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Dell Inspiron1501 Laptop Cuts off for no reason

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ffallon1

Technical User
Nov 24, 2006
61
US
My laptop will just cut off for no reason, as though someone held the power button down. I ran a diag from the boot menu, it got thru the first part and ran through most of the second part until it cut off again. I could not get it to turn on until I let it sit for a couple of hours. hours. I'm on it now and it seems fine.
Could it be the battery? Will it hurt anything to remove the battery and run on AC power only?
The reason I ask is I thought that since laptops are plugged into a "brick," a transformer, and the brick is plugged into the wall...are the laptops running on the batteries that the brick is recharging? I was concerned there might danger in running the laptop without the battery in place.
 
It sounds more like a heat issue. PC's are set to turn off if the CPU gets too hot, to prevent real damage. Make sure all vents and fans are clear of dust. You might also want to consider propping it up on something to let airflow under it.

See if it makes a difference in how long it will run.

Running a laptop without a battery is perfectly fine. It turns it into a desktop. Laptops only run of the battery when they are not plugged into the wall. If plugged into the wall, they run off of the main power, and charge the battery at the same time.

Also check the BIOS for temperature levels, or download a temp monitor for windows to check that.



----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
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Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Behind the Web, Tips and Tricks for Web Development.
 
It doesn't hurt to run off the mains - the battery is just for portability. If I'm on the mains all day, I normally take the battery out.
 
If you should wish to properly clean and remove any obstructions from the fan and heat exchanger:

Manual for Dell Inspiron 1501:


The manual has instructions for accessing and removing the fan for cleaning. Use a soft paintbrush to clean off dust around the fan and heat exchanger, and blast with air from a can. Do not use a vacuum cleaner, as this can induce static discharges which can ruin electronics. Always ground yourself to earth before touching the insides of electronic devices.

Speedfan is a utility that can check temperatures in various parts of your system.




 
If you have access to a compressed air source then often it is easiest to 'back blow' up the exhaust vent.
When you do this it is advisable to stop the fan from spinning to prevent back emf.
Usually you can see the fan through the vent holes so jam with a wooden tooth pick or similar when blowing out.

Martin

On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar and sleep
 
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