I have a Dell Inspiron 5150 and it is about 2 yrs old. I operate xp home edition, 3.2 processor, 30 gigs HD, 512 Meg ram. A few weeks ago my laptop started shutting down for no reason at all. I would be in the middle of something and it would just go off. Well assuming that I maybe installed software that created a conflict I reformatted, and kept to factory basics. I have done this before in the last two years just to get a clean slate so I know I have the correct drivers and such., Well now I can only get it to work if I plug it into a regular monitor, however if I squeeze or touch any part of the Laptop it just shuts off unless I tilt it to the side etc.

IT will NOT work with its own screen any longer. So now I am wondering if when I thought it was shutting down a few weeks ago if actually my screen was shutting off but the pc was still running. And there is still the question as to why if I move it, touch it etc why does it shut off, come on, whatever it wants? If it is worth fixing I will but if it’s the motherboard or something else along that line that I probably will not. Any ideas?

Sounds like maybe something is loose inside

Look in your Event viewer: rt. click My Computer then click Manage then Event Viewer.
Or: Administrative Tools/Event Viewer or Start/Run/ eventvwr
Open the system as well as the application tabs & look for X errors. Click error line for details.
Post back the source & event id especially of errors that seem to coincide with a crash.

Also check the Device Manager: RT click My Computer then click Manage then Device Manager or go to start/run/ devmgmt.msc for any "!"

Source: NetBT Type:error Event ID 4311

Initaliization failed because the device driver could not be created.

That ia the only "x" in the whole list.

As for the device manager everything is fine. I have a IBM thinkpad with a smaller processor, 2.4 I think. I am wondering if I should part out my Dell and invest into my IBM. I LOVE my Dell though... Any other ideas? And if you could please tell me if this means my lcd screen is toast? Thank you very much!!!

This is a flaw in the design of the notebook, on the bottom of the laptop there is a panel with a C on it. The tab on that panel is to long and over time pushes into a chip on the motherboard breaking the solder points on the chip. There is afix for it but you need to know how to solder very small componants. I have been successful in fixing several of these. A new motherboard is the other alternative. There is also a class action lawsuite on Dell for this known flaw.