Here's my hijackthis file Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2 Scan saved at 1:22:25 PM, on 2/23/2010 Platform: Unknown Windows (WinNT 6.01.3504) MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.7600.16385) Boot mode: Normal Running processes: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastUI.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\blank.htm R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=userinit.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast5] "C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'NETWORK SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'NETWORK SERVICE') O13 - Gopher Prefix: O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\efssvc.dll,-100 (EFS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\fxsresm.dll,-118 (Fax) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\fxssvc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Net (rpcnet) - Absolute Software Corp. - C:\Windows\SysWOW64\rpcnet.exe O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\sppsvc.exe,-101 (sppsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\sppsvc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vaultsvc.dll,-1003 (VaultSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\wbengine.exe,-104 (wbengine) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe,-101 (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing) -- End of file - 4949 bytes Nancy

"What you are trying to do, is often to stay off line long enough for your IP to be allocated to someone else, which will then FORCE the server to assign you a new IP . Breaking the DHCP lease, and disconnecting equipment during this time, increases your chances of this." "Most people have dynamic IP's these days, which means it should be easy to switch IPs , yet for some people this may not work very well. In some cases, especially with new Fiber optic networks, even if you RESET, or UNPLUG your router , you still get the same IP when you return online. That's because there is a additional device, a fiberoptic bridge, that sits usually outside the house, is powered from the pole, and cannot be easily reset or powered down by the user. This device will continue to hold a live connection (and thus an IP)even when you fiddle with your router."

Well if the Dimension computer has a separate video card - as opposed to onboard - and if both computer have the same video slot (AGP or PCIe) you could move the card from the dimension to the Inspiron to see how it looks before spending money perhaps. Newegg, linked below, show 12 video cards in the $10 to $25 range and 159 in the $25 to $50 range. Frys are another good place to look. Here is a link that might be useful: Newegg video cards

FWiW The Lenovo OneKey Recovery. It loads its own recovery environment but it does use the laptop display... and there are several mouse clicks to be able to use it. Lenovo has a couple of Recovery partitions & will load the operating system to the drives to a like new state. It also has restore backup and images capabilities if you set it up to do so from within windows originally. Sounds like the display or display adapter is bad, as it wont even run the display from outside of windows correctly. Or possibly the display drivers have been given a virus - Hooking up a separate monitor, if it works..run a virus scan - Or use the OneKey recovery to bring it back to the like new state, both might be might be worth a try.. before returning it to some distant repair center. I surely would do it here. The OneKey virus scan is actually McAfee that updates and scans boot sectors of all partitions and offers a quick or full everything scan... very long scans both of them. Its nice to have made the Recovery DVD Disks and keep those stored away safely too, for when the hard drive fails or becomes not accessible.