Laptop payback

I've said it before - I feel sorry for the student that gets my laptop after I am done with it.

My laptop is trying to punish me for something. A few of weeks ago, I noticed that they thing only lasts about 20 or 30 minutes on it's battery. I thought that was kind of weird, then a couple of weeks ago, I noticed the thing was generating a charge on the outside of the lid. It is not a strong charge, but it is definitely there. Yesterday I started getting shocked from the corner of the laptop at the wrist rest. Not a lot, just enough that it starts to sting after a little bit. I don't think I feel it in the keyboard or anything like that, but I should probably get the thing looked at, since the shock on the lid would be a bit stronger for the girls if the touch it in the right spot. (There are 2 spots where the monitor hooks to the base where the charge is stronger.) I guess there is a chance that the minor charge could built to a serious one also.

The big problem is that anything I do will end up with them wanting to take my laptop away. This is sometimes a multiple day adventure. They give you a smaller laptop as a loaner, but it always has a smaller keyboard, which is harder to type on, and they always have Windows preloaded on it...

Maybe I can convince them to just order parts without taking my machine. That's after I convince them that the thing is building a charge. (It resets when I turn it off, and I don't know if it does it when I am plugged into my port replicator at my desk. I have to see if I can find a voltmeter somewhere.