Laptop keeps shutting down

[MoonCat]

At first I thought it was overheating but lately it's happening when I haven't been on it more than an hour. The battery is less than a year old and I have a cooling pad hooked up to it, but it keeps happening.

It's a 3 yr old old Gateway using Windows Vista Home Premium. I'm thinking it might be time for a new machine, but any other ideas are appreciated.

[MoonCat]

No messages, the screen goes black and a few seconds later, it shuts off. Plugged in. I rarely unplug it.

[MoonCat]

Yeah, the battery is 98% charged and "balanced" according to the display. Could be the cable. I've had problems occasionally where I lose internet and the diagnostic tells me a cable is not plugged in, but they ARE. Haven't had that happen for a while though.

I don't know anybody with a similar machine. It does feel kinda hot. I'll check the vents. Maybe the cooling pad fans are bunged up (in a house with cats you do have to watch out for loose cat hair no matter how often you vacuum!).

Thanks for the suggestions, Patiokitty!

[teh_blumchenkinder]

This might be silly... but check to see if it goes to screensaver first. It might be going straight to shut down when you leave it for a few seconds, because those are the settings on 'balanced.' which means someone messed with it, methinks.
If it's shutting down when you're actively moving the mouse...

[charred]

there are several possible reasons for this.

First, try rolling back your updates.

second, some intensive virus scanning with multiple programs may be in order. malwarebytes, hitman pro, avast and avira are some good free solutions.

third, you may need to have the thermal paste on your processor replaced, or the processor reseated.

[MoonCat]

there are several possible reasons for this.

First, try rolling back your updates.

second, some intensive virus scanning with multiple programs may be in order. malwarebytes, hitman pro, avast and avira are some good free solutions.

third, you may need to have the thermal paste on your processor replaced, or the processor reseated.

I do have Malware Bytes, Ad-Aware and CCleaner. I think I might be overdue for a thorough scan and cleanup anyway. Have to check around town and see who can do the other stuff.

Blumchenkinder, I know what you're saying, but no...the screen goes dark, a couple seconds later the power goes off completely. And if I was signed onto CS or email at the time, when I bring everything back up I have to sign back on with my screen names & passwords all over again.

I did clean the fan on the cooling pad the other day, which seems to have helped a little. I should get a can of compressed air and have a go at the laptop itself.

[roothorick]

Does it turn off if it's sitting in the BIOS? Next step after that would be LiveCD -- run Ubuntu from CD on it for a few days and see if it still happens.

[underemployeed]

.......
third, you may need to have the thermal paste on your processor replaced, or the processor reseated.

This would be my recommendation also, it sounds like the processor is overheating. If the thermal paste has died out from being cooked or improperly done in the first place, the heat won't be getting into the heat sink and into the fans. I had this problem on my original Xbox, it just randomly started shutting down no reason. replaced the thermal paste no problem since, didn't bother with my moms laptop as she fried it to the point if not booting.

Thermal paste is supposed to be more gel, than a solid, you have to be VERY careful removing the heatsink from the processor as it could be stuck to the point it feels like liquid nails, i usually try and rotate the heatsink to break up anything that stuck before I attempt to lift it of the processor because if you lift the processor out with the ZIF connector locked on the pins you COULD damage the processor.

Although, like many DIY projects, it sounds like right now the computer is a little FUBAR, and worst case scenario your going to have to buy the new computer you were thinking about anyways.