Question for you computer guys...

[MattACaster]

I got a guy here at work who is claiming his laptop is locking up. He said he took it to 2 different computer repair places (which he shouldn't have done since its a company laptop) and they both said it's a fan that is bad and it's a $500 fix.

 

If I stress tested the laptop with something like Prime95, wouldn't that cause enough heat to get the fan working and cause it to fail?

 

I have this feeling that he is just making this up to get a new laptop but I want to make sure I tested it right before I call him on his bull{censored}.

[peavey_impact]

Locking up as in everything locks including the mouse pointer but the screen remains lit/computer stays on? If that's the case it's likely not the fan IMO.

Worth testing out though Prime95 should do the trick

[NixerX]

I have had a rash of this issue over here. My Work IBM, and Acer, and several HP's. All CPU fans.

 

The laptop will work great and intermittently lock.

[MattACaster]

Locking up as in everything locks including the mouse pointer but the screen remains lit/computer stays on? If that's the case it's likely not the fan IMO. Worth testing out though Prime95 should do the trick

He didn't say. I assume thats what he meant. Wouldn't an overheat cause the whole system to lock?

[Phillbis]

Have you looked at the event logs on his laptop? There might be a telling error in there.

[peavey_impact]

He didn't say. I assume thats what he meant. Wouldn't an overheat cause the whole system to lock?

 

 

Pretty much everytime I've worked on laptops that had overheating issues the whole thing would shut off or restart when things got too hot, but in lieu of Nixer's post I can't say that will always be the case.

 

FWIW most complete "lockups" I've dealt with have been hard drive probs.

[Pepi]

I love the users that leave their laptop on and puts it in the case Is there a CMOS setting on that laptop to have the fan run all the time?

[Mesa4x12er2]

I got a guy here at work who is claiming his laptop is locking up. He said he took it to 2 different computer repair places (which he shouldn't have done since its a company laptop) and they both said it's a fan that is bad and it's a $500 fix. If I stress tested the laptop with something like Prime95, wouldn't that cause enough heat to get the fan working and cause it to fail? I have this feeling that he is just making this up to get a new laptop but I want to make sure I tested it right before I call him on his bull{censored}.

Yes running a stress test/burn in will duplicate this issue if it is in fact happening.

[Mesa4x12er2]

He didn't say. I assume thats what he meant. Wouldn't an overheat cause the whole system to lock?

 

 

Generally if it gets too hot the computer will power off to keep from frying. The only time your computer will freeze from heat is if the CPU is getting too hot and just getting unstable.

[MattACaster]

Have you looked at the event logs on his laptop? There might be a telling error in there.

Didn't get a chance. The asshole took it off my desk before I could finish looking at it.

[MattACaster]

Generally if it gets too hot the computer will power off to keep from frying. The only time your computer will freeze from heat is if the CPU is getting too hot and just getting unstable.

 

 

Ok, that makes sense.

 

I gotta wonder what he's doing thats stressing this PC out that much. Some old school AS400 screen and some MS Office apps are all he should be doing with it.

[Mesa4x12er2]

Didn't get a chance. The asshole took it off my desk before I could finish looking at it.

Just tell him you'll get him a new fan . Also people that don't take of their laptops end up having little sweaters on the cpu/heatsink.

[Mesa4x12er2]

Ok, that makes sense. I gotta wonder what he's doing thats stressing this PC out that much. Some old school AS400 screen and some MS Office apps are all he should be doing with it.

 

 

I'd open it up and make sure it's not just a dirty heatsink. A lot of laptops have poor design and end up getting clogged because people are using them on floors, near dusty areas etc and the fans end up sucking up all that crap and hair (puke) into the heatsink.

[OverDriven]

Most modern computers will simply shut down in the case of an overheat as a protection mechanism. If they don't have the protection mechanism, usually they will lock up when they overheat.

 

$500 to replace a fan though? Someone has got to be lying about that. You can buy a brand new laptop for that price.

