The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.

Vostro 3500 - Laptop turns off while playing videos

Discussion in 'Dell Latitude, Vostro, and Precision' started by forennr, Sep 10, 2012.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. forennr

    forennr Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hi,

    I just re-installed Windows 7 Ultimate on a Vostro 3500 and installed GeForce 310M Discrete Nvidia driver. Whenever I play any files on PotPlayer, the computer plays it fine for a few minutes and then the video stops and computer turns off automatically.

    I've cleaned the dust that accumulates near the ventilation and the laptop already has a laptop cooler.

    Before re-installing the OS, I had this issue of PC turning off but only when Chrome and Firefox were running or if I was downloading something.

    I'd really appreciate any help on this issue. Thanks so much in advance.

    ps: There are 2 version of 310M drivers at Dell. I'm not sure if I should install Discrete or Switchable. Any idea which one I should install? I've tried Discrete so far.
     
    forennr, Sep 10, 2012
    #1
  2. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

    Reputations:
    5,413
    Messages:
    10,711
    Likes Received:
    1,204
    Trophy Points:
    581
    The computer physically shuts off with no warning? Likely a short somewhere on the motherboard, are you still in warranty?
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Sep 10, 2012
    #2
  3. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    3,905
    Messages:
    6,116
    Likes Received:
    89
    Trophy Points:
    216
    Could be overheating if the CPU reaches ~100C. You can check that with Core Temp.
     
    namaiki, Sep 10, 2012
    #3
  4. forennr

    forennr Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Thanks Hime and Namaiki. No, unfortunately the warranty has expired. Yes, it just turns off like someone pressed the power button.

    I'll run Core Temp.
     

    Attached Files:

    forennr, Sep 10, 2012
    #4
  5. forennr

    forennr Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I just ran CoreTemp

    [​IMG]
     
    forennr, Sep 10, 2012
    #5
  6. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    3,905
    Messages:
    6,116
    Likes Received:
    89
    Trophy Points:
    216
    If you play a video, does the temperature rise up closer to 100C?
     
    namaiki, Sep 10, 2012
    #6
  7. forennr

    forennr Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    There's definitely a spike when I start playing the videos in PotPlayer and it seems to come down as soon as I click "Pause".

    While playing an .mkv file:

    [​IMG]

    I read somewhere I could try cleaning the fans.. Do you think so?
     
    forennr, Sep 10, 2012
    #7
  8. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    3,905
    Messages:
    6,116
    Likes Received:
    89
    Trophy Points:
    216
    Maybe you can try blow compressed air into the heat vent to loosen/remove dust. If you have previously removed the heatsink, maybe you need to reapply thermal paste.
     
    namaiki, Sep 10, 2012
    #8
  9. forennr

    forennr Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Thanks again, namaiki.. I haven't done that but on a scale of 1 to 10, would you happen to know how hard is removing the heat sink and applying the thermal paste?

    Would I be able to do it myself by looking at the videos online or am I better off going to a shop?
     
    forennr, Sep 10, 2012
    #9
  10. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    3,905
    Messages:
    6,116
    Likes Received:
    89
    Trophy Points:
    216
    It's not hard and Dell provides some instructions on how to do it: Documentation

    Try blow out the vent first. Before, you mentioned that you cleaned out dust near the ventilation. What did you do at the time?
     
    namaiki, Sep 10, 2012
    #10
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page