laptop keeps shutting down

1.2f

1.2f

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i have an 8 month old vaio and when i am using it regardless of whatever i maybe doing it just shuts down without warning. i can expect it to do this at least 3 times in a day. done a diagnostics test (which included testing the hard-drive, memory etc.) and everything was fine. sony tech support have suggested doing a complete re-install before they take the machine away to check.....

this has stated happening within the last few months. all drivers and programs are up to date.

just thought i'd ask you guys what you may think it could be.

i have anti-virus installed nod32 and its running windows 7 64bit, only extra program installed on the machine is adobe cs5
 
hi yes sorry should have said done both and it still happens - currently using it without battery and only on mains.
 
no excessive heat coming form machine is placed on a desk with nothing else around it - so has good ventilation.
 
Doesn't help but a quick Google search shows multiple people with the same problem over recent years - if you search and troll through you might find someone found a solution.
 
You need some kind of temperature/hard drive/memory/cpu usage/fan speed monitoring doodad. Preferably one that does logging so you can keep an eye on what it is up to over time as you use it.

Also try running it battery only and not on the mains.
 
gramps said:
Over-heating?
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Must agree, sounds like over-heating the CPU.

Give the laptop a good blow-through at all the ducts.
 
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Most likely culprit is dust clogging your fan and the computer gets too hot and shuts down. Check the power profile too, it may be set to battery and turning the laptop off at a pre-set time/duration to save energy. :)
 
Lozkeeley said:
Most likely culprit is dust clogging your fan and the computer gets too hot and shuts down. Check the power profile too, it may be set to battery and turning the laptop off at a pre-set time/duration to save energy. :)
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the way it shuts down is instant like the power cord has been pulled. when i restart i am always presented with the safe start options screen
 
srichards said:
You need some kind of temperature/hard drive/memory/cpu usage/fan speed monitoring doodad. Preferably one that does logging so you can keep an eye on what it is up to over time as you use it.

Also try running it battery only and not on the mains.
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done will see what it does.
 
Mine did this a lot and it was caused by overheating. Just suddenly would switch off.

I cleaned it and used it on a cooling tray and it happened less often but still tended to get overheated if I used LR for more than about 30 mins (or exported more than 5 images at a time out of LR!).

(I got a new desktop and it flies through everything and is great - the other day it went off suddenly in exactly the same way... a brief moment of panic before a quick check of the room light switch - the electricity had gone off!!)

Hope you get it sorted.
 
Mine used to do this. Took it apart, blew all the dust out and also removed the heatsink, cleaned off the old thermal paste from cpu & heatsink and applied some fresh paste. Has been fine since.
 
ShoeQueen said:
Mine did this a lot and it was caused by overheating. Just suddenly would switch off.

I cleaned it and used it on a cooling tray and it happened less often but still tended to get overheated if I used LR for more than about 30 mins (or exported more than 5 images at a time out of LR!).

(I got a new desktop and it flies through everything and is great - the other day it went off suddenly in exactly the same way... a brief moment of panic before a quick check of the room light switch - the electricity had gone off!!)

Hope you get it sorted.
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on all the occassions it has happened i was doing no more than surfing the net. see what the reinstall does and i have also blown out the ducts on the side of the machine. thankfully have two years warranty on it.
 
Run Core Temp or SpeedFan to check if you are getting too hot before the system protects itself and shuts down.
 
Before doing a reinstall, it might be worth running a live linux CD, that way you'll be loading a fresh operating system without having to do a reinstall. Run that for a while and see if it shuts down.
 
I have the same problem with an older Dell 17 studio
I've upgraded the CPU to an i7 and its started a few months later just shutting off
I think it's heat, so have a laptop cooler.
need to get an air blower and clean out the fan tbh
that might help
 
Same thing happened to me and although I didn't believe it, it was down to overheating. When I took the cover off a small felt like piece of fluff had found its way in to the fan.
 
Mine overheats very easily and is always the cause. Took me a while to figure it out as well
 
just a quick update; eventually sent the laptop off for repair and transpires that the fan was clogged up with dust and the motherboard was replaced don't know why but it was!

i keep my house as clean as possible and don't understand how the fan could have been so clogged up, any tips on how to prevent this from happening in the future?
 
Only real thing you can do is not put the laptop on any soft furnishings (duvet, sofa, pillows etc)


Otherwise it doesn't really matter how clean your house is, they'll generally suck in any ambient. Just a matter of how long before if gets clogged. Desktop pc case can have filters but I'm yet to find a laptop with filters on the vents.
 
suppose regular use of a vacuum over the vent may help?
 
neil_g said:
Vacuums can be a source of static, compressed air would be better.

(Cue people saying they've been using hoovers for years with no problem, had this debate before lol)
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Indeed we have, nothing like a good Hoover:love:

Should be fine on the outside ducts.
 
