Your husband may well be able to rebuild this computer. However it would be best to ensure that the issue is with the motherboard and not some other component. What if you buy the board for $100 after being absolutely sure it is the same and all the current components are compatible but the computer still does not work. Returning good parts is not an accepted way with computer stores. The chances of finding a 6 year old motherboard are slim at best, current boards will not accept those older parts probably. Somewhere on that board is a model number and revision number to make the search easier. Most importantly you cannot use your current XP operating system so you need to buy another one, another $100 plus gone and for an operating system 2 steps behind the times. Your current XP is tied to the specific motherboard it was installed on with factory built computers. You will need to ensure you either have all the CDs that came with the computer so that all the drivers are available or that you can find them for free online. The processor will need cleaning once removed and it will require Arctic Silver or equal quality paste to re-seat the heatsink on the processor. This bit is the most difficult or frightening apart from deciding on what parts are compatible. Do the math then take a look at today's computers for pricing. Also if hubby feels good about it check components to self build, it can be a very gratifying experience once all the parts are determined and compatible with each other. You likely will only be able to salvage the hard drive from the existing machine if you build new.

I recently bought the Samsung LN26B460 26" LCD TV for $359. As I remember, I also considered a monitor that was the same item (minus the tuner), and it cost about $80 less. (Stupid me thought I needed the tuner, but forgot I had to get a digital tuner from the cable company, so I could have gone with the monitor. The display on this television is just spectacular - everyone comments on it. I hook my laptop up to this television often, using an HDMI connection. (If you don't know much about laptop-to-tv connections, as I didn't, this is the easiest one. It requires only one cable, and that cable carries both audio and video information. With other sorts of connections, you need separate audio and video connectors. If you're looking for a new laptop for the kitchen, be sure it has an HDMI-out port.) If you can hook up your laptop and your laptop has a webcam, that would be the easiest way to web-chat. It's really easy to set up. Feel free to email me with questions. In addition to the web conferencing, there are other benefits to being able to hook up your laptop to a flat-screen tv or monitor. For example, I can buy or rent movies online and watch them immediately while baking in the kitchen. (LOVE THIS!) I can watch shows from Hulu or other TV websites. I can listen to the radio via the internet with the laptop, using the television speakers (which are better than the laptop speakers). I can listen to music that's stored on my laptop, again using the television speakers. I can (another favorite) pull up a recipe online and actually be able to see it from across the room, because it's on television. One thing you need to remember if you're going to do this is to set the power settings on the laptop so it doesn't turn off after a certain amount of idle time. I am no expert on any of this, but I am enjoying having the television that can be connected to the laptop *so* much!

Phil, As I've said before, I'm not much of a finisher, but... I Penofin the entire project, and then wipe dry. My decks aren't too large, and it doesn't matter much if you wait 45 minutes or an hour...as long as it's not a sunny day. Since you have a porch, sun isn't an issue. I've used a few of the Penofin formulas, and I don't remember which one is less red. When I buy Penofin, I buy what's available. If I have a choice, I go with the blue can...western red cedar. You can go to penofin.com to see the different tones. My clients seem to like whichever one I use, and since it'll fade (in the sun) before long, it's not an issue. Since you're sealing a porch, it'll last alot longer...and since you've got to appease your wife, you better get it right :-) Let her pick the tone she likes, and that'll get you off the hook. You should be able to wait a couple of years between applications. I don't ever go back to reseal the decks (and I don't have a deck)...but you won't have to sand. Penofin has some prep products, but I just don't know. Better to ask someone that finishes for a living. Me, I make sawdust. steve

goes into sleep mode ... is normal for a laptop when you close the screen ... hitting any key or a mouse wiggle usually wakes it.. pushing the power button is also a normal way to wake it. Sounds like it doesn't wake properly.. some program maybe interferes .. a snafu. Right click you little battery/ac power icon in the system tray, click on power options maybe... look around. Not your laptop maybe just change it to hibernate when lid is closed.