Laptop problems.

[Georgelemmons]

I have a nice laptop, about two years old. It runs Windows XP SP2, has a 1.6 Ghz cpu and 512M of RAM. Occasionally, it will beep at full volume, even if it's muted, and the screen will go black. It stays on, and the only way to turn it off is to unplug it and take out the battery. This happened to my sister when I wasn't home, and she just left it on. It started making a small stuttering noise (not from the hard drive). I turned it off using the method described above. When I turned it back on, the fan spun all the way up, and stayed at full speed. My computer is now extremely laggy, and when idle, uses about 70% cpu. Something is definitely wrong, but I have no idea what. :ohnoes:

 

 

 

Update: I ran some diagnostics, and the processor runs fine. All of my thermistors (temperature sensors) failed, saying that the temperature readout was 255C, and that the max was 100C. I felt it, and it was nowhere near 255C on the outside. Normally, I can tell when my computer is hot just by feeling it. Now, however, it's almost cooler than normal. This leads me to think that the temperature sensors are messed up and causing the fan to run at full speed, even the the computer is actually operating at a normal temperature. Also, when I try to test either the video fan or the processor fan, the test goes till around 15% finished, and then the computer just turns off.

 

 

 

All help is much appreciated.

[Sbrideau]

Did you try to go in safe mode?

 

 

 

And unplugging your computer is very unhealthy for it, you should press the power button for (5 seconds I think?) until it shuts off.

 

 

 

To me it seems to be a virus making it work to the point it overheats, and the computer should shut itself off to protect from burning, but with what you said, better go with someone more savvy than me, like Clare or sloter.

[sloter]

This could be worst case scenario but i will though it out there. As sbrideau2000 it is not good at all to unplug your computer. It is possible your corrupted your CMOS which is giving you your therma censors failing and i know i am sound like someone right now but i will leave his name anonymous. It could also be your fans are jammed with dust and that is causing the noise as laptops are big dust collectors. I would check the fans first off and clean them. If you decide to do it post back on what you find.

[Georgelemmons]

Thanks, I'll try that.

 

 

 

I do realize that unplugging my laptop is bad for it, but it was either that or let the battery run all the way down. This has happened multiple times, and every single time, the power button hasn't worked. I've tested it multiple times, and there seems to be no other way to turn it off when this happens.

 

 

 

I'm not sure that I have no viruses, but I think it's pretty unlikely.

[Georgelemmons]

Bump.

 

 

 

 

 

Anyone who can help, please do :pray:

[sloter]

Have you tried a BIOS update?

[Georgelemmons]

Nope, I can. Thanks.

[compfreak847]

Have you tried a BIOS update?

 

It is unlikely to help, and do NOT flash it if the computer is frequently crashing\shutting down. If it crashes in the middle of an update, you will have some SERIOUS problems, ranging from having to change from jumpers (if you have a dual bios) to replacing your motherboard. It sounds very much like a thermal event; something such as a CPU\GPU overheating cannot necessarily be felt by touching the case. Make sure all your fans are spinning, clear of dust and other blockages, and that there is plenty of space between the outside of the fans and your desk\wall. Try running some sort of graphics card (aquabench works) and CPU (Prime95 works) stressing program to see if the computer overheats faster. Obviously maintaining an up to date antivirus scanner is a good idea; the 70% CPU usage is a sign of something running in the background sucking up resources. This could be aggravating an overheating problem, or an inherently bad cooling system (although unlikely). Possibly talk to your computer manufacture, and see if they can solve the problem if you cannot.

[sloter]

Nope, I can. Thanks.

 

It is unlikley to help, and do NOT flash it if the computer is frequently crashing\shutting down. If it crashes in the middle of an update, you will have some SERIOUS problems, ranging from having to change from jumpers (if you have a dual bios) to replacing your motherboard. It sounds very much like a thermal event; something such as a CPU\GPU overheating cannot necessarily be felt by touching the case. Make sure all your fans are spinning, clear of dust and other blockages, and that there is plenty of space between the outside of the fans and your desk\wall. Try running some sort of graphics card (aquabench works) and CPU (Prime95 works) stressing program to see if the computer overheats faster. Obviously maintaining an up to date antivirus scanner is a good idea; the 70% CPU usage is a sign of something running in the background sucking up resources. This could be aggravating an overheating problem, or an inherently bad cooling system (although unlikely). Possibly talk to your computer manufacture, and see if they can solve the problem if you cannot.

