Laptop Problem - please help!

[becksha]

Hello, I would really appreciate some advice because I think my laptop is dying!

 

It's an IBM Thinkpad, almost two years old (out of warranty).

 

In the last week, it has started crashing. It just suddenly cuts out. The screen goes black with white horizontal lines, which then switch to vertical ones, and then stops completely and I have to reboot. It's done it about once a day, sometimes more. I haven't noticed any pattern to the problem, it seems to happen quite randomly, when I am just browsing the web or using Excel or something. Happened once when I wasn't even in front of it - came back after lunch and it had done it.

 

I really don't have a clue what to do, was hoping it was just a blip but it keeps happening. I'm going to back everything up today, I have up-to-date virus software and regular scans, and spyware and firewall, so I don't think it's anything to do with that. It's not had any knocks I don't think.

 

If anyone has any suggestions I'd be really grateful. Had Thinkpads before and had no problems with them - in fact they've been really reliable. I've obviously googled, but haven't seen any examples of a similar problem.

 

Please Help!

[richard]

Sounds to me like you should check the memory, http://www.memtest86.com/ Probably best to download the iso to create a bootable cd.

[sallonoroff]

test the RAM.

 

failing that it could be graphics card (which probably means motherboard on a laptop).

 

don't suppose you've got a monitor you could connect it to, see if the faults display on that screen too?

 

 

Shame you've got this problem, because IBM (along with Sony and Apple) are IMO one of the best notebook brands.

 

+

[becksha]

Thanks for the advice richard and moonlight - will have a go over weekend and let you know how it goes on Monday! Fingers crossed...

 

Need my computer for work, so really hoping it will be ok!