[Manners22]

Hi!  My Dell laptop is randomly restarting.  Sometimes it is every few minutes, sometimes, every few hours. Sometimes there is a blue screen, sometimes not.  It is next to impossible to work at home on.

 

I doubt it is from heat as it sometimes shuts down within 5 minutes of booting up in the morning.

 

I don't know what you will need to help me fix this problem but I ran Speccy to start the process and this is the result:  http://speccy.pirifo...IVg3ekoAUDT6biD

 

I am so appreciative of your help!  Thanks you in advance!

 

 

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Hello Manners22,

 

Power Profile
Active power scheme: High performance

 

I suggest that you change the Windows Power Plan to Balanced, High Performance is a form of overclocking that is known to cause stability and overheating issues and the setting should only be used for gaming type notebooks that have a discrete GPU that needs the extra power.

 

Other than the above all that I can see is that Windows is well out of date and you have high memory usage.

 

The High Performance power setting can mess with the memory readings but if the use does not drop after changing the setting we should look elsewhere.

[phillpower2]

Hello Manners22,

 

Power Profile
Active power scheme: High performance

 

I suggest that you change the Windows Power Plan to Balanced, High Performance is a form of overclocking that is known to cause stability and overheating issues and the setting should only be used for gaming type notebooks that have a discrete GPU that needs the extra power.

 

Other than the above all that I can see is that Windows is well out of date and you have high memory usage.

 

The High Performance power setting can mess with the memory readings but if the use does not drop after changing the setting we should look elsewhere.

[Manners22]

Thank you.  I have just changed the Power Setting.  Hopefully that will make a difference today.  

 

The laptop is 4 years old.  I thought that Windows was updating.  What can I do about it being out of date?

Edited by Manners22, 10 April 2020 - 12:14 PM.

[phillpower2]

The change of power plan will drop the temperatures, reduce the power draw and hopefully make things more stable.

 

You have plenty of space on the C: drive so create a new system restore point and then go here to update to the latest version of Windows 10.

 

You are welcome btw 

[Manners22]

I have tried to get through the process of downloading the update 4 times.  Can't get through it without the laptop restarting.  So frustrating!  Grrrrr. Any suggestions?  I am attempting to do it with nothing open.  Makes no difference!  UGH!

[Manners22]

I got locked out of laptop because of too many shutdowns. Successfully changed password and made it to 100% just to have it start downloading all over again from 1%.  This has happened twice now with multiple restarts along the way.  Any suggestions?  Can I start from scratch with Windows or will I lose all of my files?  So frustrating!

[phillpower2]

Hold off on the Windows update for now.

 

Disable the need to enter a password while you are troubleshooting.

 

A question to answer and a check for you to do;

 

Are you using the computer with the battery in place and the AC adaptor powering the notebook.

 

Download and run CrystalDisk info standard edition from here

 

Run the program, grab any screenshots and attach to your next reply for us.

 

To capture and post a screenshot;

 

Click on the ALT key + PRT SCR key..its on the top row..right hand side..now click on start...all programs...accessories...paint....left click in the white area ...press CTRL + V...click on file...click on save...save it to your desktop...name it something related to the screen your capturing... BE SURE TO SAVE IT AS A .JPG ...otherwise it may be to big to upload... then after typing in any response you have... click on browse...desktop...find the screenshot..select it and click on the upload button...then on the lower left...after it says upload successful...click on add reply like you normally would.
 

Screenshot instructions are provided to assist those that may read this topic but are not yet aware of the “how to”.

[Manners22]

Thank you for the instructions.  Here are the CrystalDisk results.  

 

Again, thank you so much for your help.

Manners22

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Edited by Manners22, 11 April 2020 - 06:39 PM.

[phillpower2]

No problems at all with the HDD.

 

Are you using the computer with the battery in place and the AC adaptor powering the notebook.

 

 

You missed answering this for us.

 

Can I ask when was the last time that the notebook was cleaned out of heat trapping dust.

 

Re run Speccy and post the new url for us so we can check the temps again.

[Manners22]

My apologies.  Yes, I have the power cord plugged in and the battery is installed.  I have never cleaned it out of dust. I didn't know to do it and don't know how.  I will check online for a "how-to" and do it this afternoon, if you think that might help. 

 

Here is the url:    http://speccy.pirifo...qdPhRDa4fRTawdI

 

Happy Easter and thanks again.

 

Manners22

Edited by Manners22, 12 April 2020 - 07:11 AM.

[phillpower2]

I wouldn`t dismantle the notebook atm.

 

Did you have anything else running on the notebook when you did the last Speccy run, reason that I ask is because the temps are higher now than they were when you had the Power Plan set to High Performance, the temps should be lower now and not higher, even more odd is that the CPU is hotter but the HDD is cooler.

 

Thanks for the power cord/battery info, will come back to that after your next update.

 

You are welcome btw and Happy Easter  

[Manners22]

No other programs except Chrome were running.  Nothing external is connected.  I had just booted up after a good 7 - 8 hours. 

 

Amazingly, the laptop has been on for about an hour!  Here is the latest url:  http://speccy.pirifo...cngF7XWeJBT1eBY

 

Manners22

Edited by Manners22, 12 April 2020 - 03:01 PM.

[phillpower2]

Not sure what is causing the high CPU temps but the high memory usage looks to be being caused by the RAM only working in single channel mode, this is because the AMD A8-7410 in your notebook only has a single channel memory controller, see specs here this means that the RAM can only work at 800MHz as opposed to the 1600MHz that it would work at in dual channel mode should your CPU have two memory controllers, these CPUs were intended to be used with 1866MHz RAM which is what your notebook should really have shipped with.

 

RAM 

Memory slots

Total memory slots: 2

Used memory slots: 2

Free memory slots: 0

Memory

Type: DDR3

Size: 8192 MBytes

Channels #: Single

DRAM Frequency: 798.4 MHz

CAS# Latency (CL): 11 clocks

RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD): 11 clocks

RAS# Precharge (tRP): 12 clocks

Cycle Time (tRAS): 28 clocks

Bank Cycle Time (tRC): 39 clocks

Physical Memory

Memory Usage: 57 %

Total Physical: 6.94 GB

 

RE the high CPU temps, can you try running the notebook on battery only and then with the battery removed from the notebook and just the AC adaptor powering the notebook, check and make a note of the temps for each then let us know if there was any difference between the two.

[Manners22]

Battery alone:  http://speccy.pirifo...ZqkOnizmTuremGW

 

AC power alone:   http://speccy.piriform.com/results/FrGEAskjb0BxOt4py7cqvpZ 

 

Sorry it took me so long.  Life got in the way!

 

Thanks for your continued effort.

 

Manners22

[phillpower2]

No worries about any delay,fully understand that you have other things to take care of.

 

Temps have dropped 10/11 °C which is very good.

 

AC power alone: Speccy link not working I`m afraid, can we have another.

 

When you post back with the new Speccy url can you also let us know the following;

 

Are the battery and AC adaptor the ones that shipped with the notebook when out of the box new, if not let us know what has been replaced, what with, exact HP parts or generic replacements etc and how long ago.

 

Did the notebook shut down at all when you tried using the notebook under any of the above testing conditions.

 

 

You are welcome btw