 

Heh, it doesn't take long to update the BIOS. I have a question for you. How much have your worked with computers? Also i said to clean the fans above. You might want to watch what useless information you put out there first. Yes a BIOS update can mess it up if it isn't flashed right. This does help to get your BIOS up to date to work with the latest drivers. If you are a computer consultant in real life i will be sure to never ask you for advice.

[compfreak847]

Nope, I can. Thanks.

 

It is unlikley to help, and do NOT flash it if the computer is frequently crashing\shutting down. If it crashes in the middle of an update, you will have some SERIOUS problems, ranging from having to change from jumpers (if you have a dual bios) to replacing your motherboard. It sounds very much like a thermal event; something such as a CPU\GPU overheating cannot necessarily be felt by touching the case. Make sure all your fans are spinning, clear of dust and other blockages, and that there is plenty of space between the outside of the fans and your desk\wall. Try running some sort of graphics card (aquabench works) and CPU (Prime95 works) stressing program to see if the computer overheats faster. Obviously maintaining an up to date antivirus scanner is a good idea; the 70% CPU usage is a sign of something running in the background sucking up resources. This could be aggravating an overheating problem, or an inherently bad cooling system (although unlikely). Possibly talk to your computer manufacture, and see if they can solve the problem if you cannot.

 

Heh, it doesn't take long to update the BIOS. I have a question for you. How much have your worked with computers? Also i said to clean the fans above. You might want to watch what useless information you put out there first. Yes a BIOS update can mess it up if it isn't flashed right. This does help to get your BIOS up to date to work with the latest drivers. If you are a computer consultant in real life i will be sure to never ask you for advice.

 

Ever since windows came out, I mostly specialize in Microsoft. Personal arguments being over, I'll continue on with the rest of your post. Is a bios update likely to solve a recent problem? No. Is the computer likely to be trashed if it fails? Yes. Will it fail if the computer crashes while it is being flashed? More then likely. I've flashed BIOSes dozens, if not hundreds of times, and the likelihood that it will help a new problem is very low, and CERTAINLY not worth the risk of bricking the motherboard. I was suggesting the fans as part of an overall solution, exactly the same as I would to a client, regardless of what he was advised before. BIOS are updated for two reasons - adding new features that you need, or solving existing conflicts. The fact that his problem seems to have appeared recently (surely he hasn't been having it for two years now!) indicates that flashing the BIOS would NOT help, and is a VERY bad idea when the computer is constantly crashing. Replacing the motherboard in a laptop is time consuming and expensive if you do it yourself, and VERY expensive if you hire someone for it. If the motherboard is specialized, it may not at all. Is a tiny chance at fixing your computer worth the very real possibility of having to replace it, or pay 300-500+ dollars to repair it? Giving out worthless advice is one thing, giving out advice that could easily destroy the client's computer is another thing entirely. Try all the other fixes recommended, and talk to the manufacture (especially if it is still under warranty). Flashing this BIOS in this situation is a very last resort. It would help if you provided some more detailed information (how recently the problem came up, how often it happens, what are you doing when it happens, what have you done to try and fix it etc.)

[Georgelemmons]

Nope, I can. Thanks.

 

It is unlikley to help, and do NOT flash it if the computer is frequently crashing\shutting down. If it crashes in the middle of an update, you will have some SERIOUS problems, ranging from having to change from jumpers (if you have a dual bios) to replacing your motherboard. It sounds very much like a thermal event; something such as a CPU\GPU overheating cannot necessarily be felt by touching the case. Make sure all your fans are spinning, clear of dust and other blockages, and that there is plenty of space between the outside of the fans and your desk\wall. Try running some sort of graphics card (aquabench works) and CPU (Prime95 works) stressing program to see if the computer overheats faster. Obviously maintaining an up to date antivirus scanner is a good idea; the 70% CPU usage is a sign of something running in the background sucking up resources. This could be aggravating an overheating problem, or an inherently bad cooling system (although unlikely). Possibly talk to your computer manufacture, and see if they can solve the problem if you cannot.

