Any game ... XP crashes !!!

Josepmaria · 19 August 12, 14:57

Hi friends.

Sudden problem here !!!
My laptop is a Medion Akoya P6618 it has an Nvidia Geforce 9600M GS 512 mb graphics card. I'm using XP

Till now I could run perfectly GTR2, rFactor, Netkar, LFS, at quite high level of details with enough FPS to play.

I dont use this laptop often, but those holidays I took it and I discover that when I start any game, after a few seconds (20 ... 30 ...) my PC shuts off ...

I restart normally and the problem persists ... other than that XP is working perfectly ... I repaired Windows from the install CD, I reinstalled Nvidia drivers (tried several ones) after careful uninstall, with no luck !!!

What more can I do ??? Any Ideas ???

I'm thinking in a temperature problem ... how can I test it without loosing info when PC crashes ???

lrk09 · 19 August 12, 15:02

I had a problem like this couple years ago with my old PC. I found out that if I started a game the pc got too hot and shut off to prevent overheating. Maybe try to cool it a little bit, just a idea that came through my head

EDIT: question... does the laptop feel hot or somethingh like that? have you tried to take the temperature using speedfan (or similiar)? F.E at startup and when couple minutes played.

jgf · 19 August 12, 15:09

Get a utility such as CoreTemp to monitor the cpu temperature, and GPU-Z to monitor the graphics card. Most likely the system has dust buildup and is due for a good cleaning.

It's also possible the power supply is failing; Speedfan will display voltages and fan speeds.

These are all small programs and will live happily in the system tray; I leave CoreTemp running all the time and use the others as needed.

Josepmaria · 19 August 12, 21:46

Thanks friends, I'll get those programs and see ...

DurgeDriven · 19 August 12, 22:12

Pull the Battery out and run off mains power.

That will test if power supply is failing............

It reduces heat.

1. The battery is not being pinged.

2. The extra space allows more air flow

3. Don't 1/2 charge batteries, empty them aqnd make sure they are cool
before you charge, this will increase it's life.

CaptSlower · 20 August 12, 00:02

It's probably going to be heat related as people have already mentioned, feel around the exit vent when the laptop is starting to do some work, if you cant feel it moving much air then you know.

Over a period of time the internal side of the vent gets a fine layer build up on it and does exactly what you describe.

Repaired hundreds of laptops and 99% of the time it's the cause.

Josepmaria · 20 August 12, 06:51

Look what I found:

Comp. not doing anything : 53º C
Playing a video: 65º
Running GTR2 windowed: Increases quickly and at 93º PC shuts down

I coudnt find any info on voltage or fans (SpeedFan)...

CaptSlower · 20 August 12, 07:30

Thermal shutdown, Heat related mate, you will have to take the laptop apart to get at the inner side of the cooler vents, hard to say for your particular model without being hands on, but if you want to have a go start by taking the keyboard out and looking in, if you are lucky you will be able to get access from there. If you are not comfortable doing that then don't attempt it pal.

If it's the wrong time to pay someone to do it right now then blast air in from the outside of the vent to dislodge the dust layer, it could of course be the cooling fan has stopped working but you would know because it would be too quiet. I would consider this a temporary solution.

Good Luck.

Josepmaria · 20 August 12, 07:50

I've never opened a laptop, it scares me a bit breaking some little clip or a spring jumping out of place and not being able to put it back in place !!!

I'll try just blowing compressed air through all the holes !!!

Josepmaria · 20 August 12, 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josepmaria

I'll try just blowing compressed air through all the holes !!!

I did it, with a quite powerful compressor, during several minutes, and results are quite good.
I must say that I have not the necessary tools to remove some covers of the laptop here, and I only could blow air through all existing holes and between the keys ...

Now temperatures in game are some 10 degrees less than before, I tried with Power and Glory and I can race offline against 15 cars maintaining around 82 - 86ºC without problems !!! no crashes any more, but I'll try to open the laptop asap and make a proper cleaning !!! .

Thanks for your help !!!

Sphynks · 20 August 12, 14:21

Why don't you consider buying a cooling base? It's a platform to put under the laptop, with a couple of fans, normally USB-powered, that will cool your computer down. It could be useful...

kennyken · 20 August 12, 17:12

Yeah cooling base or if you do decide take the laptop apart and clean then re apply good thermal grease for the heatsink-pipe system.

CaptSlower · 20 August 12, 17:28

82 - 86ºC is still way too hot to be honest, find the vent exit area/s and blast the air in that way, and you will need to take it to someone otherwise you will be in the same boat again soon enough.

Josepmaria · 20 August 12, 17:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sphynks

Why don't you consider buying a cooling base?

I've seen them, but when you travel, a laptop is big enough to carry another thing

CaptSlower · 3 September 12, 19:35

to be frank cooler bases generally are piss poor, have 80mm fans in most of them or less , are noisy and halfway toward the cost of getting the repair done.

There is only one answer I am afraid - get it done by someone who can and it will be like day 1 again until it clogs up again lol.

borgoti · 5 September 12, 16:30

Some laptops are configured to passively cool down the processor to maintain the charge of the battery for the longest time. Passively, the processor and other components can become so hot that the laptop shut down to prevent overheating.

Verify if your laptop is configured to actively cool down the processor, which is the best method for gaming.

