Laptop flashing red screen on startup

Idoliside

Very odd error on my brand new laptop. Compaq Presario CQ61.
When I start the computer up, it flashes a red screen at me intermittently. But it's quite odd, instead of flashing over everything, it lets the windows startup logo go through it. Looks like it over-rides all the black with red.
The problem goes away when the computer is fully started up but still a cause for concern. Any ideas?

Tofystedeth

Does it fix at the same time every time? For instance when the startup logo goes away and Windows starts running at the normal resolution?
In that case it might be a video card problem, where for some reason the generic low-res/low-color mode the system uses before Windows loads the driver isn't working with it correctly. Does it do it in the text mode before Windows starts booting (or the Compaq logo splash if they do that)? What about if you go into BIOS (press del or F2 usually right after starting it up.)

Does it do it if you reboot the system or only on a cold boot or coming back from standby/hibernate?
If the latter, it could be maybe a loose connection that tightens up as the system warms up. I don't know if it's the same for the internal connection a laptop LCD uses, but I know on CRT monitors I've seen if the VGA connector isn't in quite right so that one or two pins aren't making contact the whole screen looks washed with a color since it isn't getting the entire signal.

Idoliside

It's the latter, after a couple of reboots the problem didn't re-occur. But on cold starts it does glitch.
Is this a minor problem, or is it worth getting checked?
It generally fixes itself before the Windows login screen. Will try it in text mode later on.

theclam

Something's wrong with the video card or the cable connecting it to the display. I had a similar problem and it got worse over time to the point where it never went away. I'd return it and get a replacement.