 

Heh, it doesn't take long to update the BIOS. I have a question for you. How much have your worked with computers? Also i said to clean the fans above. You might want to watch what useless information you put out there first. Yes a BIOS update can mess it up if it isn't flashed right. This does help to get your BIOS up to date to work with the latest drivers. If you are a computer consultant in real life i will be sure to never ask you for advice.

 

Ever since windows came out, I mostly specialize in Microsoft. Personal arguments being over, I'll continue on with the rest of your post. Is a bios update likely to solve a recent problem? No. Is the computer likely to be trashed if it fails? Yes. Will it fail if the computer crashes while it is being flashed? More then likely. I've flashed BIOSes dozens, if not hundreds of times, and the likelihood that it will help a new problem is very low, and CERTAINLY not worth the risk of bricking the motherboard. I was suggesting the fans as part of an overall solution, exactly the same as I would to a client, regardless of what he was advised before. BIOS are updated for two reasons - adding new features that you need, or solving existing conflicts. The fact that his problem seems to have appeared recently (surely he hasn't been having it for two years now!) indicates that flashing the BIOS would NOT help, and is a VERY bad idea when the computer is constantly crashing. Replacing the motherboard in a laptop is time consuming and expensive if you do it yourself, and VERY expensive if you hire someone for it. If the motherboard is specialized, it may not at all. Is a tiny chance at fixing your computer worth the very real possibility of having to replace it, or pay 300-500+ dollars to repair it? Giving out worthless advice is one thing, giving out advice that could easily destroy the client's computer is another thing entirely. Try all the other fixes recommended, and talk to the manufacture (especially if it is still under warranty). Flashing this BIOS in this situation is a very last resort. It would help if you provided some more detailed information (how recently the problem came up, how often it happens, what are you doing when it happens, what have you done to try and fix it etc.)

 

 

 

Okay.. Let's see.

 

 

 

It started about 3 months ago, less than once a week. The computer would beep at me, and blackscreen instantly. Pretty much the only thing I've been doing when this happens is playing Runescape, which is a moderate load on my cpu. (Usually it runs at about 80% while playing). I'm not really sure they're connected, because playing Runescape is one of the few things I do on my laptop. ;) I've tried multiple times to revive it from this state, but nothing has worked. Ctrl-Alt-Dlt: Nothing. Alt-Esc: Nothing. Closing + Repoening: Nothing. Trying to turn off or possibly restart using power button: Nothing. Unplugging all peripherals: Nothing.

 

 

 

2 weeks ago it was left on in this state. When I found it like this, it was making a soft, repetitive noise that I couldn't really trace, but with some certainty decided it was coming out of the speakers. None of the above mentioned techniques worked here either. I took the battery out and restarted. The fan sped all the way up (I've never heard it go anywhere close to that fast) and the resting cpu usage was constantly around 70%. I looked at all the processes, but nothing was out of line. It was just system processes taking up more cpu than normal. I ran a full system scan using Norton Antivirus, and that came up with absolutely nothing. I ran the boot menu diagnostics, and they gave the results mentioned in my OP several times. I tried using the system restore to set the disk back to 2 weeks before this started happening, but it had no effect.

 

 

 

*Phew* Hope that helps :pray:

 

 

 

Thanks for responding to my pm :)

[compfreak847]

[hide=]

Nope, I can. Thanks.

 

It is unlikley to help, and do NOT flash it if the computer is frequently crashing\shutting down. If it crashes in the middle of an update, you will have some SERIOUS problems, ranging from having to change from jumpers (if you have a dual bios) to replacing your motherboard. It sounds very much like a thermal event; something such as a CPU\GPU overheating cannot necessarily be felt by touching the case. Make sure all your fans are spinning, clear of dust and other blockages, and that there is plenty of space between the outside of the fans and your desk\wall. Try running some sort of graphics card (aquabench works) and CPU (Prime95 works) stressing program to see if the computer overheats faster. Obviously maintaining an up to date antivirus scanner is a good idea; the 70% CPU usage is a sign of something running in the background sucking up resources. This could be aggravating an overheating problem, or an inherently bad cooling system (although unlikely). Possibly talk to your computer manufacture, and see if they can solve the problem if you cannot.

