Uber-uber-professional help needed!

[Bundy]

So my father and I run a computer store. Now we've got a laptop with a very hard problem. The whole screen freezes after an unknown period of time.
We've resetted the laptop both in software and hardware.

We've put a fresh clean Windows installation on the laptop, still the same problem.
We've resetted the BIOS manually, still the same problem.
We've tried other memory modules in it, still the same problem.
We've tried another HDD, still the same problem.
We've tried another heatsink, still the same problem.

After we've replaced the heatsink, the processor seemed to be a bit less overheated (with the old heatsink Windows taskbar said it was over 70% continiously)
Still the same problem!!!

Somebody has a solution?

[Brian]

checked the grap card?

[Salmonella]

Since when do we measure temperature in percentage? 

Looks like an overheating issue to me, or a faulty hardware component.

Monitor the temperatures and find out.

[Devin]

Power supply or motherboard could still be at fault if the BIOS has been reset and the problem remains.
You will probably find there's a capacitor causing trouble when it warms up.

[Bundy]

checked the grap card?

On-board, also there's nothing wrong with the screen, the system freezes.

Since when do we measure temperature in percentage? 

Looks like an overheating issue to me, or a faulty hardware component.

Monitor the temperatures and find out.

I meant 70°c.. I also thought the laptop froze because of this, as a programmed security measure.
Still the same problem with a new heatsink and normal temperature.

Power supply or motherboard could still be at fault if the BIOS has been reset and the problem remains.
You will probably find there's a capacitor causing trouble when it warms up.

Didn't think about it that way, but how can I replace a capacitor for the love of god?

[Salmonella]

I meant 70°c.. I also thought the laptop froze because of this, as a programmed security measure.
Still the same problem with a new heatsink and normal temperature.

Thought so.

70 degrees celcius shouldn't be that much of a problem. Are you sure you measured accurately, because there's multiple temperatures you need to keep an eye on. Download OpenHardwareMonitor, and you'll be able to measure all of them in a nice and simple program.

Computers are able to freeze due to heat issues, but not as a security measure. The security measure to high temperatures in Windows is to shut down or (more often) automatically reboot.

If it isn't a temperature then maybe a component has simple failed. Re-inserting the RAM can also often fix unusual problems like this one.

[Devin]

It may be due to overheating, but generally speaking a PC/Laptop would turn off when it overheats.
If it seems to be staying within safe limits of temperatures then check the circuits and capacitors.

If you have the laptop open, take a look at each capacitor, at every, and I mean every single circuit on every part and board within the laptop.
Look at every solder point for and cracks/dry joints due to chip creep. Specifically look at and around the solder points of the CPU.

If you notice any discoloration on or around, even at the solder points of the capacitors they are dead or are dying.
If the top of any capacitor is domed, pointing upwards and not completely flat, the capacitor is at fault.

[Bundy]

Thought so.

70 degrees celcius shouldn't be that much of a problem. Are you sure you measured accurately, because there's multiple temperatures you need to keep an eye on. Download OpenHardwareMonitor, and you'll be able to measure all of them in a nice and simple program.

Computers are able to freeze due to heat issues, but not as a security measure. The security measure to high temperatures in Windows is to shut down or (more often) automatically reboot.

If it isn't a temperature then maybe a component has simple failed. Re-inserting the RAM can also often fix unusual problems like this one.

What amazed me is that even when we replaced the heatsink and the temperature was normal, it froze..
Maybe another fresh and clean installation of Windows and re-insertin of memory modules would perform miracles? :roll:

And Devin, if a capacitor and/or circuit is defect, that means I need to replace the whole motherboard (as it's impossible to fix it, right?), so I will do what you said as a last resort.

[Devin]

Some will say it's easier to replace the board, but if you know how to solder on PC components it's possible to replace a capacitor quite easily.
But it's also easy to ruin an entire board if you mess solder on the board creating a short or burn the board.


If you have two ram modules in the laptop, try start it with just one, if it freezes, move the ram module to the other slot and try again.

[Bundy]

Some will say it's easier to replace the board, but if you know how to solder on PC components it's possible to replace a capacitor quite easily.
But it's also easy to ruin an entire board if you mess solder on the board creating a short or burn the board.


If you have two ram modules in the laptop, try start it with just one, if it freezes, move the ram module to the other slot and try again.

Hmm... Soldering is not really my specialty. I can ask dear father to try something though, but we should first find out which capacitor or circuit it is, of course, which is a hell of a job..

About the RAM modules, I think I've tried that already, but I forgot, so I'm going to give it another try!

You maybe know which capacitor/circuit I should look at? Maybe some specific corner?


EDIT: There's just one memory module in it :'(

[Devin]

The thing is any capacitor could cause some problems if the board had to have a dry joint/short at the capacitor/caused by the capacitor.

[Gandalf]

In general I always advise to look at a simple explanation and avoid the complex ones.

If the laptop freezes at 'unknown' intervals of time the first question is if it freezes while in use or after inactivity.

If the answer is inactivity, go to the power settings and remove each and every setting in such way that none of the components switch off after inactivity. If present, disable the screensaver.

If this solves the problem there are two options.
1. Leave it as it is and advise the user not to enable power saving, which will reduce the operating time of the laptop.
2. Re-enable the power saving components one by one, and try to determine which one is causing the freeze. Update that driver and use contact spray on any connection of that component.

Oh and a clean of the graphics card and all other ventilation areas might help as well.

If the laptop freezes during activity, it is more likely to be a fault in the memory or part of the harddrive that contains the swapdisk.
Ensure the memory is put in correct, clean the banks and use contact spray before inserting. Run a diagnostig on the harddisk, and change the location of the swapfile.

Hope any of this helps before you start taking things apart.

[Bundy]

In general I always advise to look at a simple explanation and avoid the complex ones.

If the laptop freezes at 'unknown' intervals of time the first question is if it freezes while in use or after inactivity.

If the answer is inactivity, go to the power settings and remove each and every setting in such way that none of the components switch off after inactivity. If present, disable the screensaver.

There's no screensaver enabled when installing a fresh version of Windows, re-checked though.

Oh and a clean of the graphics card and all other ventilation areas might help as well.

Cleaned everything already, and I mean EVERYTHING.

If the laptop freezes during activity, it is more likely to be a fault in the memory or part of the harddrive that contains the swapdisk.
Ensure the memory is put in correct, clean the banks and use contact spray before inserting. Run a diagnostig on the harddisk, and change the location of the swapfile.

This could be it actually, will try tomorrow as I'm done working now.


Thanks guys!

[Gandalf]

There's no screensaver enabled when installing a fresh version of Windows, re-checked though.

However on a laptop standard a number of power-saving features are built-in.
These include switching of the HD, screen and other components after some time.

If you have installed Windows fresh, and are not using the factory-built version it is very likely the power-saving components are conflicting with the Windows component drivers.
Download the specific management software from the factory regarding power saving, or check in the BIOS if it can be adjusted there.

If the fresh install of Windows is not the factory delivered one, it is very likely a software issue related to the drivers.

[TheLegitHabibi]

My pc used to do exacrly the same thing. Freezes after a certain time.
It was the motherboard. It heated up and instead of turning off, it froze.