In message , Bob H
writes
On 23/03/2013 16:30, geoff wrote:

S-i-L has just turned up with her laptop

it has a problem

there are half a dozen mini "displays" on the screen, or rather a
"scroll" of them left and right

Is it the video chip fuqt or is the re the possibility of a simpler
reason (I do hope so, having already pulled the thing apart to replace
the power connector )

Its a Packard Bell Ares GM running vista





When you say 'mini displays' what exactly are they?

If you turn it on, you get a grid of startup screens (so it must be
hardware related). It works its way through windows startup and gives
you miniature startup screens in very low resolution

One set go from the LHS top middle of the screen, then a black bar, then
another set which goes off the RHS end of the screen. Vertically, just
over 3 screens stacked above each other

--
geoff