 

Heh, it doesn't take long to update the BIOS. I have a question for you. How much have your worked with computers? Also i said to clean the fans above. You might want to watch what useless information you put out there first. Yes a BIOS update can mess it up if it isn't flashed right. This does help to get your BIOS up to date to work with the latest drivers. If you are a computer consultant in real life i will be sure to never ask you for advice.

 

Ever since windows came out, I mostly specialize in Microsoft. Personal arguments being over, I'll continue on with the rest of your post. Is a bios update likely to solve a recent problem? No. Is the computer likely to be trashed if it fails? Yes. Will it fail if the computer crashes while it is being flashed? More then likely. I've flashed BIOSes dozens, if not hundreds of times, and the likelihood that it will help a new problem is very low, and CERTAINLY not worth the risk of bricking the motherboard. I was suggesting the fans as part of an overall solution, exactly the same as I would to a client, regardless of what he was advised before. BIOS are updated for two reasons - adding new features that you need, or solving existing conflicts. The fact that his problem seems to have appeared recently (surely he hasn't been having it for two years now!) indicates that flashing the BIOS would NOT help, and is a VERY bad idea when the computer is constantly crashing. Replacing the motherboard in a laptop is time consuming and expensive if you do it yourself, and VERY expensive if you hire someone for it. If the motherboard is specialized, it may not at all. Is a tiny chance at fixing your computer worth the very real possibility of having to replace it, or pay 300-500+ dollars to repair it? Giving out worthless advice is one thing, giving out advice that could easily destroy the client's computer is another thing entirely. Try all the other fixes recommended, and talk to the manufacture (especially if it is still under warranty). Flashing this BIOS in this situation is a very last resort. It would help if you provided some more detailed information (how recently the problem came up, how often it happens, what are you doing when it happens, what have you done to try and fix it etc.)

 

 

 

Okay.. Let's see.

 

 

 

It started about 3 months ago, less than once a week. The computer would beep at me, and blackscreen instantly. Pretty much the only thing I've been doing when this happens is playing Runescape, which is a moderate load on my cpu. (Usually it runs at about 80% while playing). I'm not really sure they're connected, because playing Runescape is one of the few things I do on my laptop. ;) I've tried multiple times to revive it from this state, but nothing has worked. Ctrl-Alt-Dlt: Nothing. Alt-Esc: Nothing. Closing + Repoening: Nothing. Trying to turn off or possibly restart using power button: Nothing. Unplugging all peripherals: Nothing.

 

 

 

2 weeks ago it was left on in this state. When I found it like this, it was making a soft, repetitive noise that I couldn't really trace, but with some certainty decided it was coming out of the speakers. None of the above mentioned techniques worked here either. I took the battery out and restarted. The fan sped all the way up (I've never heard it go anywhere close to that fast) and the resting cpu usage was constantly around 70%. I looked at all the processes, but nothing was out of line. It was just system processes taking up more cpu than normal. I ran a full system scan using Norton Antivirus, and that came up with absolutely nothing. I ran the boot menu diagnostics, and they gave the results mentioned in my OP several times. I tried using the system restore to set the disk back to 2 weeks before this started happening, but it had no effect.

 

 

 

*Phew* Hope that helps :pray:

 

 

 

Thanks for responding to my pm :)

[/hide]

 

 

 

No problem, I enjoy computer problems :

 

 

 

Anyway, that does help a lot. First of all, try scanning with another scanner that detects more; earlier versions of Norton do not detect spyware. Try Spybot Search & Destroy (safer-networking.org), Ad Aware 2008 Free Edition (lavasoft.com), and last but not least AVG Free 8.0 (free.grisoft.com). I would recommend uninstalling Norton, install AVG, updating it, then running a full scan in safe mode. If you would prefer to leave Norton installed, do not install AVG and use the other two instead. The three of those should show up any spyware. Have you contacted the manufacture, and is the computer under warranty? Where\who did you get it from?

[Georgelemmons]

I believe it's still under warranty, but I'll need to check. I got the laptop directly from Dell (online order).

 

I'll try the spyware scanners, see if they come up with anything.

[compfreak847]

I believe it's still under warranty, but I'll need to check. I got the laptop directly from Dell (online order).

 

I'll try the spyware scanners, see if they come up with anything.

