Advice needed - computer is repeatedly switching itself off when running media

Some of you know the story of how me and the laptop do not get on: one day, I'm going to break it up. It annoys me big time The only reason it hasn't happened yet is I bought it new 2 years ago and cannot understand why it's not up to the job, and the stay of execution remains until it pushes me too far. Which it will, I know, one day.

Spec:

Ram - 3.00GB
32 bit o/s
Intel R Core(TM)2 Duo CPU
T5800 @ 2.00GHz (hard drive I assume?)

Vista was dumped before Xmas for Windows 7, but it's still not bucked its ideas up.

Main issue at the moment - and with Vista too - is the laptop seems to freeze when running youtube vids or when in Photobucket. Momentarily freezes, and then switches off. Memory maxed out I assume, warp drive collapse: turns off because it can't keep the pace. Total re-format for Windows 7, yet it is still doing it.

Turn back on again, flick up internet windows which were running before it FAILED - and within 5 mins, it'll freeze and switch off again. I think I had 5 rounds of this the other evening.

It's not as if I'm putting much through it. Normal YT vids, and the odd vid on the hard drive.

So, I'm thinking Media card / drivers / something along those lines not working properly or being a low spec without me realising. Does anyone have any Control Panel tips to try to kick it into shape?

TIA!!

 

I have a similar problebm, turns off when streaming video but mine is a lower spec laptop running vista, I was adviced to clean out all the dust as mine is filthy, but I will be keeping an eye on this thread.

 

I have tried opening it up for a clean inside, but only got so far before I was clearly going to damage it if I removed more panels.

I recall a work laptop coming apart real easily a while back, when having it serviced

 

Ok, Let start with a few things:

Ram - 3.00GB
32 bit o/s
Intel R Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T5800 @ 2.00GHz
That is the CPU model & speed.

For that spec and windows 7 you should have no problems with anything. Even a P3 would run that!

When it does it next, First thing to check is the event viewer. Just type "event viewer" in the search and it will pop up.
On the left you need to expand the "Windows Logs" folder and look at the "Application" tab & "System" Tab.
You should see some errors etc in one of those tabs at the time of when it booted down.

Paste them here

 

Thanks Mat!

Does "Kernel Processor Power" mean anything?

I'm looking down the Windows Logs / System to roughly when it happened earlier

 

Under Windows Logs / Application:

WMI

Event filter with query "SELECT * FROM __InstanceModificationEvent WITHIN 60 WHERE TargetInstance ISA "Win32_Processor" AND TargetInstance.LoadPercentage > 99" could not be reactivated in namespace "//./root/CIMV2" because of error 0x80041003. Events cannot be delivered through this filter until the problem is corrected.

 

Is there an event or error ID on that?

 

The Kernel has an Event ID of 37 and Task Category of (7)

The WMI one is 10 and 'None'

 

Ok. The WMI one alot of people have on every boot of their PC. It doesnt do anything though and to get rid looks like a right pain so we will leave that one.

The Event 37 is your problem though. It only happens on laptops due to power management. A laptop tries to conserve alot of power and when watching a video it just cant keep up.

Plug in the power and take the battery out. See if it does it for the rest of tonight

Can i have the make & model of the laptop

 

Thanks again.

Dell Inspiron 1525

Any other info needed? I will drag out the invoice if reqd.

Is it worth mentioning the battery is complaining it's on its last legs? Even though it is plugged in properly to the mains?

 

Take it out for the time being. Just run in on mains and see if you get any problems.

 

Great, battery out! I'll stress it out now with a vid

 

Fancy getting a screwdriver out?

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins1525/en/SM/cpucool.htm
If you do this you will see a "paste" on the CPU. Dont touch this or get it dirty. Just make sure its all dust free.


With that model most of it points to overheating!

Next step is to update the bios. Let me know if you want to try the other things first.

 

I've had that cover off recently, but it's as far as I could get. The paste I didn't notice.

Is this just for a quick vacuum? I can do that to be sure.

Bios sounds interesting. This machine fails to play HD raw movie footage btw. Should it?

 

Fails as in no software for it or does it just say no?

Latest bios for yours.
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R246843&SystemID=INS_PNT_PM_1525&servicetag=&os=WLH&osl=en&deviceid=15720&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=6&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=0&libid=1&typeid=-1&dateid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=358934

 

Stutters and plays sound whilst the video stalls. That's why I mentioned media card on post 1.

Bios I downloaded and I think the machine has auto updated. Does it need a restart?

So basically I've just had a re-map for it I didn't know existed?? !!

 

Yes, You are now running the latest "map"
It will need a restart for it to load properly.

Are you running the video from the media card slot?

 

Stage 2 Map, Yo!

Running the vid off a remote HD

Will do a restart now!

 

Hows it going Chris? Operation kill Dell started yet?

 

Hi Mat, good timing.

Sunday eve watching Top Gear iPlayer, it switched itself off twice so I gave up. That was with no battery in it.

Last eve it was maxed on FTP action and I didn't dare antagonise it, but it was incredibly slow moving a Gig of data. IE was so slow.

Seems better this eve, but an HD .MOV file killed it without the battery in again.

It's always media stuff, which I assume is memory intensive. The CPU isn't at 100% when running, or at least when I've checked, more like 60-70%, unless it spikes and that's what kills it?

Do laptops need battery + AC at full tilt?