Sandra - While I sympathize with your predicament, as the others have
told you your symptoms are normally caused by hardware issues. Naturally
since none of us can see your computer this is not a definitive
diagnosis, but the conclusion that the others (and I) have come to is
based on many years of doing professional tech support. So of course you
need to take the advice you receive as a "best guess" by people who
don't have hands-on with the machine.
You cannot fix hardware problems with software and there is no getting
around it. Since you obviously can get to the Internet if you have a
fast connection you can download Knoppix, a Linux distro that runs from
CD. Create your bootable Knoppix CD (may need third-party burning
software in Vista - you do in XP) and boot your machine with it. If the
machine exhibits the same symptoms in Linux, then you know for sure the
issues are caused by hardware.
Or restore the computer to factory condition by whichever method Acer
has provided. If the problems are solved, be very cautious about the
things you install. Install only one thing at a time and test after each
installation. If the problems are not solved, this also lets you know
that there is faulty hardware.
Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
