iMac 5k replacement screen doesn't work, did I do anything wrong?

[veilrain]

I cracked my iMac screen so I found an replacement with the same part number on eBay.

The shipment came today and I am very excited and I followed the iFixit guide to put it on. The screen turns on first and I can see apple logo with a loading bar. However, once the loading bar reaches 3/4 the way through, the display just shuts off ?.

I thought something caused my iMac to crash until I connected a secondary monitor to it.... This time, when the loading bar reaches 3/4 the way through, the replacement screen shuts off again.. but! My secondary monitor started showing the apple logo and finished loading. I am able to use my iMac with my secondary monitor normally, but the internal screen I replaced remains black...

I checked system report and my internal monitor is not even detected!

Could there be something I did wrong, or this replacement screen from ebay is just defective and I should as for a refund? Would like to hear some ideas. Thanks!

 

[TwoH]

Strange -- I only had this issue a couple days ago myself with some "new" (likely refurb) screens. Exact same problem as you. However I noticed for my case that the screens would only turn off when booting onto an external OS of Catalina or older. I installed a fresh Catalina on the machine and the display turned on fine, and it would also stay turned on if booting onto an external Big Sur or Monterey OS.

 

[veilrain]

Strange -- I only had this issue a couple days ago myself with some "new" (likely refurb) screens. Exact same problem as you. However I noticed for my case that the screens would only turn off when booting onto an external OS of Catalina or older. I installed a fresh Catalina on the machine and the display turned on fine, and it would also stay turned on if booting onto an external Big Sur or Monterey OS.

Oh that's interesting. If it could be related to OS maybe I should try a fresh reinstallation too.

 

[TwoH]

Oh that's interesting. If it could be related to OS maybe I should try a fresh reinstallation too.

It's worth a shot. Please keep me updated if you do.

 

[veilrain]

It's worth a shot. Please keep me updated if you do.

OMG because you said how it works for newer version of OS I decide to first try upgrading my OS from Mojave (never upgraded it since I got it ?) to Monterey and that fixed the problem!

I guess the issues is probably that as you said these are "refurbished" screens and have parts harvested from newer model that older version of the OS doesn't have driver for.

I am so glad you see and replied to me, otherwise I would have sent this screen back... Thank you!!!