Multiple Computer Problems

[HELModels]

I've got a Compaq Presario with a 2.4 GHz Celeron CPU. The video screen has vertical lines which havent grown much lately. The computer is a hand me down from my nieces who caught a virus and said it was broken and wouldnt work. I managed to get XP professional loaded by sticking it over an airconditioning duct to keep it cool. It kept shutting down in the middle of loading OS which I think might have been a security feature - MS likes to keep track of hardware OS combo and I was attempting to screw it up by loading professional, but I dont know or care now.

Problem 1)
Anyway, I ran the battery optimizer program to calibrate the battery and it only has about 15-20 minutes of battery only operation. I am thinking this cant be right, but could it be normal or is the battery bad? Testing the battery using the test battery program says it is fine. The normal capacity of the battery is 29173 mAh. I dont have any action selected when the battery alarm shows, but it automatically goes into hibernation. It will stay at 98-99% capacity and say it has 20 hours of operation and then nosedive to 10% where the alarm is set. I noticed it was drawing just over an amp while I had it on battery only.

Problem 2)
As for the vertical lines, is this the inverter? Or, is it just a bad connection somewhere? If I gently twist the screen, I can make the lines go away.

Harry

[udogigahertz]

Problem 1: (Battery)

Sound's like the battery is no more good (maybe 1 cell inside the battery-pack is broken down)

Solution: get a new one, or try to open the battery-case take out the cells, try to find out which one is defect and replace it with a new one and put all things together. (It's not an easy job to do, I would prefer to buy a new one)

Problem 2: (vertical stripes)

Looks like a problem with the graphic-accelerator, but hard to say from the distance.

Solution: try to find an expert who is able to repair those things either on a private site or in a computer-shop. He could figure out, what the problem is really. I'm afraid, there is no better way to fix that problem. Sorry

[HELModels]

Problem 2) I found the disassembly manual online and before I pay someone to replace parts which are not broken, I am going to try to reseat the video connector. I seem to remember my nieces saying they dropped the computer or smashed her fist on the keyboard when the spyware/virus attacked the thing.

[michaelb323]

LoL @ slamming a pc over software. Well good luck and great advice from udogigahertz. It really sounds like #2 is software related and you probibly have a decent computer hiding inside the broken exterior. If you ever decide to trash it or give up on it please let me know. I have so many computer parts from old machines that when someone wants to throw out a broken computer I can usually repair what's broken and give it to a good cause of some kind.

[HELModels]

I think she said, "piece of Junnnnkkkk, Whaaaaam". I dont think it is the graphics accelerator as that is part of video card. When I twist the screen gently, the lines go away. My instinct says I am making connections more positive when physical pressure is put on the periphery of the screen and that is where the connector is. A sharp jolt from a fist could have slightly unseated a connector, so that is how I will proceed. It could also provide a good opportunity to clean out any dust maggots.

[michaelb323]

yes, definently. a clean Pc runs so much better and cooler too.