Is my Laptop Dying?

I don't think my laptop is feeling very well - and it doesn't look like a cheap fix.







I've had it for a few years, but went through a phase where I hardly ever used it and as a result, the battery ran out just tyring to keep the clock running. Part of that was because I couldn't be bothered setting the WiFi up so I had to be plugged into the router all the time, but the main reason was that because it was running 256MB of RAM on Windoze XP, it took four days to to open an Excel document.

But I got it upgraded and now use it more often. The problem is, the battery seems as it's on it's last legs.
The other day it lasted about 30 mins. I've changed the power settings to something a bit more energy conservative, but a new battery looks to be around the corner.

A quick Googlle search points me in the direction of Partmaster, owned by the same firm as extended warranty seller Currys. They'll happily provide me with a new battery, for the princely sum of £85 - and that was one of the better deals!

Looks like my mains adapter will be working overtime in the next few weeks.