Any computer experts in the house?

[Cataholic]

I have a Dell Inspiron 7500, about 3.5 years old? I think...anyhow...despite being slow, seems to do the trick for me. Plus, it is paid for, and I don't want to buy a new laptop.

My question- lately...maybe the last 30 days...the screen 'flickers'...normally it is a blue screen, but, it kind of 'shimmies' to purple...does this mean my monitor is going? If so, is there anything I can do? Anything that will prevent it from getting worse? If not, anyone want to donate to the "buy another laptop fund"? (just kidding)...

[Karen]

That's the sign of a dying monitor. If it's a laptop, there's no way around it, time for a new one. Stand-alone monitors are usually considered trash once that happens, too, I guess to replace the tube, you basically have to destroy the monitor.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Even if it is a laptop, and you don't actually take it anywhere, you can get a regular monitor and plug it in. This way you still have the "power" of the laptop you just can't use the monitor portion - and you can't haul it around. Depending on your operating system (I'm thinking you have Windows 98?) installing the new monitor should just be a plug and play thing. You can get plain monitors (not flat screen or LCD) real cheap these days. This might be a temporary fix until the new laptop fund has grown a little. ;)

The other option is Best Buy usually allows you 12 months free financing if you charge it on their card. Sometimes they even offer 18 months. And I've heard, but don't know details about, that Gateway and Dell are climbing on this bandwagon also, so extending the financing might help the laptop fund grow real quick. I'm sure you know this already, but the only caveat with this type of financing is that you must make all monthly payments on time or you will be charged interest from day one, and that is defeating the whole purpose.

Good luck! :)

[2kitties]

Cat,
Once you go Mac, You never go back!

[BIG BAD DOG]

To respond in Techie:

Your Monitor or video card is going out. On a laptop neither one of these are replaceable. The option for the external monitor is only good if the lcd screen (laptop monitor) is going out. Pluging in an external monitor will tell you this.

[Barbara]

Originally posted by 2kitties
Cat,
Once you go Mac, You never go back!

That's true for some applications but not for most. If you have to work with Outlook and Excel one thing is you can't communicate really perfectly with the Windows world and some things don't work that well.

I spend my life in a Windows/Mac world and although the Mac has all my sympathy I prefer for myself at home Windows.