Backlight or Inverter?

[TheStu]

My buddy's MacBook Pro has had this problem for a while now, he was just too stubborn to send it to AppleCare, along with his bricked DVD Burner (Firmware Update 2.1 [actually, if any of you know where to get another firmware, or an older one, please let me know])

His display backlight no longer works on his 2GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro. However, every now and again the screen does sort of flash when you go to start it up. What we are wondering is if that is the Backlight, or the Inverter board?

 

[Jiddick ExRex]

Why does it matter? It needs to be send in to Apple Care no matter what since it's pretty just a big paperweight?

 

[TheStu]

Ah, i wasn't clear... his AppleCare expired about 2-3 months ago. Which is why I said he was too stubborn, i mean.. he still is stubborn, don't get me wrong on that

Anyway, he can still use the machine just fine with an external monitor, and since he wants to fix it (obviously), we would like to know which it is more likely to be, the inverter or the backlight itself.