[MattACaster]

Most modern computers will simply shut down in the case of an overheat as a protection mechanism. If they don't have the protection mechanism, usually they will lock up when they overheat. $500 to replace a fan though? Someone has got to be lying about that. You can buy a brand new laptop for that price.

 

 

 

That $500 is what is making me think this is BS. It's funny how he took it too two places and both said the same thing and quoted the same price.

 

He has one of the older HP laptops we have here. In fact, I think that may have been the first laptop I bought for a salesman when I started working here. They recently had a big sales meeting and I think he saw all the other sleek shiny Lenovo laptops everyone else had...

[NixerX]

Dunno if you've ever dont major surgery on a laptop before ( it {censored}ing sucks BTW) but the way these things are constructed is the fan is usually part of a really big heat sink under the keyboard. Being so proprietary they can jack you for whatever they want.

 

I would like to add that its poor design to have the intake or air vent UNDER the laptop....think about it.. where the {censored} is the hot hair from the CPU supposed to flow to if its on your lap or desk?

[Eddie Loves You!]

Install a program called Speedfan, or something else that will allow you to monitor CPU and GPU temp. Then run HeavyLoad or any other burn in software to max out the CPU; the problem should come up.

 

Are you the IT guy? Just order the $5 fan and put in in yourself. You know whoever he took it to is quoting him like $60 for the part and the rest in labor.

[isvoid]

he has teh virus from teh pronz

[MattACaster]

Dunno if you've ever dont major surgery on a laptop before ( it {censored}ing sucks BTW) but the way these things are constructed is the fan is usually part of a really big heat sink under the keyboard. Being so proprietary they can jack you for whatever they want. I would like to add that its poor design to have the intake or air vent UNDER the laptop....think about it.. where the {censored} is the hot hair from the CPU supposed to flow to if its on your lap or desk?

I've replaced some parts but nothing major. The worst being adding ram to my Lenovo and I have to take apart the whole thing from the keyboard down.

With this laptop, it looks like it flows from the bottom and out the left side.


I guess my next question is, how long do you think I should stress test it before being able to rule out a bad fan as the cause?

[MattACaster]

Install a program called Speedfan, or something else that will allow you to monitor CPU and GPU temp. Then run HeavyLoad or any other burn in software to max out the CPU; the problem should come up. Are you the IT guy? Just order the $5 fan and put in in yourself. You know whoever he took it to is quoting him like $60 for the part and the rest in labor.

 

 

I'll look into those!

 

Yeah, I'm the IT guy. It's an HP laptop so I doubt the part is just $5...

[NixerX]

I've replaced some parts but nothing major. The worst being adding ram to my Lenovo and I have to take apart the whole thing from the keyboard down. With this laptop, it looks like it flows from the bottom and out the left side. I guess my next question is, how long do you think I should stress test it before being able to rule out a bad fan as the cause?

1-2 hours or at least or until failure. You should be able to feel the air moving through the vents or at least hear the fan...if not then its new heatsink / fan time.

[Mesa4x12er2]

If his fan isn't working then a stress test should crash it fast.

[Lucius]

What HP model? The DV series has some very well documented issues with heat sinking on the shared graphics/CPU (easily fixed with a couple small pieces of copper). Also, the CPU tends to come un-soldered but thats an easy fix as well. Anyways, you've got tonnes of suggestions. Good luck. Cheers, Lucius

[MattACaster]

What HP model? The DV series has some very well documented issues with heat sinking on the shared graphics/CPU (easily fixed with a couple small pieces of copper). Also, the CPU tends to come un-soldered but thats an easy fix as well. Anyways, you've got tonnes of suggestions. Good luck. Cheers, Lucius

 

 

Don't know. Like I said, the guy took it off my desk after I left work and it hasn't been returned to me yet.

[Razsan]

Don't know. Like I said, the guy took it off my desk after I left work and it hasn't been returned to me yet.

 

 

Is this a REALLY small company. Most firms (even small ones) have maintenance agreements on all their hardware and at the minimum an inventory listing so you could tell exactly what model and serial number is associated with the employee.