What can cause colored vertical lines on laptop screen during/after boot up?

[PJJ]

My Toshiba Satellite A45 just started to cause problems on startup. The screen shows only small, colored horizontal lines during booting and after.
I can 'synchronize' the screen by moving its position back and forth or other random attempts of convincing the screen to play nice. Eventually it will.

What is the common cause of this failure, please?

I know the laptop is old and should be retired. But it is doing everything I need it to do very well. If it is simply a hardware problem that can be fixed, I will do so. I have access to a spare Satellite for parts.

The problem first appeared after one of the plastic hinge covers broke when the laptop was moved. I presume that the problem is caused by some connection between the computer base and the hinged screen.
Searched Toshiba repair sites. They have everything but suggestions on my specific problem.

Any ideas?
(Other than get another laptop)

[sithlord48]

could be failing video card. or some pads becoming disconnected.

[otisklt]

You could try disassembling it and reconnecting the interface or find the nick in the wire maybe.
I have had success with that once.

[GreyGeek]

I used to run a 2004 Gateway m675prr laptop with a 17" display. The first signs of video failure was the appearance of 2 vertical lines on the display. I gave the laptop to a couple elderly women who didn't mind the lines and they used it for another 18 months. During that time the number of lines increased to 8 and became annoying for them, so they bought a new Chromebook.

The display is connected to the video chip on the mobo by a ribbon cable that passes through the covering surrounding the hinges (usually). More than likely the problem is in the video chip, which will continue to degrade until your tweaking won't be able to resolve the problem.

IMO, you video chip is dying. How long will the other parts last? Who knows?

[PJJ]

Thank you all for the responses. I followed each suggestion whenever possible.
Took ante-diluvial laptop apart.
Reset cards.
Reset cable connecting Mobo to screen.
Reset RAM chips.

As of now the problem has not appeared again.
If it does I will get my spare Toshiba Satellite A45 (for parts) and replace vidoe card and any other part that has to do with the screen display.

Thanks again.