i will try these suggestions tonight and try a new cable if it is the right one. this is not a precious computer..refurbished, cheap..almost dropped it on my foot once so i am not fond of it...i am not going to put any money into repairing it...i have a newer laptop to use..just used this to copy my lullaby cds etc.

but i also can not use my newer laptop for the genealogy program i like, which works on xp for sure and probably 2003..if anyone has one they want to sell really cheaply, let me know...i have given several of these away and now i wish i had kept one...