# My toshiba laptop randomly turns off and hangs on shut down



## Lycanfox18 (Dec 26, 2006)

I have a Toshiba Satellite P35-S6112 P4 HT 3.4Ghz laptop with a pentium 4 processor that is 3.4Ghz and 512 mb of ram. Every so often the screen will go blank and a few seconds later will totally turn off for seemingly no reason. I have disabled the restart on error option but there is still no BSOD, also im not sure if this is possible but when i turn off hyperthreading it seems to be ok but ive yet to check that for a long period of time. Could the hyperthreading make my processor too hot so that it makes my laptop shut off. Also every so often when i try to shut down my laptop there will be no shutting down message and will just be a blue screen that leaves me with the only option of holding down the power button. Could anyone tell me what I can do to solve these problems as I especially like running with hyperthreading on as it seems to make my laptop run faster. Thanks ever so much.

Adam


----------



## Lycanfox18 (Dec 26, 2006)

Could someone also please recommend a laptop cooler for my laptop, its quite big at 17 inches and has fans on the bottom that SUCK air in and the air is expelled through the back of the laptop. Im not sure if this is a problem but I assume that a cooler that sucks air in from the bottom of the laptop will simply make the laptop hotter by competing with it.


----------



## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Hi,

Download MobileMeter and post the temps. It is quite likely that overheating is your issue since that is a Prescott P4, which are famous for being very hot, and in that case, this would be a good product.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16834999336
The fans blow in. This is standard since most laptops have fans that blow out on the side, but don't have anything that sucks in.

I use this laptop with my Acer Aspire (see my system), which came overheating right out of the box. Now, it is about as cool as a well cooled desktop.


----------



## Lycanfox18 (Dec 26, 2006)

Thanks ever so much, mobile meter said my HDD drive is at 31 degrees but says nothing about processor, this is however without hyperthreading on. It seems that when I use hyperthreading my pc gets hotter than it normally would. I will post in a mo the temperature when hyperthreading is on but since the temperature is not for the cpu i doubt it will have changed much.

Also may I ask if that cooler is made for a 17 inch laptop as i dont seem to be able to find any specifications on its size. Thanks again. Adam


----------



## Lycanfox18 (Dec 26, 2006)

With Hyperthreading on the HDD is now 35 degrees, also my laptops dimensions are 42cm by 27.5 cm if that helps in deciding a fan for it. Finally any ideas plz on why my laptop decides to stop on a blue screen sometimes when i try to shutdown. I have even disabled the xp log in screen to see if that was the problem but it still hangs occasionally.

Ahh I think the temperatures were coincidences as now without hyperthreading the temperature has gone to 35 degrees. Although feeling the processor it seems to be cooler now with hyperthreading off.


----------



## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Download SpeedFan and see if that can get the temps. It would seem normal if hyperthreading made the CPU hotter as it would be under more load. The hard disk temps don't have much to do with it.

The cooling pad will work with a 17" laptop. It fits my 15.4" perfectly, so your 17" will probably just hang off the edge a little, but it should be fine.

The blue screen could be a side effect of the overheating. If your laptop is shutting down without warning, it is doing so because temps have reached a certain point that hardware damage may result if the CPU is allowed to continue operating at those temps. There is a good chance that it is unstable at those temps, and an unstable CPU can do anything, including cause blue screens.

If you post the full error you get on the blue screen, it will help in determining its source, but there is a good chance it is just a result of the overheating. I would wait and see if it goes away when you get the cooling pad before trying to do anything.

There is one thing you can try with SpeedFan. Look at the CPU temps with the power profile "Home/Office Desk" selected, and see how much lower they are with the profile "Notebook/Laptop" selected.


----------



## Lycanfox18 (Dec 26, 2006)

Thanks for the info on the cooling pad ill buy that asap, im assuming its ok for lap use? Even speed fan doesnt seem to be able to pick up my cpu temperature only the HDD temp. Finally I dont even seem to get a blue screen it just turns off with no warning at all.


----------



## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

That cooling pad isn't particularly comfortable on the lap without something like a pillow under the back. It was meant more for DTR notebooks that don't get moved from the desk that much. But it is also the most effective cooling pad I have found.

If neither those programs can pick up your temps then it is safe to assume that we can't get them. I think your best plan of action would be to put the power scheme on Notebook/Laptop and see if that helps, and if you still get shutdowns, then the cooling pad would be your best option.


----------



## Lycanfox18 (Dec 26, 2006)

My laptop has always been in the laptop power mode so im going to go ahead and buy the cooler, most of the time my laptop is a DTR but when i travel home from university i use it on my lap, i will get a board or something to rest it on as you suggest. Thanks ever so much for the help by the way. 

Adam


----------



## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

You're welcome.

The cooling pad works great for DTR notebooks. I got this one because I use my laptop as a DTR. I rarely ever move it from my desk, which is kind of ironic. I occasionally bring it into school for presentations, but not that often. What is nice is that it puts the keyboard up at a nice angle to type.

When you get the cooling pad, be sure to post how it turns out. Good luck.


----------



## andrew.lvp (Dec 28, 2006)

Yes I run on a Toshiba laptop also. When I run too much programs/tasks and the room temperature is warm, the computer will shut down. 35 degrees shouldn't be a high temp. Maybe it could be a system issue? Have you tried reformatting?

I currently have a similar problem but just the CPU decides to run ridiculously slow. Would someone mind taking a look at my thread: http://www.techsupportforum.com/f15/cpu-slow-due-to-cooling-system-132493.html#post742446
Thanks.


----------



## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

The 35 degrees is the Hard disk temp, which is fine. CPU temperature couldn't be read, and that is what is too high.


----------



## TNK040 (Jan 19, 2007)

My Toshiba Satellite A30 began exhibiting the above symptoms after six months of use. The symptoms screamed"over heating " to me so I opened up the back to check the fans and heat sink. Both were clogged with fine dust and animal hair. We have a cat and dog in the house. After a thorough cleaning(and a little more attention as to where I use it) the problem dissappeared. If you're going to clean out your heat sink get some silver compound first! I now run the computer on a wooden tray or table top rather than my lap.


----------



## Lycanfox18 (Dec 26, 2006)

Hey guys my cooler finally came a few days ago and Id just like to thank you all for the help you've given me, the new cooler works a treat and keeps my laptop much cooler, since then ive had no shutdowns at all, even now im running in hyperthreadding mode which is amazing. Thanks guys ^_^


----------



## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

You're welcome.


----------

