Windows 98 on a WinBook

[Venom]

I was given a WinBook by one of my dads co workers, and it seems to have a major problem with it.  I'm just trying to figure out if its hardware failure, or software failure and if theres any real chance of salvaging it at all.  I turn it on, and after any random number of minutes colors on the screen will start to smear and glitch where the pointer is and it freezes completely.  And after shutting it off and trying to turn it on again it turns on but with no picture. Can anyone please give me any advice?  Its an old laptop but its good enough for what i'd want to use it for.

[GX1_Man]

Did it supposedly work? Do you have a Windows CD to reinstall with (if this goes that far)? Is it any better or different in safe mode? Is the BIOS screen legible? WIll it stay visible without this video aberration?

It sounds like major hardware issues. Be advised there are few user servicable parts in laptop.

[Venom]

The bios is where you configure your boot sequence and all that stuff right?  Or is that dos? I know that the computer is stable in all the areas except when you know its using windows  I cant re install windows cause the later steps in the installation process involve that area of windows that always glitchs and freezes.  i also tried to format my C drive but it wouldnt allow me.  (im not sure if you are allowed to if thats your only hard disk with windows installed on it?)

When I restart it and there is no picture on the screen, usually if i unplug the laptop and leave it alone for a while it will start back up with picture again.  But one thing i noticed is that this laptop does not have a cooling fan. So I dont know if maybe the problem could be over heating.

And in Safe mode it seems to maybe run a little bit longer before it does the same color smear glitch, i notice its not freezing.  lol Its just really messed up and I notice that the screen is jumping too.

[EssentiaTech]

How long, on average, does it take to boot into Windows?  Heat/lack of cooling could be the problem, but if you're booting right into windows (assuming the boot process isn't rediculously lenghty) then the speed that it overheats concerns me.

It might not be the lack of cooling.  The problem could be that the cooling you have isn't working.

[GX1_Man]

You cannot format your drive from within Windows. There are multiple tutorials on the internet about how to install Windows, but you will need a legal CD to do so. If you want to proceed, then let us know what you have to work with. Obviously you have not done this before.

[Venom]

The computer was given to me without the original disk so I cant do anything there.  

The average time it takes to boot is normal, nothing lengthy.  

would it help if i provided a picture of the screen glitching?

[GX1_Man]

Sure, do that. Without an operating system CD you are going to be stuck sooner or later. In this case it might be sooner.  

[Venom]

Here is when it first begins.  I was running mc afee virus scan when it happened.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b273/Necromattallica/thestartoftheglitch.jpg


I move the pointer around and it smears the colors

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b273/Necromattallica/desktoppaint.jpg


I minimized mc afee and tried to click on my computer and it froze

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b273/Necromattallica/mcafeeminimizedandnowfrozen.jpg

[GX1_Man]

This is either a bad video adapter (not repairable) or bad drivers. If WinBook is still around you might check their website for the most recent drivers for this and install. It's worth a shot.

[Venom]

cool, thanks.  I'll try the drivers.