The problems with my laptop
My laptop computer is a UMAX ActionBook Model 333T (click here for specs). It was purchased near the beginning of the year 1999. Starting around late summer 1999, my laptop started exhibiting streaks across is LCD display. As time progressed, the problem continued to worsen. I sent the computer back to UMAX by RMA, but they could not find the problem (I do not know how they missed it, but the issue was a bit more intermittent at the time) and as they kept the notebook longer (they kept the PC for over six weeks, citing shipping difficulties) the expiration of the warranty drew nearer.

The problem has now gotten to the point at which I now cannot depend on the LCD display operating normally; nine out of ten times I turn the system on I can not actually make out what is on the screen. The only way I can use the computer at this point is to attach an external monitor - the streaking problem does not seem to affect an external monitor connected through the laptop's VGA port. The external display must be capable of displaying 800x600 at 24-bit mode (the graphics adapter is fickle about allowing the settings for the second monitor to be lowered).

Since this issue often starts at bootup, I can assume that this is not a software problem.

laptop.mpg (6262KB, please be patient) This video clip was taken with my camcorder. It displays the laptop booting Windows 98 and running a preemptive ScanDisk due to a poor shutdown. The fast-moving streaks seen in this clip are not compression or camera defects - this is what is actually happening on the laptop's LCD monitor.

Also (as if things weren't bad enough...), in the middle of February 2000, the floppy disk drive started to make a loud buzzing noise. I knew I could not replace the drive myself, but since the warranty had already run out, I disconnected the power from the floppy drive and continued to use the computer without it by disabling it in BIOS as well.

So, this is the sum of the problems with my laptop. If you have any questions, comments, repair estimates, or otherwise, I can be contacted at [email protected] or (765)396-9421 during evening hours Indiana time (ask for Peter May).