[Str8shootr]

Any helpful advice would be deeply appreciated.

I'll make this as short as I can. Computer: Gateway Laptop, purchased spring 2004. Gateway software that does computer diaganostics. Wireless router card came with it.

Fastforward....was using PC-Cillin anti virus (Trendmicro), service expired in August. Like an idiot, I didn't renew.
I started having trouble with a weak signal from my internet wireless connection and ended up connecting my computer directly to the cable modem (stupid I know)

Any way everything went haywire and my screen changed colors, but will still booted up. I figured I had virus problems. Went and bought a new Norton Pragram, installed it, updated it, and scanned my system. It says my system is clean. Also ran diagnostics from my Gateway software, it says system has no problems.

My screen colors are still screwed up, and my screen has lots of interference and "jumping". Any ideas, or should I take it in?

[Washington,D.C.]

Try reinstalling the video driver.May have to remove the current one,reboot and then install the video driver again and reboot.

[fastvfr]

Right. Start by downloading DriverCleaner 3 and running it in Safe Mode (F8 while booting).

This removes all traces of the old drivers so you can reinstall them from the disk or from a newer version you download.

And, as soon as possible, remove Norton Virus. I have yet to see a customer who was happy with Symantec products after seeing their Freeware replacements at work. Avast! or AVG are far superior and take up little RAM and CPU while protecting the PC from infection.

Did I mention that they are FREE?

If this does not help, let us know and we will continue to troubleshoot.

[Washington,D.C.]

Can download driver cleaner here

http://majorgeeks.com/Driver_Cleaner...nal_d3214.html

Can download driver "collector" here.

http://majorgeeks.com/Driver_Collector_d3982.html

The 2nd may or may not help you but lets you keep the old driver in a folder on your hard driver.It's not uncommon for the installed drivers to get/become corrupted.

[Blitzer]

I was a COMPAQ service coordinator before the merger with HP.

The problem could be a corrupted video driver or there may be a mechanical reason for your ills.

For the mechanical fix:

There is one or two ribbon cable(s) that connect the LCD screen, near one of the hinges, to the laptop's motherboard.

I have had several Laptops, Compaq, Toshiba, etc, malfunction on my friend’s laptops.

Carefully look around the edge of the screen for small dots that cover the screws holding the face (bezel) onto the cover. Remove the little stickers or plugs and use a small , normally Phillips, screw driver to remove the screws from the screen's bezel.

Now take a thin blade, like a butter knife, and run it along the seam to pop the bezel off the lid, start at the hinge and move around the top of the screen to the other hinge. When that is done you may be 50% finished if it is the screen's cable that is loose otherwise it is onto the case.

Look for the ribbon cable or cables and check the connectors and the power cable at the connector on the screen. Carefully pop them out using the butter knife and plug them back in, carefully.

Power up the laptop and see it this has fixed the issues.

If not it is onto the case.

Maybe you might take it to a service tech if the software driver does not fix the issues, especially if it is under warranty. Otherwise PM me for more instructions.
;f

[Str8shootr]

thanks people, all good advice. I will try reinstalling first.