 

OK, if they don't, contact dell. Their online chat is actually fairly helpful, as it allows you to easily multitask while calling them. Despite some horror stories, I've found them very helpful - in one case, the rep called me back several times when we were disconnected, and gave me his email address so that I could contact him easily to work on the issue. Talk to Dell, although it is somewhat likely that they will ask you to flash the BIOS; they have several times in the past for me. Make sure they know the crashing problem first; that way if anything goes wrong, its their fault for telling you to, as all conversations are recorded and copies are sent to your email address.

[Sbrideau]

[hide=]

Nope, I can. Thanks.

 

It is unlikley to help, and do NOT flash it if the computer is frequently crashing\shutting down. If it crashes in the middle of an update, you will have some SERIOUS problems, ranging from having to change from jumpers (if you have a dual bios) to replacing your motherboard. It sounds very much like a thermal event; something such as a CPU\GPU overheating cannot necessarily be felt by touching the case. Make sure all your fans are spinning, clear of dust and other blockages, and that there is plenty of space between the outside of the fans and your desk\wall. Try running some sort of graphics card (aquabench works) and CPU (Prime95 works) stressing program to see if the computer overheats faster. Obviously maintaining an up to date antivirus scanner is a good idea; the 70% CPU usage is a sign of something running in the background sucking up resources. This could be aggravating an overheating problem, or an inherently bad cooling system (although unlikely). Possibly talk to your computer manufacture, and see if they can solve the problem if you cannot.

 

Heh, it doesn't take long to update the BIOS. I have a question for you. How much have your worked with computers? Also i said to clean the fans above. You might want to watch what useless information you put out there first. Yes a BIOS update can mess it up if it isn't flashed right. This does help to get your BIOS up to date to work with the latest drivers. If you are a computer consultant in real life i will be sure to never ask you for advice.

 

Ever since windows came out, I mostly specialize in Microsoft. Personal arguments being over, I'll continue on with the rest of your post. Is a bios update likely to solve a recent problem? No. Is the computer likely to be trashed if it fails? Yes. Will it fail if the computer crashes while it is being flashed? More then likely. I've flashed BIOSes dozens, if not hundreds of times, and the likelihood that it will help a new problem is very low, and CERTAINLY not worth the risk of bricking the motherboard. I was suggesting the fans as part of an overall solution, exactly the same as I would to a client, regardless of what he was advised before. BIOS are updated for two reasons - adding new features that you need, or solving existing conflicts. The fact that his problem seems to have appeared recently (surely he hasn't been having it for two years now!) indicates that flashing the BIOS would NOT help, and is a VERY bad idea when the computer is constantly crashing. Replacing the motherboard in a laptop is time consuming and expensive if you do it yourself, and VERY expensive if you hire someone for it. If the motherboard is specialized, it may not at all. Is a tiny chance at fixing your computer worth the very real possibility of having to replace it, or pay 300-500+ dollars to repair it? Giving out worthless advice is one thing, giving out advice that could easily destroy the client's computer is another thing entirely. Try all the other fixes recommended, and talk to the manufacture (especially if it is still under warranty). Flashing this BIOS in this situation is a very last resort. It would help if you provided some more detailed information (how recently the problem came up, how often it happens, what are you doing when it happens, what have you done to try and fix it etc.)

 

 

 

Okay.. Let's see.

 

 

 

It started about 3 months ago, less than once a week. The computer would beep at me, and blackscreen instantly. Pretty much the only thing I've been doing when this happens is playing Runescape, which is a moderate load on my cpu. (Usually it runs at about 80% while playing). I'm not really sure they're connected, because playing Runescape is one of the few things I do on my laptop. ;) I've tried multiple times to revive it from this state, but nothing has worked. Ctrl-Alt-Dlt: Nothing. Alt-Esc: Nothing. Closing + Repoening: Nothing. Trying to turn off or possibly restart using power button: Nothing. Unplugging all peripherals: Nothing.

 

 

 

2 weeks ago it was left on in this state. When I found it like this, it was making a soft, repetitive noise that I couldn't really trace, but with some certainty decided it was coming out of the speakers. None of the above mentioned techniques worked here either. I took the battery out and restarted. The fan sped all the way up (I've never heard it go anywhere close to that fast) and the resting cpu usage was constantly around 70%. I looked at all the processes, but nothing was out of line. It was just system processes taking up more cpu than normal. I ran a full system scan using Norton Antivirus, and that came up with absolutely nothing. I ran the boot menu diagnostics, and they gave the results mentioned in my OP several times. I tried using the system restore to set the disk back to 2 weeks before this started happening, but it had no effect.

