I enjoy an ripened laptop and the eyeshade is faded I own no clue what the problem is does anyone hold an thought .?

Compaq Presario 1278. Windows me


Answer:

The backlight might be dying within the screen. Or the setting for brightness might be set down, own you tried the Fn key plus one of the F# key? like Fn + F8? the key should be labeled with pictures for what they do.
Age could be worn out.

Take it to a comp use and see what it would cost to fix.

if it is too costly, time to upgrade.
as I devise.. it maybe because of a drop voltage surrounded by the inverter at the bottom of the screen.

you hold to change the lamp or the inverter .. or both of them.