Topic: my own "my computer is being a piece" thread (Read 7420 times)

MAJORAHOLE · « **on:** April 28, 2009, 08:39:24 AM »

my fuckin toshiba laptop wont stay on. it will boot then turn off randomly, usually right after its about done booting, after i have picked my login.
if i tried again to boot right away, it will shut off faster.
i have the recovery cd, but have'nt backed up my shit lately.
i have all my music and shit on an external drive, but not all my pics.
i would like to fix it without reformating if possible. i have the toshiba recovery cd, but i dont think i can boot from it.
ive tried on battery power, and with just the cord no battery=same thing

anybody have any ideas?

Jorsher · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2009, 08:49:32 AM »

Could be bad ram.

When the computer is booting keep pressing F8 to see if you can load safemode. If you can then it's a problem with Windows.

If you have another PC, download/burn memtest86 to a disc and boot from it. It will test your ram for problems.

MAJORAHOLE · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2009, 08:52:47 AM »

good call, didnt even think of ram.
i have tried safemode, but the same shit happens. it usually takes a bit longer, but still shuts off

Jorsher · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:09:32 AM »

Could be pretty much any component to be honest $:-\$ PSU, ram, or processor. I'd start with the ram since it can be diagnosed pretty easily. Another easier thing you can try is to take one of the sticks of ram out (assuming you have more than one) and see if it runs better.

MAJORAHOLE · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:14:41 AM »

ya, thats what i'll try tonight.
def not a virus though??

Jorsher · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2009, 09:18:25 AM »

Could be, but I doubt it. They usually prefer to bug you to extort money (Antivirus 2009, etc) or use your PC for spamming. Not too many people will go through the trouble of writing a virus to shut your PC down. Sounds like a hardware issue if it does that in safe mode also.

Kain · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2009, 10:42:48 AM »

bad startup sequence forcing the computer to reboot.

MAJORAHOLE · « **Reply #7 on:** April 28, 2009, 11:15:42 AM »

i'll def check the ram, i pout new "value" ram in it about 8 months ago, maybe that shit went bad.
if i can get it to boot from its recovery disk for a while, can i assume its software then, and i need to reformat?

Jorsher · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2009, 12:58:26 PM »

escape or delete key when you first start the pc should take you to the BIOS so you can change it to boot from the CD...if it's not already set that way.

Age of ram doesn't really matter...friend bought brand new, expensive, name brand performance ram and one stick was DOA

MAJORAHOLE · « **Reply #9 on:** April 28, 2009, 02:13:15 PM »

ya, i read somewhere i can press f12 and it will give me the option, but can i like do anything from the recovery dvd? or is that just to re-install everything? do i need a special boot cd/dvd to be able to try and fix whatever is wrong, if its a software issue??

Suckah · « **Reply #10 on:** April 28, 2009, 03:59:38 PM »

If you want to get stuff off your HD and its IDE buy something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-EXTERNAL-2-5-IDE-HARD-DRIVE-KIT-Laptop-HD-Case-NEW_W0QQitemZ130302410358QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCC_Drives_Storage_Internal?hash=item130302410358&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A1|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

There are better deals than that, but you get the point.

I bought one when the motherboard on my old laptop died, and it was so much better than trying to do any sort of recovery BS. You can just get all of your files to another computer then reformat your comp if that's what you need to do.

Jorsher · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2009, 04:26:00 PM »

Quote from: MAJORAHOLE on April 28, 2009, 02:13:15 PM

ya, i read somewhere i can press f12 and it will give me the option, but can i like do anything from the recovery dvd? or is that just to re-install everything? do i need a special boot cd/dvd to be able to try and fix whatever is wrong, if its a software issue??

Your recovery disc should handle it...it pretty much reinstalls windows over what you have.

I still wouldn't be surprised if it's a hardware issue since it won't let you into safemode...

MAJORAHOLE · « **Reply #12 on:** April 28, 2009, 04:55:25 PM »

its an a15-s129 satellite

crxvtec91 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2009, 06:12:44 PM »

Quote from: Jorsher on April 28, 2009, 09:18:25 AM

Could be, but I doubt it. They usually prefer to bug you to extort money (Antivirus 2009, etc) or use your PC for spamming. Not too many people will go through the trouble of writing a virus to shut your PC down. Sounds like a hardware issue if it does that in safe mode also.

90% of the time thats true, but lately I have been seeing more and more that shut down then come back on. I would pull the Hd and run it as a external, then scan it to see if there is a virus on it.

t_cel_t · « **Reply #14 on:** April 28, 2009, 06:44:03 PM »

are you sure the cpu fan is coming on and not just overheating and shutting down because it tried to save the cpu

Jorsher · « **Reply #15 on:** April 28, 2009, 07:09:07 PM »

I still bet hardware

MAJORAHOLE · « **Reply #16 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:05:48 AM »

Quote from: t_cel_t on April 28, 2009, 06:44:03 PM

are you sure the cpu fan is coming on and not just overheating and shutting down because it tried to save the cpu

yes

Quote from: crxvtec91 on April 28, 2009, 06:12:44 PM

90% of the time thats true, but lately I have been seeing more and more that shut down then come back on. I would pull the Hd and run it as a external, then scan it to see if there is a virus on it.

i dont have another computer to try that with.

