Laptop Help

[GregP]

I can use some help figuring out what to check for my daughters laptop. It periodically turns itself off. It's not loosing power (running on the PS). It leaves no error messages in the system logs. It does not give any messages, get the blue screen, it simply shuts off "instantly". It can happen as often as every hour, or as seldom as every few days.

It had a hard disk die (controller, system couldn't talk to it) so I put in a new drive and reloaded everything. It ran fine for a couple weeks, then started the random shutdowns again. I thought (hoped) that it was the disk dieing and randomly shutting down that was causing the power-off, but would hope the new drive isn't dieing already.

Any ideas what to test or where to look?

Thanks - Greg

 

[Sea-Dated]

Probably a PS issue on the motherboard. I have seen this with some Dells in the past and they had to swao the motherboard to fix it...

 

[cigdaze]

The biggest reason for laptops simply shutting down is heat. They have protective circuitry to immediately shut down everything when they get too hot; and most often it's video related or the processing of intensive 3D data (gaming, CAD, large videos, etc.). Check for blocked vents, dead fans, dust, etc.

 

[GregP]

I opened it and checked and cleaned the fan previously, it still is running and seems clear.

Any way to test for PS issues?

Thanks - Greg

 

[glassdave]

one other thing to be aware of on the heat issue is sometimes if the laptop is being used on a non hard surface like a pillow or the carpet or on a blanket the vents can easily be blocked and throw it in to a overheat condition.

What brand is it? i have an HP Pavilion that had similar issues. Turned out to be the motherboard and it was covered under an extended warranty program.

 

[GregP]

It's a Gateway and out of warranty. Getting info from them when I called tech previously was impossible.

It is on a desk, already looked at making sure it didn't block the fan.

Her laptop has always run noticibly hotter than my HP's. I've thought about the cooler mat things but didn't think you should need one. Maybe hers is just a poor design and one might help nurse it along till I can afford to replace it.

-g

 

[inbetween]

A faulty block of RAM? Maybe try a new memory chip?

 

[MarylandMark]

http://support.gateway.com/s/Checklists/Q42006/ck2006110919.shtml

check power settings:
control panel
power options
be sure all boxes are set to never

Does it beep at all before shutting down?

 

[GregP]

Mark,
I've already cleaned the inside and the fan. It shuts down even while you are typing, so it's not the power settings timing out.

Where the hotest place on the bottom is, is where the hard disk is. It is new, but I suppose could still be a poor design.

Adam,
I'll have to try to see where the RAM is wrt the hot spot as I don't remember the layout of that from when I had it open.

-Greg

 

[MarylandMark]

Confused on 1st post-

You do or do not get the blue screen (of death..)

 

[MarylandMark]

MAY want to try some thing like this:

http://www.download.com/Motherboard-Monitor/3000-2086_4-10518386.html

I wouldn't keep it on there forever since it seems to sloooooow your computer down but that may be part of the trouble shooting/maxing out resources.

 

[GregP]

I'll lokk at that. No, it doesn't give the blue screen, just powers everything off to a blank screen.

Thanks - Greg