Matt Johnson
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Dell Latitude Laptop loses power when physically moved
I have a Dell Latitude laptop computer (almost 3 years old) that frequently loses power. It does best when it is sitting still on a stable surface such as a desk. However, when I attempt to move it it often loses power and dies. I hear a short little whistling sound which I think is the hard drive shutting down.
Upon restart, I get the black and white screen saying that windows did not shut down properly, and asking if I want to start in safe mode, or start normally. I always start normally, and once Windows boots up, I don't receive any other messages regarding any software/driver issues etc... I've checked the critical event logs, and it's not shutting down due to an overheated processor. I've also run some memory diagnostics and no issue there.
Yesterday I completed a fresh re-install of the OS (Win7Pro), and still encountered the problem multiple times after the install.
Does anyone have experience with this? Is it just faulty hardware and I'm out of luck?
Upon restart, I get the black and white screen saying that windows did not shut down properly, and asking if I want to start in safe mode, or start normally. I always start normally, and once Windows boots up, I don't receive any other messages regarding any software/driver issues etc... I've checked the critical event logs, and it's not shutting down due to an overheated processor. I've also run some memory diagnostics and no issue there.
Yesterday I completed a fresh re-install of the OS (Win7Pro), and still encountered the problem multiple times after the install.
Does anyone have experience with this? Is it just faulty hardware and I'm out of luck?
We've had a similar issue with D830. It turned out to be the metal frame (a thin band actually) underneath the keyboard. Part of it bent from horizontal to vertical position; causing the wireless card to fail (since it happened above the wireless card). Imagine the same thing happening at a more crucial place, e.g. around the battery cabling.
This happens very easily and not trivial to detect. My only clue was that the keyboard, while removed easily, was pretty hard to fit back to its place. When I fixed the bent part of the metal, both the keyboard went in like knife through butter and the wifi worked like charm.
Another possibility is overheat. Once we found a 2mm thick layer of domestic dust (looked like a cloth) right inside the vent grate.
Use CPU-Z and GPU-Z to monitor your system temperature and clocks.
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/SysInfo/GPU-Z/
Finally; does this happen when you are on battery power, AC power or both? it may help us figure out.
This happens very easily and not trivial to detect. My only clue was that the keyboard, while removed easily, was pretty hard to fit back to its place. When I fixed the bent part of the metal, both the keyboard went in like knife through butter and the wifi worked like charm.
Another possibility is overheat. Once we found a 2mm thick layer of domestic dust (looked like a cloth) right inside the vent grate.
Use CPU-Z and GPU-Z to monitor your system temperature and clocks.
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/SysInfo/GPU-Z/
Finally; does this happen when you are on battery power, AC power or both? it may help us figure out.
ASKER
It happens on both A/C and battery power. Far more frequently on battery power, but my suspicion is that is only because I move the machine around more frequently on battery power.
It doesn't have to be moved very far, and it's inconsistent. sometime if i just pick it up 2 inches off the table it will crash, other times I will move it all over (shake lightly) to try to make it crash, and it wont do it.
As far as I know, the battery is fine. I don't think it's a battery issue, because I was able to replicate the problem with the battery completely removed from the machine, running purely on A/C power.
Regarding CPU temp, I too was suspicious of that, and I have had the notebook crash due to an overheated CPU, and I know that because it shows up in my logs. However, I've also monitored the logs after some of these crashes and there's no record of an overheated CPU.
It doesn't have to be moved very far, and it's inconsistent. sometime if i just pick it up 2 inches off the table it will crash, other times I will move it all over (shake lightly) to try to make it crash, and it wont do it.
As far as I know, the battery is fine. I don't think it's a battery issue, because I was able to replicate the problem with the battery completely removed from the machine, running purely on A/C power.
Regarding CPU temp, I too was suspicious of that, and I have had the notebook crash due to an overheated CPU, and I know that because it shows up in my logs. However, I've also monitored the logs after some of these crashes and there's no record of an overheated CPU.
I wouldn't exclude the possibility of this past overheat causing permanent damage in the motherboard (or cpu for that matter). Try Dell diagnostics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avbZHNtV528
Also, you may try memtest86+ that is present on most recent Linux install / live cds.
Try to disable cpu cache if you can and see if it improves the situation.
Remove all but one RAM modules if there's more than one to see if crash is related to one module or to one socket only.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avbZHNtV528
Also, you may try memtest86+ that is present on most recent Linux install / live cds.
Try to disable cpu cache if you can and see if it improves the situation.
Remove all but one RAM modules if there's more than one to see if crash is related to one module or to one socket only.
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SOLUTION
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ASKER
I opened up the laptop as far as I dared to do myself. Took the whole front and back panels off, and gave it a close look. I could not see anything abnormal. After putting it back together it has crashed again at least once. I'm still not able to "make" it crash, which doesn't help solve the problem.
Oddly it crashes most consistently when I just close the screen and it goes into hibernate mode. Sometimes it crashes right away, often later, but when I get it back out (the next day, or days later) it almost always boots to the error screen that says it wasn't properly shut down.
I have not run the recommended memory test at this point. I will try to do that this week.
Oddly it crashes most consistently when I just close the screen and it goes into hibernate mode. Sometimes it crashes right away, often later, but when I get it back out (the next day, or days later) it almost always boots to the error screen that says it wasn't properly shut down.
I have not run the recommended memory test at this point. I will try to do that this week.
i doubt it's a memory problem, it looks more like a bad contact, or short
have a shop look into it
have a shop look into it
SOLUTION
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>> I opened up the laptop as far as I dared to do myself. << did you turn it over, to see or hear anything moving?
did you see any possible loose cable or contact?
>> Oddly it crashes most consistently when I just close the screen << this often points to a broken lcd cable, or the connector coming loose -verify both
did you see any possible loose cable or contact?
>> Oddly it crashes most consistently when I just close the screen << this often points to a broken lcd cable, or the connector coming loose -verify both
ASKER
I've requested that this question be deleted for the following reason:
It seems consensus is to take it to a shop, which makes sense to me. However the problem is not persistent enough at this point to merit spending the money to do that. I am deleting the question.
It seems consensus is to take it to a shop, which makes sense to me. However the problem is not persistent enough at this point to merit spending the money to do that. I am deleting the question.
since that was suggested - may i ask why you don't hand out points?
Is the battery good?