The Glade 4.0

So this started about two weeks ago. I restored the system several times and it hasn't worked. Safe mode runs fine, all programs seem to open fine, so I don't think it's a program.

It's slow as balls, and eventually it just freezes, and the screen goes all squiggly. I cannot be 100% sure, but I believe this occurred aftar a power outage. Came back and it said it failed to start, and to run a repair. Repair suggested a restore, which I did. Bad times from there.

Looking for suggestions on things to try before I take it to the shop. I'd also like to consider a wipe and reinstall, but this was a Dell that came with Vista already on it. Don't have a Vista install CD - is there an easy way to get one without buying the software? How do I get my registration #?

If you bought it pre-loaded, either the documentation that came with it or the computer itself should have come with a sticker with little holographic bits to tell you it's a Genuine Microsoft OS or whatever. That's got your key on it.

As for installation media.. unless you know somebody with some educational connections (in which case, Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance (MSDNAA) might be an option to download the .iso and burn yourself a copy) or a disk of their own, sadly the most likely answer is "'pirate' the disk itself and then use your legit key." This is on the legal edge of the fuzzy grey line, and the only reason I list it as "sadly" is that it's still a risky solution because you don't know that what you're downloading wasn't tampered with.

As for the problems themselves, the "good news" is that you probably don't have to go to all that trouble -- it sounds like a hardware issue. My guess is that some of the memory, either system RAM or (more likely) video RAM is failing. That's what the culprit for the screen going all squiggly usually is; corruption in the video RAM from either failing hardware (not unlikely after a power incident) or heat sensitivity (not the direction I'd be looking based on your suggestion that it seemed to coincide with the power outage).

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

It's possible that it's a power supply issue, too.

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In time, this too shall pass.

Yeah, I wouldn't rule it out. Dubious power supplies are good at doing all kinds of weird stuff.

_________________
"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

Any way I can isolate it and verify it's one or the other? I'd prefer not to just start replacing random things until it works.

Not unless you've got another system handy with compatible parts. The lack thereof is the primary reason to take something in. Lots of symptoms in computer troubleshooting have codependent points of failure.

_________________
"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

The "safe mode runs just fine" thing is a problem with identifying this as a hardware issue though. That kinda points to a video card, since it's possible it's not being pushed hard enough in safe mode to cause an issue.

Define "fine".

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In time, this too shall pass.

That was my thinking, too, Taskiss.

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

Normal. Fast.

I'd buy a dirt cheap video card and give that a shot, if it's all better, then consider upgrading.

Of course, if it's a power supply, a cheap card won't pull the same amount of power ... but you have to start somewhere.

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In time, this too shall pass.

Ok, I have another computer with a decent video card. I'll decommission that one for a bit and swap it out.