Does anybody have a clue what might be causing this? Sounds like the backlight is bad, it's a little lamp that's located in the lower backside of the screen that lights up the screen. Search google for lcd backlight to learn more. There is another component that could be a problem, but the name escapes me now. Good thing you don't have dead pixel lines, that would mean a screen replacement, very expensive. Good thing you have the extended warranty.

Snidely - good point about not removing things if they're not causing trouble - lest they turn out to have been needed. So I have left some things that I have no idea about. I did delete Dell Stage - bc. it's a real pain - gets in the way all the time (my daughter who's had this on her laptop for 2 years confirmed that it's just in the way). I did all the microsoft updates, ran a few antivirus, got rid of what I want to get rid of, and it's mostly good to go. Here's the trouble that remains: I can't get the printer working. It's a Canon Pixma MX850 - on the home network. I did not want to install the Canon disk bc. it has a ton of it's own bloatware. So I went to Canon and downloaded the driver - as well as the IJ utility software (I think that helps the computer find a printer on the network). Went to devices and printers, added the printer and made it the default printer. It shows up in printers and devices, but when I go to print something, it fails. Troubleshooting says the test page didn't print bc. something else is in the queue. But there is nothing else in the queue. I opened the queue from my pain desktop (that's connected to the printer) - and there's no documents in the queue. Went to the printer queue on DH's lapto; - it also shows nothing in the queue. I can print from other computers. Don't know what else to do. And I just remembered that I did not see Java. It didnt come up as needing updating when I ran the Secunia scan. I am not sure which programs need it, but can imagine my husband being stumped if he tries to do something that needs Java and asks him to install. I'd like to install it for him. Got to remember that. I also have a question about Microsoft Security Essentials. Twice now it found something bad - and I selected to remove the couple of files. Does this AV just run in the background or do I also need to run scans? Thank you. Lynn.

MS has a support article on it ... about 1 yr old. Gardenweb link at bottom. but it also says The ISATAP adapter encapsulates IPv6 packets by using an IPv4 header. This functionality enables the client to transport IPv6 traffic over an IPv4 infrastructure. ....... I'd probably try rebuilding the Tcp/Ip stack... A standard fix for problematic network connection problems anyways. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357 (MS Fixit) Here is a link that might be useful: MS Support 'ISATAP adapter code 31'

Hi salbwil, Drop down for uninstall only. I wonder if this came from hotmail when I opened hotmail awhile back to clean it out as I am through with their changes all the time and taking over with everything. A person doesn't know if they are in windows live hotmail or hotmail or windows live mail? Started to go to hotmail but got scared when I seen the word default on the status bar when it was DL'ing so stopped. Was scared it would make it my default mail on it's own like was done the last time I was there. Finally solved that problem which shook me up to make me afraid to go there again.