Author Topic: Restart problem with laptop  (Read 3495 times)

Offline LizzieW

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Restart problem with laptop
« on: Wednesday 27 December 17 23:41 GMT (UK) »
Has anyone any idea why my laptop, which is only a few months old, keeps suddenly turning itself off and restarting again?  Fortunately, it's not done it when I've been in the middle of working on something important, or transcribing as it doesn't open up any web pages I had open when it re-starts.  It's getting annoying now.

Offline groom

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Re: Restart problem with laptop
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 27 December 17 23:54 GMT (UK) »
5 reasons given via google

1. Dirty Fan/Overheating  (shouldn't apply if your computer is new)

2. Hardware Failure  ( have you added any new hardware?)

3. Wrong Charger Voltage  ( mainly if you use it for games)

4. Display Driver Crash  (probably not this)

5. Computer Virus

Looking at those, number 5 seems the most likely. Have you run all your virus protection etc? Failing that, as it's only a few months old, I'd take it back to where you bought it while it is still under guarantee.

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Offline smudwhisk

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Re: Restart problem with laptop
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 28 December 17 00:11 GMT (UK) »
Sounds likely to be a hardware driver issue, has it installed any updates of any sort recently?  Wouldn't expect windows updates to do that but if its set to install driver updates automatically too, one may be causing it.  Not necessarily display driver, could be for anything.  Really needs someone to look in Windows Event Viewer for error codes to see (can be accessed by right click start button, select run, type eventvwr, Windows Logs, System or Application - but somewhat cryptic if you don't know what you are looking for).
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Offline LizzieW

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Re: Restart problem with laptop
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 28 December 17 09:27 GMT (UK) »
1. Definitely not overheating, it seems to happen when I've only just started using it, the room it's in is not particularly warm and there's a cold draught blowing on my leg from our conservatory as I type this.

2.  I suppose it might be dusty having had the builders and plumbers in with dust flying around, although where it is is some way from the work the builders were doing, even so the surfaces in this room were covered in fine dust.  I wonder why it would affect my laptop and not my husband's tablet in the same room though.

3.  I've not updated anything recently, well Word hasn't and Mozilla updates are not set to update automatically (because I don't want their new version!).

4.  I don't use it for games, although I do use it for card games such as patience - perhaps that's the problem.  I'll delete that program and see what happens.

5.  I'll check for error codes to see if I can see anything - but as you say I don't really know what I'm looking for.

6.  My virus protection is up to date, but I'll run it again in case it finds anything.

Thank you for the advice, my worry is that if I have to take it back to the shop I bought it from - not easy as we've moved house since then, (it  was a chain so I guess I can take it back to the nearest one) that I won't be able to transfer everything from this laptop to a new one.  I do have it backing up all the time to an external drive so I guess I would have to use that.

Thank you for your suggestions.


Offline groom

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Re: Restart problem with laptop
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 28 December 17 09:59 GMT (UK) »
If I were you, I’d back everything up and take it to the nearest branch of that chain. It may be something they can sort immediately if they have tech men on site. Unless it is a major fault I doubt if they will replace, just repair.
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Offline greenrig

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Re: Restart problem with laptop
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 28 December 17 10:28 GMT (UK) »
Your symptoms sound like overheating.  If there is dust around, it may have been drawn in by fans and could be blocking cooling vents for CPU and/or power supply.  We had this when DD used her laptop lying on carpet.

Invoke your warranty and get it fixed - unlikely to charge you if under warranty.  The problem will get worse till serious damage is done if it is overheating CPU.
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Offline smudwhisk

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Re: Restart problem with laptop
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 28 December 17 11:02 GMT (UK) »
Overheating doesn't cause reboots from my experience.  Overheating tends to cause the PC to go very slow and things to stop working properly, and the very extreme it could shut down the laptop and not restart.  In any case, it will feel hotter than normal and the fan, if not working, will be obviously missing due to lack of noise or making a lot of noise if it is working and struggling.  I've had problems recently with my laptop over heating, the fan was very noisy and there was actually a bit of a burning smell from one end which was either dust or cats hairs.  It did not and never has rebooted because of it.

Its more likely to be hardware related and probably a driver causing problems from past experience working as PC Support in years gone by.  The Event logs need to be checked as if it is hardware there will most likely be an error code in the logs to give a clue. 

I'm assuming that it does work some of the time but then reboots, if it was continuously rebooting without allowing use then it would most likely be a software problem relating to the windows registry or a corruption in windows itself, but you would normally see, even just momentarily, an error message flash on screen before it restarted.

If it restarts and then goes into windows correctly, does a window pop up at all saying it has recovered from a serious error or something similar?

Whatever you decide to do, as Groom says backup your data prior to taking it in anywhere because most PC Shops do not copy data across when fixing problems or replacing hardware.
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Offline Redroger

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Re: Restart problem with laptop
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 28 December 17 12:44 GMT (UK) »
My guess is that it MIGHT be something to do with the latest screed from Microsoft (W10 update) which in my case was very large, and changed a few things of its own volition, (start screen etc.) Look on extreme right of task bar, to the right of the clock to see if there are any notifications showing.
   If the chain you got it from is PCW***d etc. then personally the only thing I would ever buy from them after previous experiences is ink if all the other shops within 100 miles did not stock it any longer!
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Re: Restart problem with laptop
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 28 December 17 12:58 GMT (UK) »
Have you looked to see if the air holes/vents are clear?

If not, clear them with a soft paintbrush...
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