I was using a 20x4 LCD connected to Arduino Uno via a common I2C adapter board. Everything was working perfectly, including the LCD. I had it running like this for a couple of days without any problems.
My next step was to connect the LCD to a Nano instead in order to make the package smaller. The exact same code from the Uno was uploaded to the Nano, and I connected the wires in the exact same way. The major difference here was that I soldered the wires onto the Nano, because I didn't want to use headers. I did a continuity test for shorts and the connections seemed to be fine. There are only 4 wires between the Arduino and LCD adapter board: 5v, ground, SDA and SCL.
The Nano powers up fine, and the LCD powers up fine, but immediately the LCD shows the following:
That had never happened when I had the LCD connected to the UNO.
After that, the LCD stops working completely, even when I move it back to the UNO. It just constantly displays those 2 lines. (Adjusting the contrast makes the boxes appear or disappear).
After the first LCD seemed permanently broken like that, I tested it on a 2nd brand-new LCD. First I connected it to the same Uno with the same code, and everything was working perfectly. I re-uploaded that same code again to the Nano, just to make sure everything was in sync. Then upon connecting the 2nd LCD to the Nano, immediately it displayed those 2 lines. I disconnected it right away (within 5 seconds), and tried to put it back on the Uno, but still the display is corrupted. I've tried other sketches, but both of these displays seem to be broken and never display anything except for those 2 lines.
Even if I just connect 5v and ground to the LCD, no matter from what source, it just constantly displays those 2 lines.
Any ideas as to what could "break" an LCD so quickly like that, and if it's possible fix it?
Edit:
As per Gerben's suggestion, I removed the I2C backpack and hooked the LCD up directly. This was the 2nd one I had broken, the one where I'm more certain of its entire (short) history. I ended up with the exact same result. Adjusting the pot only makes the boxes appear or disappear. I tried skipping the Arduino completely and giving it 5v power from an adapter, and it still has the same result.