Windows 7 - Fujitsu Laptop Repair

Yo Guys!
Fujitsu laptop problem. The screen has a pretty specific backlight bug - when the screen is tilted at around 90 degrees or more, the backlight on the left side starts flickering A LOT. Sometimes, if there is too much flicker, the entire backlight panel of the screen may shut off, leaving the screen entirely dark. The laptop has went to repair several times and everyone reported that the issue lies in a single cable which connects the backlight to some main connection thingy. The results after each repair were always the same - when back from repair the laptop works fine for one week then starts going all mumbo jumbo with the backlight again after about a week. Someone told me that if I actually get out a bit more cash they could change some bigger component in the laptop and get it working again (possibly the actual screen, or some kind of matrix thing).

Queston: Is this laptop worth fixing and spending time with? It is currently on Windows 7 Pro 32 bit with no SP1 instaled, it is pretty darn slow, considering the single core AMD @ 2.0 GHz, and the 1GB of DDR2 RAM. The screen itself sucks, it's one of those CrystalClear screens which makes you want to freak out when you bring it out into direct sulight. My original idea (since this is my mom's old laptop - she now has a new one) was to put Ubuntu on it and use it for testing, but the laptop itself sucks so I'm ot sure what to do.

OPTION ONE - I drop a small amount of money to fix this bulky thing?
OPTION TWO - I screw this, and work my ass up a bit this summer to plow around 500 bucks on a decent dual core laptop with some DDR3 RAM?

Waiting for opinions! Please help as this is really confusing and I don't really know what to do...

I'd work all summer. As you said it's pretty slow, so a new faster laptop would be a welcome change. It'll be worth working for.

Option 2. Save up and buy something decent. Don't spend any more money on this laptop.

Sell all you can out of the fujitsu cpu,ram HDD etc and put the rewards towards a new better faster laptop

Thank you for the advice guys! Looks like you all agree on the same thing.
You all get rep!
Topic closed.

You're welcome.

Go for a new Fujitsu.