Issues with my Dell UltraSharp monitor

I picked up this used monitor that looks pretty decent, maybe about 2 years old.
The issue is that once I turn it on, the screen starts flickering with these weird, blurry horizontal lines running all the way across.
I'm running it off my laptop using a VGA connection. Is the monitor actually broken, or is there just some setting I need to tweak?

Here’s what my laptop is running:
Intel Core Duo CPU T6570 2.10GHz
3 GB DDR3
VGA: NVIDIA GeForce(MHD)
Windows XP SP3

Any help would be appreciated.

So, you actually went ahead and bought a used monitor without even testing it out first?

I think I was looking for some help here, not a diagnosis🙂

Try plugging it into something else... a desktop or a laptop... and get all those cables, power strips, and extra electronics away from it. Just plug it directly into the wall outlet itself.

I have a question regarding my Dell UltraSharp—specifically the display. A few days ago, I wiped the screen with a damp cloth—not soaking wet, mind you—and then dried it off immediately after. Now, there are these persistent streaks left behind. It looks like the coating has actually peeled in certain spots, leaving this residue. Is there any way to fix this, and if so, what kind of damage control am I looking at in terms of cost? Thanks.