Power Failure? Overheating? ???

[cbwing0]

Starting last week, my laptop has been having some problems. Basically it runs fine for about an hour, then cuts off.

I ran ad-aware to see if it might be something, but the problem persisted. I tried running Norton virus scan, but the computer shut off about halfway through.

After the computer shuts off, it takes about 20-30 minutes before it will come on again.

I have never had this problem before, and I don't know what it could be; and more importantly I don't know how to fix it. Does this sound like overheating, a virus, or something else?

Btw, this happens whether I am running on AC power or using the battery.

[shooraijin]

It certainly does sound like a thermal sensor is killing the unit. How hot is it getting? Is the fan operating? Are all the ventilation openings, well, open?

[cbwing0]

The fan sounds like it's working most of the time. Let me check the openings...

It looks like they are open, but I suppose I could be wrong. I will check to see if they are clogged with dust or something when I turn it off later tonight.

[LorentzForce]

Probably is the ventilation. Laptops get a lot of that.

If you can find the temperature of the CPU (on a laptop? who knows) then it'd be helpful.

Did this problem just come out of the blue, like from 5 hour sessions all day then one day doesn't work, or did you just use around an hour and a half every so often so didn't really notice much of a difference until it occured?

[ThaKladd]

There are programs that show how heat the processor is, to my computer it has one on the driver cd to the mainboard. but it's different with laptops.

It sounds like a overheating problem... you can try haven the power turned on for a half an hour, then turn off and run bios. I think it will show red at the temperature then.

If it's overheating I don't think there is more to do, than get some expert to fix it - because it's a laptop. I had a similar problem on my computer, and it was the connection between the processor and the cooler that wasn't good enough...

if not overheating, it can be the memory...?

[Straylight]

You could always try removing the fan grille panel and blowing the dust out. With my laptop the fan runs at different speeds according to how hot the CPU is.. do you hear the fan kicking into high speed all the time?

[cbwing0]

The fan does kick into high speed quite often. I will try to remove the fan grill panel, if I can figure out how to do that.

[JediSonic]

I dont think its a virus... a virus isnt going to pin your computer down after its been shut off

[cbwing0]

I think the problem is fixed now. I couldn't figure out how to take off the fan grill (it is all one piece), so I used a small fan to blow inside of it from both directions. It appears to be working now (I ran for 90 minutes this morning without the computer dying).

Thanks to everyone that offered advice, and a special thanks to Straylight for giving me the info that finally solved the problem.