 

 

 

*Phew* Hope that helps :pray:

 

 

 

Thanks for responding to my pm :)

[/hide]

 

 

 

No problem, I enjoy computer problems :

 

 

 

Anyway, that does help a lot. First of all, try scanning with another scanner that detects more; earlier versions of Norton do not detect spyware. Try Spybot Search & Destroy (safer-networking.org), Ad Aware 2008 Free Edition (lavasoft.com), and last but not least AVG Free 8.0 (free.grisoft.com). I would recommend uninstalling Norton, install AVG, updating it, then running a full scan in safe mode. If you would prefer to leave Norton installed, do not install AVG and use the other two instead. The three of those should show up any spyware. Have you contacted the manufacture, and is the computer under warranty? Where\who did you get it from?

 

 

 

I would recommend using Avira instead of AVG, since AVG has gone downhill quite a lot lately, i've seen a few computers having viruses I removed using Kaspersky, and one of those computers was almost completely disabled because of the viruses and spyware there were on there.

 

 

 

Also, removing Norton is a very good idea, it will already free up quite a bit of ram and cpu. I know I said Kaspersky in the other paragraph, but Kaspersky only has a one month free trial, but I strongly recommend it, or NOD32.

[compfreak847]

[hide=]

Nope, I can. Thanks.

 

It is unlikley to help, and do NOT flash it if the computer is frequently crashing\shutting down. If it crashes in the middle of an update, you will have some SERIOUS problems, ranging from having to change from jumpers (if you have a dual bios) to replacing your motherboard. It sounds very much like a thermal event; something such as a CPU\GPU overheating cannot necessarily be felt by touching the case. Make sure all your fans are spinning, clear of dust and other blockages, and that there is plenty of space between the outside of the fans and your desk\wall. Try running some sort of graphics card (aquabench works) and CPU (Prime95 works) stressing program to see if the computer overheats faster. Obviously maintaining an up to date antivirus scanner is a good idea; the 70% CPU usage is a sign of something running in the background sucking up resources. This could be aggravating an overheating problem, or an inherently bad cooling system (although unlikely). Possibly talk to your computer manufacture, and see if they can solve the problem if you cannot.

 

Heh, it doesn't take long to update the BIOS. I have a question for you. How much have your worked with computers? Also i said to clean the fans above. You might want to watch what useless information you put out there first. Yes a BIOS update can mess it up if it isn't flashed right. This does help to get your BIOS up to date to work with the latest drivers. If you are a computer consultant in real life i will be sure to never ask you for advice.

 

Ever since windows came out, I mostly specialize in Microsoft. Personal arguments being over, I'll continue on with the rest of your post. Is a bios update likely to solve a recent problem? No. Is the computer likely to be trashed if it fails? Yes. Will it fail if the computer crashes while it is being flashed? More then likely. I've flashed BIOSes dozens, if not hundreds of times, and the likelihood that it will help a new problem is very low, and CERTAINLY not worth the risk of bricking the motherboard. I was suggesting the fans as part of an overall solution, exactly the same as I would to a client, regardless of what he was advised before. BIOS are updated for two reasons - adding new features that you need, or solving existing conflicts. The fact that his problem seems to have appeared recently (surely he hasn't been having it for two years now!) indicates that flashing the BIOS would NOT help, and is a VERY bad idea when the computer is constantly crashing. Replacing the motherboard in a laptop is time consuming and expensive if you do it yourself, and VERY expensive if you hire someone for it. If the motherboard is specialized, it may not at all. Is a tiny chance at fixing your computer worth the very real possibility of having to replace it, or pay 300-500+ dollars to repair it? Giving out worthless advice is one thing, giving out advice that could easily destroy the client's computer is another thing entirely. Try all the other fixes recommended, and talk to the manufacture (especially if it is still under warranty). Flashing this BIOS in this situation is a very last resort. It would help if you provided some more detailed information (how recently the problem came up, how often it happens, what are you doing when it happens, what have you done to try and fix it etc.)

