Bizzare Laptop problem

[sirius]

Can anyone tell if this is a hardware or software problem?

The warranty runs out in about four days time, software causing problems are not covered, but hardware defects are.

The laptop worked fine for two years, then it decided to get slow to the point it was unbearable. So, I reformatted it, reinstalled windows, etc, and it came on okay after that - for about two weeks, then it was back slow agian, not as bad as before, but the longer you use it in a session, the worse it gets, and it gradually gets worse over the months.

The picture is a screen shot of the reported speed it runs at after an hours usage, where it should be running at 1,5GHZ for the AMD 1800+ chip, and it should be at 512mb RAM, where it only shows 112. Note, it did start off at 1.5Ghz (but only 112 RAM) and got worse.

Ive tried RAM cleaners, allsorts of junk, reformat, etc, but this one has me stumped as it keeps coming back, and I just havent any idea if its a windows problem or a hardware problem. Ive never come across this before on a desktop computer, so I feel its the laptop hardware, but you may know different.

We are thinking of sending back before the warranty runs out, but if its software orientated problems they wont cover for time, labour or shipping/insurance etc. So I kind of need to know any solutions or a pretty cert whether its hard or software so they dont pull the wool over our eyes with the warranty cover before it runs out.


Cheers

Sirius.

 

[johns_ar]

Ring their tech support and ask them...if your still under warranty they should still be able to troubleshoot that over the phone and then make the decision for you whether to send it in or not.

Have a google for a cpu tester and see if it really is screwed.

 

[ruffers]

Is it getting hot? Is the fan coming on?

Ring the support like john says though

 

[sirius]

The trouble is, its not my laptop, its my dads, and also they are bound to say its a software problem so they dont have to fulfil thier duty, hence I needed a bit of ammunition to make sure they looked at it properly, cos in a few days it runs out.

My thinking was to send it as it is, let them trouble shoot it, wipe it/reformat and install etc at thier end, then maybe the work will be guaranteed as they have messed with it (thus extended the warranty for a few weeks), if called it a software problem, and if we take it somewhere local and its proved a hardware fault, we can get our money back.

My dad rang the tech dep't/warranty devision, and as my dad doesnt know the difference between RAM and GHZ, he wasnt able to explain exactly what was going on........however he did give them the jist of it and they said it was probably a software issue, however the cynic in me says they will say that for a few days till the warranty runs out, and that it may be hardware overheating or something (as it does get warm, but not excessively).

Cheers anyway.

 

[johns_ar]

Well just ring up and say that you are your Dad.

It's unlikely theyll know how old he is anyways and even if they do know they probably wont be arsed.

Wouldnt write them off as just saying its software, specially if you havent rang them and your warranty is fast running out. Id purchase the extended as well before your year is up.

 

[Nemesis]

i recon thats defo a hardware problem. possibly the rest of the RAM is being shared for something else, not no why or what it's being used for tho.

 

[sirius]

Cheers chaps.

Yeah the graphics is specified as 32mb 'shared', but theres no intense graphics being used. :S .

Well, I will sort it with my pops, see what he wants to do from here.

Ta

Sirius.