Laptop's fan comes on HIGH and then laptop shuts off. Repeatedly. Why?

Question

I thought I had a virus and walked away from the laptop for three days. Came back, booted up, no problems, no virus upon updating and scanning. When it has acted up, it is usually--if not always--on startup. What gives? Toshiba Satellite A45-S150. By the way, I thought it was going to happen just now as the fan started to race, but it just stopped and everything's OK...

Answer 1

If this behaviour occurs after using the laptop for an extended period of time, then the problem is most likely about heat management.

However, if you start up your laptop cold (after not using it for quite a while), and it still races, you might want to bring it to a specialist to have him run some diagnostics on your hardware.

Answer 2

I would not keep trying to diagnose this yourself, and though it's good practice to blow dust out of your computer now and then, that may not be the problem. The symptoms may not occur every time, and you could fry your processor...if it's not under warranty, that's all the more reason to get it repaired *NOW*.

I imagine at least a diagnostic test would not be too expensive (somewhere between $30 - $70, U.S.). For a processor, to buy it yourself, you can't buy in bulk with no warranty like the computer maker does, you have to buy an individual, boxed, warrantied processor with heat sink/fan...that will run you hundreds of dollars alone. What if your whole motherboard is about to crap out? Don't wait.

Take it to your retailer or call the manufacturer if it's under warranty. (I prefer the retailer, since they don't ask you to use the original box...I imagine they use their own box if they can't fix it themselves...Best Buy sent my PC off to the manufacturer be repaired, and I did not need the box. The manufacturer requires the box with UPC intact if you mail it yourself...but you cut off the UPC if you get any mail-in rebates, so you no longer have that...though I read in some computer article they don't enforce that.)

If it's not under warranty, look up "Computer Repair" in the phone book.

Answer 3

I agree with the first poster. I would say that you have some heat issues and the fan is trying to cool down the computer. The other thing is that the fan may be getting ready to crap out. Another thing to check for is bulging capacitors on the motherboard. If it is still under warranty take it and get it serviced.

Answer 4

Keep the PC in a well ventilated place, so that it is not overheated. I can give you a link that deals with hard drive problems. Some drive problems can be easily fixed yourself by using easily available tools. I found the info at http://fixit.in useful. Try this site, if you can get what is required.

Answer 5

My laptop was doing that one time. I was trying to play Madden 2006. That must have been too much for it to handle, and it overheated. The game ran smoothly, but I could hear the fan doing overtime. My laptop broke shortly after that -- I can't say how relevant that is to your situation, though.

Answer 6

I know exactly you problem because I had this problem too, when I took it to fix tehy say that the computer todes not have enough power. You need a better power cord or battery to power teh fan while still having the computer on.

Answer 7

My guess is that it's overheating. The fan is trying to cool it down and sometimes it decides that it's okay an other times it shuts down to prevent a meltdown!

Answer 8

I would think that it is a heat thing....When the system gets hotter the fan kicks in....to cool things down...

this is a guess...

david

Answer 9

its overheating as everyone has suggested buy a can of air unplug it and blow out every fan fin and opening in it