Is it a Compaq Pesario?
The compaq line have a typical problem. The solidering to the GPU unit (the graphics card area) are really bad during the technology of that time, and what happens is the ever cooling and heating of the cpu and the heatsink connection cracks the solidering that's between them.
In your case Tankzor, it sounds like a fried GPU chip (70% of pesario laptop experiences this, typical lifespan is between 2 - 5 years). If you get lucky, then the GPU is still okay, you just need a professional soldiering redone, which I doubt!
Why do I know all these? No I'm not a geek. It's because my wife has a compaq pesario, and hers just died a few months ago, and I paid out of the wazoo to have it fixed, only to know from the tech later on that all I need is a replacement GPU, and new soldiering done. Ask around the repairmen at your area, those that are familiar with the compaq line. They should have encountered these problems during their profession.
If your laptop is not a compaq pesario, then feel free to think I'm talking out of my arse.