I found a topic here or you can gloogle for "system cooling policy". Hope it helps.

19 August 12, 14:57	#1
Josepmaria Join Date: May 2003 Location: La Font del Gat ;-) Age: 60	Any game ... XP crashes !!! Hi friends. Sudden problem here !!! My laptop is a Medion Akoya P6618 it has an Nvidia Geforce 9600M GS 512 mb graphics card. I'm using XP Till now I could run perfectly GTR2, rFactor, Netkar, LFS, at quite high level of details with enough FPS to play. I dont use this laptop often, but those holidays I took it and I discover that when I start any game, after a few seconds (20 ... 30 ...) my PC shuts off ... I restart normally and the problem persists ... other than that XP is working perfectly ... I repaired Windows from the install CD, I reinstalled Nvidia drivers (tried several ones) after careful uninstall, with no luck !!! What more can I do ??? Any Ideas ??? I'm thinking in a temperature problem ... how can I test it without loosing info when PC crashes ???

19 August 12, 15:02	#2
lrk09 Join Date: Oct 2009	I had a problem like this couple years ago with my old PC. I found out that if I started a game the pc got too hot and shut off to prevent overheating. Maybe try to cool it a little bit, just a idea that came through my head EDIT: question... does the laptop feel hot or somethingh like that? have you tried to take the temperature using speedfan (or similiar)? F.E at startup and when couple minutes played.

19 August 12, 15:09	#3
jgf Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Columbus, OH Age: 59	Get a utility such as CoreTemp to monitor the cpu temperature, and GPU-Z to monitor the graphics card. Most likely the system has dust buildup and is due for a good cleaning. It's also possible the power supply is failing; Speedfan will display voltages and fan speeds. These are all small programs and will live happily in the system tray; I leave CoreTemp running all the time and use the others as needed.

19 August 12, 21:46	#4
Josepmaria Join Date: May 2003 Location: La Font del Gat ;-) Age: 60	Thanks friends, I'll get those programs and see ...

19 August 12, 22:12	#5
DurgeDriven Join Date: Jan 2011	Pull the Battery out and run off mains power. That will test if power supply is failing............ It reduces heat. 1. The battery is not being pinged. 2. The extra space allows more air flow 3. Don't 1/2 charge batteries, empty them aqnd make sure they are cool before you charge, this will increase it's life.

20 August 12, 00:02	#6
CaptSlower Join Date: Nov 2009	It's probably going to be heat related as people have already mentioned, feel around the exit vent when the laptop is starting to do some work, if you cant feel it moving much air then you know. Over a period of time the internal side of the vent gets a fine layer build up on it and does exactly what you describe. Repaired hundreds of laptops and 99% of the time it's the cause.

20 August 12, 06:51	#7
Josepmaria Join Date: May 2003 Location: La Font del Gat ;-) Age: 60	Look what I found: Comp. not doing anything : 53º C Playing a video: 65º Running GTR2 windowed: Increases quickly and at 93º PC shuts down I coudnt find any info on voltage or fans (SpeedFan)...

20 August 12, 07:30	#8
CaptSlower Join Date: Nov 2009	Thermal shutdown, Heat related mate, you will have to take the laptop apart to get at the inner side of the cooler vents, hard to say for your particular model without being hands on, but if you want to have a go start by taking the keyboard out and looking in, if you are lucky you will be able to get access from there. If you are not comfortable doing that then don't attempt it pal. If it's the wrong time to pay someone to do it right now then blast air in from the outside of the vent to dislodge the dust layer, it could of course be the cooling fan has stopped working but you would know because it would be too quiet. I would consider this a temporary solution. Good Luck.

20 August 12, 07:50	#9
Josepmaria Join Date: May 2003 Location: La Font del Gat ;-) Age: 60	I've never opened a laptop, it scares me a bit breaking some little clip or a spring jumping out of place and not being able to put it back in place !!! I'll try just blowing compressed air through all the holes !!!

20 August 12, 14:21	#11
Sphynks Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Lisbon, Portugal, and SIM racing in a circuit close to you	Why don't you consider buying a cooling base? It's a platform to put under the laptop, with a couple of fans, normally USB-powered, that will cool your computer down. It could be useful...

20 August 12, 17:12	#12
kennyken Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kent, United Kingdom Age: 25	Yeah cooling base or if you do decide take the laptop apart and clean then re apply good thermal grease for the heatsink-pipe system.

20 August 12, 17:28	#13
CaptSlower Join Date: Nov 2009	82 - 86ºC is still way too hot to be honest, find the vent exit area/s and blast the air in that way, and you will need to take it to someone otherwise you will be in the same boat again soon enough.

3 September 12, 19:35	#15
CaptSlower Join Date: Nov 2009	to be frank cooler bases generally are piss poor, have 80mm fans in most of them or less , are noisy and halfway toward the cost of getting the repair done. There is only one answer I am afraid - get it done by someone who can and it will be like day 1 again until it clogs up again lol.

5 September 12, 16:30	#16
borgoti Join Date: Jun 2012	Some laptops are configured to passively cool down the processor to maintain the charge of the battery for the longest time. Passively, the processor and other components can become so hot that the laptop shut down to prevent overheating. Verify if your laptop is configured to actively cool down the processor, which is the best method for gaming. I found a topic here or you can gloogle for "system cooling policy". Hope it helps.