 

 

 

Okay.. Let's see.

 

 

 

It started about 3 months ago, less than once a week. The computer would beep at me, and blackscreen instantly. Pretty much the only thing I've been doing when this happens is playing Runescape, which is a moderate load on my cpu. (Usually it runs at about 80% while playing). I'm not really sure they're connected, because playing Runescape is one of the few things I do on my laptop. ;) I've tried multiple times to revive it from this state, but nothing has worked. Ctrl-Alt-Dlt: Nothing. Alt-Esc: Nothing. Closing + Repoening: Nothing. Trying to turn off or possibly restart using power button: Nothing. Unplugging all peripherals: Nothing.

 

 

 

2 weeks ago it was left on in this state. When I found it like this, it was making a soft, repetitive noise that I couldn't really trace, but with some certainty decided it was coming out of the speakers. None of the above mentioned techniques worked here either. I took the battery out and restarted. The fan sped all the way up (I've never heard it go anywhere close to that fast) and the resting cpu usage was constantly around 70%. I looked at all the processes, but nothing was out of line. It was just system processes taking up more cpu than normal. I ran a full system scan using Norton Antivirus, and that came up with absolutely nothing. I ran the boot menu diagnostics, and they gave the results mentioned in my OP several times. I tried using the system restore to set the disk back to 2 weeks before this started happening, but it had no effect.

 

 

 

*Phew* Hope that helps :pray:

 

 

 

Thanks for responding to my pm :)

[/hide]

 

 

 

No problem, I enjoy computer problems :

 

 

 

Anyway, that does help a lot. First of all, try scanning with another scanner that detects more; earlier versions of Norton do not detect spyware. Try Spybot Search & Destroy (safer-networking.org), Ad Aware 2008 Free Edition (lavasoft.com), and last but not least AVG Free 8.0 (free.grisoft.com). I would recommend uninstalling Norton, install AVG, updating it, then running a full scan in safe mode. If you would prefer to leave Norton installed, do not install AVG and use the other two instead. The three of those should show up any spyware. Have you contacted the manufacture, and is the computer under warranty? Where\who did you get it from?

 

 

 

I would recommend using Avira instead of AVG, since AVG has gone downhill quite a lot lately, i've seen a few computers having viruses I removed using Kaspersky, and one of those computers was almost completely disabled because of the viruses and spyware there were on there.

 

 

 

Also, removing Norton is a very good idea, it will already free up quite a bit of ram and cpu. I know I said Kaspersky in the other paragraph, but Kaspersky only has a one month free trial, but I strongly recommend it, or NOD32.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by downhill; I've had nothing but good luck running it, and it gets good marks in ICSA Labs. I just would rather he got a free one then a paid one, and AVG is superior to Avast! But yes, removing Norton should help free up quite a bit of processing power - in tests done a year or so ago by PC World, Norton dragged with WorldBench score down by a good 10%, while AVG only reduced it by 2%, 1/5th as much. As this was done on a high end computer, it would be more pronounced on a mid range laptop. Regardless of what AV program you replace it with, ditch Norton. And don't believe the advertisements; look up reviews at pcworld.com or pcmag.com, two of the leading technology magazines with websites that anyone can view.

[Georgelemmons]

Uninstalled Norton, and ran all three programs in safe mode. They didn't come up with anything.

 

 

 

I called Dell Support, and my warranty expired 6 months ago, so I couldn't even get tech support. According to them, it's a problem that will cost money to fix and have to be done by a professional. Any advice regarding this?

[compfreak847]

Uninstalled Norton, and ran all three programs in safe mode. They didn't come up with anything.

 

 

 

I called Dell Support, and my warranty expired 6 months ago, so I couldn't even get tech support. According to them, it's a problem that will cost money to fix and have to be done by a professional. Any advice regarding this?

 

Sounds like a motherboard\fan issue, probably requiring professional repair\replacement. They should be able to fix it, but for a price. You could also try something like Best Buy or a mom-and-pop store, but you will likely be charged an arm and a leg. Of course, you could always try flashing the BIOS at this point; it depends on the risks you want to take and how often it crashes. I would strongly recommend against it, though.

