box and selecting Run as administrator. Then, click on the Services tab and check the box that says Hide all Microsoft services. Then, click on Disable all. Next, click on the Startup tab and click on Open Task Manager. Then, disable all the startup items by right-clicking on them and selecting Disable. Finally, close the Task Manager and the System Configuration tool and restart your laptop.

Conclusion

Horizontal

and vertical lines on a laptop screen can be annoying and frustrating, but they can also be fixed with some troubleshooting steps. In this article, we have explained some of the most common causes and solutions for this display problem. We hope that this article has helped you resolve the issue and enjoy your laptop screen again.