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Laptop monitor dulling

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Hi,

Last year we bought the wife a HP550 laptop from Ebuyer. She only uses it on and off as her usual workhorse is her work laptop. Anyway, recently she has noticed that if she is using it running off battery, the screen dulls and she can't get it to re-illuminate by the usual methods, and has to restart it. I have contacted Ebuyer, and they say:"Thank you for your contact with our Customer Support Team.

In certain cases, manufacturers provide support direct to end users. They do this for many reasons, the main one is that they would like to ensure that their customers receive the best possible support on their products.

Please contact HP and they will be happy to help;

0870 842 2339 http://uk.hp.com"
But the computer is less than a year old, I thought they would have a legal, if not moral, responsibility to take the computer back and resolve the issue or to offer advice themselves, as our contract of business was with them? Not sure on this actually.

Comments

  • fwor
    fwor Posts: 6,862 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    AndyD_OHD wrote: »
    she can't get it to re-illuminate by the usual methods, and has to restart it.

    What "usual methods" does she use? You don't say what OS is installed, but many (including most versions of Windows) have a Power Option that dims the screen all the time that's it's running on batteries - to conserve battery power.

    If disabling that does not rectify the problem, then the battery may be failing, but you'd know that because it would give short battery life.
  • KillerWatt
    KillerWatt Posts: 1,655 Forumite
    Sounds to me like it's doing what all laptops do, dropping in to power conservation mode to give the longest possible usage time from the battery.

    If she wants the laptop running at fill tilt when it's on battery, all she has to do is select the full performance option in the power saving properties.
    However, doing that will mean the battery lasts for a very short time before needing charging.
    Remember kids, it's the volts that jolt and the mills that kill.
  • AndyD_OHD
    AndyD_OHD Posts: 368 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    The "usual methods" are wiggling the mouse, and hoping for the best... lol.

    I am aware of the reduced power setting on my own lappy, and always Fn+uparrow to increase brightness. But as far as I am aware her laptop decreases brightness massively after a time on battery, and this time seems to be random. She's using Vista, I use XP and actually had to pay over the odds to have Dell install XP instead of Vista but that's another story. At the mo she is away on business and not back until weekend.
  • KillerWatt
    KillerWatt Posts: 1,655 Forumite
    Take a look at the profile of the power plan, tweak it if necessary.
    Remember kids, it's the volts that jolt and the mills that kill.
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