Quote from: Jorsher on April 28, 2009, 07:09:07 PM

I still bet hardware

yup, gotta be. cant reformat, becasue it shuts down. and i tried removing ram, and the smae shit happened.
the other day i removed the fan and heatsink becasue i thought maybe the fan was the problem, so i took it out and cleaned it like i normally would, and the thermal paste was looking a little weird.
how important is that shit?

Ntrain2k · « **Reply #17 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:07:47 AM »

Quote from: MAJORAHOLE on April 29, 2009, 08:05:48 AM

i thought maybe the fan was the problem, so i took it out and cleaned it like i normally would, and the thermal paste was looking a little weird.
how important is that shit?

The paste is very important.

Did it have a good smooth impression where it was contacting the core?

Jorsher · « **Reply #18 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:16:31 AM »

Quote from: MAJORAHOLE on April 29, 2009, 08:05:48 AM

the thermal paste was looking a little weird.
how important is that shit?

Like Ntrain said, it's very important... If it started before you took it off it's probably not the source of the problem but there needs to be a good seal between the heatsink and CPU. Otherwise it won't transfer heat too well and probably overheat.

You said that you removed the ram...did you leave some ram in it? It won't run without it. If you have 2 sticks, take out one, try it, then try the other.

Do this: Download a Linux live disc (any live discs, you can get ubuntu from ubuntu.com), remove the harddrive, burn it to a disc, boot from it, and see if it shuts down. If it doesn't, then the harddrive is fail. Burn a memtest86 disc and boot from that, run the tests, and if it lasts the ram isn't the problem.

MAJORAHOLE · « **Reply #19 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:22:40 AM »

Quote from: Jorsher on April 29, 2009, 08:16:31 AM

Like Ntrain said, it's very important... If it started before you took it off it's probably not the source of the problem but there needs to be a good seal between the heatsink and CPU. Otherwise it won't transfer heat too well and probably overheat.

You said that you removed the ram...did you leave some ram in it? It won't run without it. If you have 2 sticks, take out one, try it, then try the other.

Do this: Download a Linux live disc (any live discs, you can get ubuntu from ubuntu.com), remove the harddrive, burn it to a disc, boot from it, and see if it shuts down. If it doesn't, then the harddrive is fail. Burn a memtest86 disc and boot from that, run the tests, and if it lasts the ram isn't the problem.

i tried booting with each stick in there.
the paste wasnt completely surrounding the cpu like i think it should have been. thats the second time ive had to take off the heastsink to clean it, and ive never replaced the thermal paste. anyplace locally i could get more paste?

Jorsher · « **Reply #20 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:40:52 AM »

Ehhhh I don't know, all we had other than small mom-n-pop computer shops was CompUSA which no longer exists. Look in your phone book, someone has PC parts.

You'll need to clean it...not sure what you can use but google it first. You can probably use a nice solvent like alcohol, just get a high percent.

MAJORAHOLE · « **Reply #21 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:46:40 AM »

now that i think of it overheating makes sense. it would happen every so often before(ramdomly), and then it started to happen more and more often. now the first time i start it, it stays on longest, and if i try to reboot right after it turns off, it only stays of a few seconds at most. but if i let it cool a bit then it will stay on longer. ill have to see if my fiance's cousin has some paste, he used to build computers

crxvtec91 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:52:14 AM »

Newegg.com should sell the paste.

Ntrain2k · « **Reply #23 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:33:34 AM »

Look for arctic silver 5. Great stuff.

Kain · « **Reply #24 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:01:48 AM »

its collected enough dust to hamper airflow and/or the fan is going down the crapper.

to test this theory out, put it in the fridge and see how long it can stay on.

t_cel_t · « **Reply #25 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:47:51 AM »

Quote from: rawr on April 29, 2009, 09:58:05 AM

Best buy carries past for rape prices.

so its free?

MAJORAHOLE · « **Reply #26 on:** April 29, 2009, 12:09:18 PM »

Quote from: Kain on April 29, 2009, 11:01:48 AM

its collected enough dust to hamper airflow and/or the fan is going down the crapper.

to test this theory out, put it in the fridge and see how long it can stay on.

ya, that should tell my for good.
i did clean it all out though, but that paste was shitty looking, not all up against the main little piece, there were gaps that i thought shopuldtn't be there

BoostForLife · « **Reply #27 on:** April 29, 2009, 12:11:36 PM »

Just go down to a local computer repair shop and buy some thermal paste. If they have arctic silver get it, if not then get whatever they got.

MAJORAHOLE · « **Reply #28 on:** April 29, 2009, 06:45:06 PM »

well, the freezer deal worked. it ran the longest yet, but did shut down once, it flashed a blue screen, then restarted. after running the disk check thing that it does when you cut the power to it. it restarted itself about 3 times before it finally shut off for good. so i assume its a cooling issue with that paste

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Author Topic: my own "my computer is being a piece" thread (Read 7420 times)

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