lap top keeps crashing

i-luv-free-stuff

hi
my laptop keeps crashing maybe 2 or 3 times a day and has only started doing in the last week or so.
now it seems to be getting really hot and i think that maybe why but obviousley i am no expert.
does anyone know any sites with forums like this who could help me sort it?
cheers

Browntoa

try this

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=25351&C=SO&U=strat15

or something similar and blast out the fan intakes underneath and on the side.

It's not unknown for the heat paste to start to fail on laptops (between the processor and heatsink) but thats not an easy thing to check/fix

this sort of thing will push more air through it

http://www.base.com/Hw/Belkin-Laptop-Cooling-Stand-Notebook-cooling-pad-white/F5L001ER/product.htm

macman

If it's overheating, it's probably clogged with dust. Get a can of compressed air as Browntoa advises and blast it through the vents and fans in both directions.
And don't use it on your lap or any other soft surface-this tends to lead to the vents being obstructed and the reduced airflow causes it to shut down when it overheats.

i-luv-free-stuff

ok cheers
is there any way i can check it is over heating though?

macman

Well you said it was getting really hot and crashing? That's pretty symptomatic of overheating laptops, especially if it's crashing after a certain time from boot up.

devstar

You can try a program like Realtemp or speedfan which tell you the temperature of your CPU cores (as well as other temperatures). Just google them and you should find sites to download them easy enough. Alternately, you can access your BIOS and there is usually a hardware monitor section which will give you temperatures. To access your BIOS, you have to tap a function key (F8 or F10) or the -DEL- key at start up. It will tell you on the screen which key to press (for setup, or BIOS). At idle (no programs running) you should expect temperatures of around 25 to 35 celsius (can vary).

HTH
devstar

closed

You haven't described the symptoms or the model. Check software first and use on a flat surface.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Doesn't sound like temp to me.
Like DEVSTAR says the CPU temp is in the BIOS.
What have you installed in the last week ?

Quick-n-dirty way to find out is boot it up in the garage or somewhere cold and see if the same symptoms persist.

___________

Best way to stop a Laptop overheating is - take it off your Lap / bed / quilt /duvet

i-luv-free-stuff

ok
i blasted it with the air and a load of fluff came out so hopefully that may have solved it.

i-luv-free-stuff

macman wrote: »

Well you said it was getting really hot and crashing? That's pretty symptomatic of overheating laptops, especially if it's crashing after a certain time from boot up.

im not sure it was after a certain time it just seemed quite random.

i-luv-free-stuff

devstar wrote: »

You can try a program like Realtemp or speedfan which tell you the temperature of your CPU cores (as well as other temperatures). Just google them and you should find sites to download them easy enough. Alternately, you can access your BIOS and there is usually a hardware monitor section which will give you temperatures. To access your BIOS, you have to tap a function key (F8 or F10) or the -DEL- key at start up. It will tell you on the screen which key to press (for setup, or BIOS). At idle (no programs running) you should expect temperatures of around 25 to 35 celsius (can vary).

HTH
devstar

i downloaded speedfan and i will give it a run later if it heats up.
cheers