[coolsteel]

Hi all, first post so here goes, my problem is my laptop, periodically it shuts down on its own accord, say once every 2 hrs, i run xp home, have Mcafee virus protection, ad ware software, firewall is sygate, just a guess but seems to crash/shutdown when i am on MSN on webcam, fan seems ok so dont think its overheating, local shop has done tests all negative and has had it running for 2 and a half hours no problem. So what im saying is it only seems to crash when i am connected to the internet. Any ideas's please would be appreciated, im not that well up on the tech side of things so please in laymans terms.
Thanks in advance.

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Note the time of the next shutdown

start > run , type
eventvwr.msc
enter

look in apps and system for Red Xs when the system shutdown....what do you see?

[gerryf]

Note the time of the next shutdown

start > run , type
eventvwr.msc
enter

look in apps and system for Red Xs when the system shutdown....what do you see?

[coolsteel]

Found the problem, its an Audio problem with MSN Messenger, found it by pure chance as audio wasn't working but video was fine and not crashing the laptop, when audio was restored to Messenger yes you've guessed it laptop shutdown or crashed depends how you look at it.
The problem now of course is using audio on MSN without it crashing the laptop.
Any idea's would be appreciated.

[coolsteel]

Gerryf am now confused! the problem hasnt gone away so i was totally wrong, now my daughter is back at Uni the problem has started all over again, did as you suggested but she says no red x's at time of shutdown. When the shutdown occurs if she restarts her laptop straight away it shuts down within 5 mins again, the longer she leaves it the longer it seems to work for but the enevitable happens eventually.
The problem she has is she cant do without it at the mo and is putting up with the problem, could it be overheating ?
Anyway hope you can help
Regards
Coolsteel

[wannabe1]

Hi coolsteel...

Have her download Speed Fan, install it, and run it to monitor voltages and temperatures. She can configure this to display the CPU temperature in the system tray. Please post back with the los temps (at startup) and the highest temperature she sees before it shuts down.

She can also monitor the Power Supply voltages with this application...they should be within .5 volts of the listed voltage and stay pretty steady.

wannabe1

[coolsteel]

hI wannabe my daughter has downloaded the software and has recorded these temperatures, HDO in tray @ bottom = 31, TEMP 1 = 70, TEMP 2 = 57, next to the temps 1&2 is a fire icon, thats what she has sent me.

Thanks Coolsteel

Edited by coolsteel, 13 October 2005 - 12:36 PM.

[wannabe1]

Hi coolsteel...

Heat is more than likely the culprit here.

The HDO temp is the Hard Drive...31 degrees is acceptable. However, Temp 1 is the CPU and, at 70 degrees, is way too hot. There are two things to do at this point...clean the CPU cooler (and make sure the CPU fan is running) and look into a laptop cooler (usually available wherever they sell laptops). She can check to see if the fans are running with the Speed Fan application she downloaded...the fan rpm should be listed in the pane to the left of the temps.

wannabe1

Edited by wannabe1, 13 October 2005 - 05:27 PM.

[coolsteel]

Thanks, Wannabe for all your help, dont know what novices like us would do without people like your goodself, is what we suspected all along and have a cooling pad in mind below, how do these manage to get the cool air inside the Laptop? Would a stand alone cooler be better (if they make them at all) than a cooler powered by a USB port as is the one below. Would using a cooler usb powered diminish the performance of the laptop?.

http://www.maplin.co...29973&doy=11m10

Regards

Coolsteel

Edited by coolsteel, 14 October 2005 - 01:09 AM.

[wannabe1]

Hi coolsteel...

Glad to help!

Notebook coolers typically are low-rise, plastic or metal-faced pedestals on which your notebook sits. They are equipped with a fan or two inside, which serves to draw hot air away from under your notebook, and thus promote a cooler operating environment. Usually efficient enough to drop up to 15 degrees the operating temperature, notebook coolers however require power for its fans and would typically draw its power off your notebook's USB ports. This could somewhat decrease your notebook's battery operating time, but so far have proven to be negligible for many users. If the cooler lowers the CPU temperature in your notebook, performance should improve rather than decline.

wannabe1

[coolsteel]

My daughter has used her notebook for 1.5 hours and fingers crossed no problems so far, the cooler has vastly reduced the operating temperature. Once again thanks for your help.
Coolsteel

Edited by coolsteel, 18 October 2005 - 07:09 AM.

[wannabe1]

coolsteel...

Glad the cooler helped!

wannabe1

[coolsteel]

Yes her overheating problem has been totally solved, no shutdown at all now

Thanks again

Coolsteel