McGodders,

Thank you for using Dell's Community Forum.

The only other suggestion I can give would be to use a damp cloth like you’ve done, but make sure the water is warm.

If that does not help, the screen is probably damaged and will need to be repaired.

I've had good luck using iKlear screen cleaner, from http://www.klearscreen.com/ -- it does a much better job than just water in getting the smudge marks off.

If your computer is under warranty, tho, you may want to see if you can get a new LCD. Got mine replaced (along with the keyboard, which had a row of letters go bad), and the new one gets virtually no smudge marks compared to the old one. Not sure why, maybe either the keyboard or LCD is mounted slighty deeper in the case then that original.

HTH.

-matt

Okay, I have had the same problems with mine. There is a way to protect your screen though. The catch is, it is not so cheap (around $20-$30 after shipping), and you MUST CLEAN IT EVERY WEEK TO PREVENT THE MARKS FROM BECOMING PERMANENT!!!!! Buy this cleaner and use it according to the instructions, if it does not completely remove the stains, then you have waited too long to clean it. If it does, the stain may reappear sometimes after a period of direct contact with the pointer due to the oils and dust left by your fingers, and you should clean it again. Good luck. :) and by the way, here is the link. http://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_Item.cfm?ID=5953&Item=KLRIK5K

PS. This cleaner, does not take harm the delicate LCD screen. :P

Hello, I have this exact same problem with my 8100.

I've also had a host of other problems go wrong with it.  But when the other problems where going wrong and I was talking for Tech support for 3 months, I kept telling them about my display.  That I have a burned mark on my screen from where my mouse pointer stick would be.  They keep telling me they will replace it and it always comes back from depo with other replacements it needed but never the screen.  Then once the technician told me that it's not covered under warrenty.

I'd like to know if anyone has more information on this.  This thumb size mark only appears when the monitor is on, so it's internal, not an external smudge of finger grease or something.  I want to get it fix or replaced.  It's the most annoying and distruptive thing when trying to watch a DVD (ends up looking like permenet light glare on the screen) or playing a game.

I feel this is something that should be covered under warrenty.  It's not anything I know that I, as a user, created.  I didn't "spill coffee" on it or press my thumb into the screen.  It seems to have accured somehow by the laptop being closed and the mouse stick pressing into the screen or something.  Which would be a hardware/design defect I would think.

So anymore information would be most appreciated.  The Dell techsupport person told me I'd have to pay for it at about $900, which I could purchase a new and better laptop for just a little more than that.

Thanks

Fozzy