[Georgelemmons]

For Dell, I can send it in and have them do diagnostics for $200. If it's a motherboard problem, it costs an additional $300 for them to fix it. Apparently, their policy is that they don't fix motherboards, only replace them. I found a place that will do free diagnostics for me, and I'll see if that comes up with anything. If it does, I'll try and shop around to see if I can find a better price than Dell. Otherwise, I'm considering doing the repair myself, depending on what's actually wrong.

 

 

 

My up-to-date theory- I really think there's no chance of it being a software problem, because the fan turns on right when I turn the power on; even before the hard drive has started. Here's the theory- Thermistors are fried/messed up, and the CPU clock is slowing the CPU down to try and reduce the temperature. This would explain the fan, the thermistors failing, and the slow performance.

[compfreak847]

For Dell, I can send it in and have them do diagnostics for $200. If it's a motherboard problem, it costs an additional $300 for them to fix it. Apparently, their policy is that they don't fix motherboards, only replace them. I found a place that will do free diagnostics for me, and I'll see if that comes up with anything. If it does, I'll try and shop around to see if I can find a better price than Dell. Otherwise, I'm considering doing the repair myself, depending on what's actually wrong.

 

 

 

My up-to-date theory- I really think there's no chance of it being a software problem, because the fan turns on right when I turn the power on; even before the hard drive has started. Here's the theory- Thermistors are fried/messed up, and the CPU clock is slowing the CPU down to try and reduce the temperature. This would explain the fan, the thermistors failing, and the slow performance.

 

Quite plausible, although the 70% CPU usage would lead to a virus assumption, but that is obviously not the case. It could easily be the signs of a failing motherboard\CPU\possibly RAM. Next to hard drives, RAM has the most frequent breakdowns, but the problem you described does not sound like RAM. Go for the free diagnostics, but repairing a motherboard is very difficult; replacement would be a better option. And unless your very technical, replacing a laptop motherboard is not recommended. A desktop motherboard is easily, I can pull one out, strip components and put it all back together in under 10 minutes easily. Laptops are nasty, though, and hard to find detailed instructions on as models from different manufactures vary widely. Still, I would recommend it - building a computer really helps you learn more about just what goes on inside, believe it or not.

[Georgelemmons]

Okay, thanks for the advice; I think I might end up repairing it myself.

 

 

 

: I'll let you know how it goes. (might be 2 weeks or so before I get the diagnostics and either repair it myself or get it repaired)

[compfreak847]

Okay, thanks for the advice; I think I might end up repairing it myself.

 

 

 

: I'll let you know how it goes. (might be 2 weeks or so before I get the diagnostics and either repair it myself or get it repaired)

 

Ok, good luck. Still, why'd you post in a Runescape forum if you have the technical skills to replace a laptop motherboard? It still makes me uncomfortable, and I'm not one to back away from computer repairs - I once mounted a 300$ hard drive with pencils and rubber bands when no mounting bracket was available. I eventually came back with a bracket, but it was up and running just fine like that. I'm a lot less nervous when I'm messing with my personal computers, though.

 

 

 

Oh, and KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SCREWS. Dell has issues with screws... They sell their proprietary hard disk mounting screws at 10.99$ apiece, and they are difficult to find anywhere else. Even worse is leaving a screw hidden somewhere in the motherboard, wedged between two circuits :|

[Georgelemmons]

To be honest, I don't really know. I definitely have more hardware skills than software skills, and was just wondering if I could get some good advice. :

 

 

 

Don't worry. Even if I do screw up, it has nothing to do with you. And yeah, I HATE Dell's screws.

[compfreak847]

To be honest, I don't really know. I definitely have more hardware skills than software skills, and was just wondering if I could get some good advice. :

 

 

 

Don't worry. Even if I do screw up, it has nothing to do with you. And yeah, I HATE Dell's screws.

 

That's unusual, many I know knows at least a bit about the software side, but rarely anything at all involving hardware. I started in software, and am considerably better at it, but I know a fair amount about hardware also. I have only upgraded\repaired laptops, but am planning on building the next one from scratch. Hopefully that'll teach me a bit more, but to be honest I'm not a big fan of messing around with laptop hardware. Desktops are another story, everyone should build their own... It only takes a bit of time, and saves a huge amount of money.

[Georgelemmons]

Yes, I don't think it's even possible to build you own laptop without scavenging parts and getting reeeally lucky. ;)