Laptop shutting down

Pia · 29-01-2009, 12:08

My Toshiba Satellite A100-487 keeps randomly dying, it doesn't close down via Windows it just physically turns off, i think it may be overheating as i had it on for about 20 mins this morning and it was hotter than usual - but now (touchwood) it seems to be okay so far.

Any ideas why this would be happening? I booted up in safe mode and it still shut down again during start-up.

haydnwalker · 29-01-2009, 12:41

Where do you keep it? Desk / Floor next to bed (or something similar?)

Mine gets hot when its on the floor as the carpet insulates the thing. If its on a desk its not too bad. I'd suggest trying out a laptop cooler and see if that helps. Also listen for the PSU and CPU fans spinning... if they aren't there is your problem.

Kymmy · 29-01-2009, 12:42

See if the bios has a temp readout so on reboot you can see what the problem is...

If not you should be able to find a manufacturer or evena 3rd party system monitor tool...

Personally from experience I'd get a tin of spray duster, take off the heatsinkfan cover (some laptops don;t have a fan cover though..) and get rid of all the acumulated dust

Dai · 29-01-2009, 14:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

See if the bios has a temp readout so on reboot you can see what the problem is...

If not you should be able to find a manufacturer or evena 3rd party system monitor tool...

Personally from experience I'd get a tin of spray duster, take off the heatsinkfan cover (some laptops don;t have a fan cover though..) and get rid of all the acumulated dust

You'll probably want to do that outdoors. It's quite amazing how much crud comes out of some of them.

Pia · 29-01-2009, 14:53

The biggest symptom is that the cursor is jumpy and sometimes unresponsive when the laptop gets hot. I've realised i can let it cool and now it will last up to 20 mins before it cuts out again.

I'll need to install a 3rd party temp monitor as my bios doesn't give that info.

I've tried hoovering it out but i can't actually acess the fan, it looks like i'd need to take the whole of the back cover off and it doesn't seem do-able

---------- Post added at 13:51 ---------- Previous post was at 13:45 ----------

The laptop itself feels cool at the moment and is running at 45 degrees C

---------- Post added at 13:53 ---------- Previous post was at 13:51 ----------

Rising quickly, already at 47.5, with no other activity other than Firefox running

Pia · 29-01-2009, 15:01

Is this normal temperature activity?

Graham M · 29-01-2009, 15:10

Assuming that's accurate and is a temperature graph of the CPU then there's not a lot wrong with that!

Kymmy · 29-01-2009, 16:28

The temp rise/fall is the fan kicking in/out... Although the temp might seem OK the sensor tends to be in weird places and doesn't normally actually touch the CPU instead it emasures close proximity air or the temp of the heatsink...

If you know someone competent then not only would I recommend a removal of the dust on the fan but also perhaps a reseating of the CPU heatsink with a better quality HSC..

Pia · 30-01-2009, 11:01

Thanks for all the help guys, it seems to be stable since hoovering, even though i only hoovered through the plastic grill covering the fan and it didn't seem to get anything, it must have done some good though.

Temp hasn't gone above 49 since, and it hasn't cut out again (as yet!)