Elderly Computer

[evanson]

I recently acquired an old ViewSonic (nrver heard of it before) for a neighbour's kid. There's a blue and green box which pops up now and again for just a minute or two, then disappears. I've been staring at this one for past hour.

It has the word 'brightness' next to what I assume to be a 'sun' icon, then a smaller box running through the upper blue band with 'min', but nothing inside the smaller box. The lower green band has the words exit: and the number 1 in a small square icon and over to the right contrast: with the number 2.

The mouse arrow passes underneath it?! I've tried the cursor keys, but same same. Any genius out there know which part of the computor I can go into to disable it? Thanks:)

[Crossy]

OK this is a monitor function (nothing to do with the PC itself).

Chances are one of the monitor buttons is stuck / dirty and making intermittent connection bringing up the brightness menu (look for a flap covering monitor controls).

[evanson]

OK this is a monitor function (nothing to do with the PC itself).

Chances are one of the monitor buttons is stuck / dirty and making intermittent connection bringing up the brightness menu (look for a flap covering monitor controls).

Hi Crossy - of course! But, there's no flap just four buttons - 1 then arrows up and down and 2. Just made mistake of pushing brightness and monitor now very er, bright. The buttons pull out only a little, but suppose enough to clean, but what with? And if that doesn't work, does it mean my carting the thing off to repair shop :-( Little kid not happy - bloody box 5 inches X just over one ...

[Crossy]

Trouble is that in order to get at the controls to clean things you'll need to do some dismembering and even then you may not score. If you do get it apart much depends on the type of switch used, some are just carp and not readily cleaned, even then it might be another fault

It may just be best to haul the thing off to the doctor anyway, particularly if you're not confident dismantling things and being able to put them back together (and have them work again).

[innerspace]

If you can find one try an aerosol dusting can.

You get them for computers and they basically blast dust out without causing damage to components.

Aim one of those into the buttons on the monitor and it might help.

Also worth taking the cover off the pc as well and giving it a blast since dust gets everywhere in this country.

[evanson]

If you can find one try an aerosol dusting can.

You get them for computers and they basically blast dust out without causing damage to components.

Aim one of those into the buttons on the monitor and it might help.

Also worth taking the cover off the pc as well and giving it a blast since dust gets everywhere in this country.

Sounds a lot easier than having to haul thing off to quack. And fact the 'brightness' has gone back to normal does suggest probably a dust problem (once had a gecko immolate itself in hard drive, that was 3k's worth:( And it looks as though the front of the monitor should pull off easy enough, so will pop off to buy a blaster and try that first. Thanks