1.2f said:
just a quick update; eventually sent the laptop off for repair and transpires that the fan was clogged up with dust and the motherboard was replaced don't know why but it was!

i keep my house as clean as possible and don't understand how the fan could have been so clogged up, any tips on how to prevent this from happening in the future?
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The motherboard probably got a bit fried up due to overheating so they did the right thing

Mikesphotaes said:
Indeed we have, nothing like a good Hoover:love:

Should be fine on the outside ducts.
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it works fine :)
 
I am a component level service engineer although i no longer work in that industry I fix about 2-3 laptops a month up to the level of reflowing GPUs etc :D

If you ignore software issues which are the main problem. The next most popular are hard disk failure and fan "issues". These are noisy fans or blocked fans. I get a steady stream of them, easy to fix but can be time consuming.

My advice. Buy a can of decent air blast, stick it in the exhaust vent and give it a spray once a month from new then you'll never have to give me a bottle of spirits for fixing your laptop :)

Even a normal clean house has dust and hair in it. You just need to pick up a couple of hairs and then they block things and trap dust which makes it worse.
 
cowasaki said:
I am a component level service engineer although i no longer work in that industry I fix about 2-3 laptops a month up to the level of reflowing GPUs etc :D

If you ignore software issues which are the main problem. The next most popular are hard disk failure and fan "issues". These are noisy fans or blocked fans. I get a steady stream of them, easy to fix but can be time consuming.

My advice. Buy a can of decent air blast, stick it in the exhaust vent and give it a spray once a month from new then you'll never have to give me a bottle of spirits for fixing your laptop :)

Even a normal clean house has dust and hair in it. You just need to pick up a couple of hairs and then they block things and trap dust which makes it worse.
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i'm not that informed to know if my laptop has an issue with some software which maybe causing an issue. actually it has very little 3rd party software on it. all windows updates and antivirus are up to date. however, the issues which it suffered with previously have surfaced again and the random shutting down has started happening all over again..........:'(
 
I think it's been mentioned up there, but the overheating sounds like the issue to me.
You wouldn't necessarily feel the heat coming out the fan vent (as this is the problem).
I would suggest reapplying the thermal paste to the CPU... I did this on sunday to one of our old laptops and it's worked a treat.
It's only about £4 from Maplins.

That said... you said you only have had it for 8 months? from new?
Is it worth contacting the retailer - must have a 12 month guarantee at least?!
 
1.2f said:
i'm not that informed to know if my laptop has an issue with some software which maybe causing an issue. actually it has very little 3rd party software on it. all windows updates and antivirus are up to date. however, the issues which it suffered with previously have surfaced again and the random shutting down has started happening all over again..........:'(
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Air blaster costs about a fiver and used correctly it will not harm your computer. You can even use it to clean all the dust and debris from under keys etc too. It's worth getting in order to rule that out. If the dust/debris inside gets beyond a certain point it needs taking apart which is where the bigger cost comes in. Basically turn off your computer, insert tube into nozzle, insert nozzle into EXHAUST vent (the one that the warm air comes OUT of), Several pulses of air making sure you have the can the right way up. You will probably see lots of dust come out of the input vent. Job done. Just repeat it about once a month and keep the dust away which makes the laptop cooler and quieter normally and will last longer.
 
Yep it has a two year warranty on it thank god. Have contacted Sony and waiting for a reply.
 
had fixed many laptops with same problem. it's overheating. it's shuts down to prevent damage. easy fix. take your laptop apart separate heat sink from motherboard. apply good thermal paste. clean fan (and airducts) as it will be full of dust (more like thin dust "carpet"). and it will be fine after.
 
So having been fixed back in Nov 2012 where it had the motherboard, wi-if module and fan replaced. It is now having the motherboard, fan and optical drive replaced! Thank god for the two year warranty.
 
But that means you will likely have a doorstop when it is two and a half years old. I would be maybe getting rid once it is fixed or demanding a replacement of an alternative model. Full on board repairs can get expensive. I've got a laptop on my bench in the workshop now fully disassembled with the motherboard locked into my preheater about to be reflowed (when I am feeling up to it). A repair that would cost three figures normally. If they are having to keep replacing the motherboard then there is clearly an issue!
 
cowasaki said:
But that means you will likely have a doorstop when it is two and a half years old. I would be maybe getting rid once it is fixed or demanding a replacement of an alternative model. Full on board repairs can get expensive. I've got a laptop on my bench in the workshop now fully disassembled with the motherboard locked into my preheater about to be reflowed (when I am feeling up to it). A repair that would cost three figures normally. If they are having to keep replacing the motherboard then there is clearly an issue!
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I intend to pursue this further with Sony once I get it back as at the end of the day there appears to be some sort of issues which are affecting the unit.
 
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