Dell Studio 1569 laptop fan and overheating problem

I just realized it happens after the computer is awoken from "sleep" mode. (After the computer has been sitting with the lid closed for a while.)

Greenteam

Sorry to hear this, it certainly sounds like a tricky problem. Just want to make sure, have you ever noticed the system shutting down on its own before the system has been placed in sleep mode?  When the shutdown happens does the computer come right back up? Or do you have to wait a while before it will start again?  The reason I ask is that if it is overheating it may take a while to boot up as the system has to cool a bit before it starts back up. You could even check for errors. Often enough Windows will be configured not to show errors during crashes.  Right click "my computer" and choose properties, choose advanced system settings and click the "settings" button on Startup and Recovery and uncheck Automatic Recovery. That way instead of restarting it will give a blue screen.  If it does come back here with the error.

If the system starts immediatly back up then this may be a software related issue. If this is not a overheating problem my guess is that this could be a video driver not resuming correclty from sleep mode.  I would suggest uninstalling and reinstalling the video driver.  Be sure to completely remove the driver from the add remove programs and from device manager and restart the system in VGA mode (low resolution mode in VISTA and Win 7) then install the driver.  Download the driver from support.dell.com using your service tag.

You may need to go to tech with this, but these steps may save the call to support. Let me know what you find out.

TB

Do you think this is a BIOS issue?

Yes, it does sometimes shut down randomly while I'm using it. Sorry I forgot to mention that! Then I just wait a minute or so and press the power button to restart. Then the fan runs at high speed.

I do believe it is a fan / overheating problem as I sometimes monitor the temp with RealTemp. When the fan isn't running (ie after it's been in sleep mode and been awoken) the temps are a bit higher, and get very high with certain activity on the laptop.

BTW, when it shuts down randomly, it powers off completely.

Have you tried disabling "automatic recovery" just to verify that there isn't something else going on here? I certainly understand how this can be frustrating but it is as very simple step that may provide more information on what is happening.

Haven't tried that yet, but something interesting just happened. The fan was not running, as usual after sleep mode, and I was watching the temps. Usual stuff. Then I did the "push to TV" for a few minutes. Temps went a bit higher, fan still not running. Then when I disconnected from the push to TV, the fan started running and the temps started going down!

What might that mean? I've never seen the fan kick in like that after being in its not running state.

I am having this problem as well, here is what I can tell you:

* When the power shuts down and I try to start it up again immediately, chances are good that the computer will shut down again during startup

* The most common activities which trigger the shutdown are high graphics gaming (first person shooters, for example), watching video, or burning media

* I have updated all drivers and the BIOS just yesterday, but the problem persists

* There is a raised area on the underside of the laptop, approximately 2" x 4", just to the rear of a vented screw-down cover in which the heat is most prominent.

I pretty much have the same exact issue. After my computer automatically goes into sleep mode and I bring out of sleep mode, after a few minutes it will just completely turn itself off with no shutdown process. If I power on immediately, it turns off again. If I wait 30 seconds or more, it starts with the screen asking me if I want to start in safe mode. I don't think I've ever seen it turn off after powering on, only AFTER being in sleep mode and MAYBE hibernate. It is such a shock to be in the middle of a project and it just disappears. I am also shocked that Dell has not issued any info on what this may be or how to fix it!!! I had trouble with my last Dell laptop and took a chance by buying another one.... I guess I'm loosing on that bet. ; ( HELP!

I have dell studio1569 i have problem that my wifi close automatically and not on again while i restart laptop and then it trurn on.i buy new laptop.when it close automatic the options of searching adapter becomes hide so i cant so i restart the leptop and then i  use again.please tell me how i fix this problem.thanks

I'm having the same issue with my Dell Studio 1569 where it will suddenly completely shut down from one second to the next without any warning. The bottom is warm so I suspect it has something to do with overheating. Please Dell, just fix it. Thanks for looking into this.

My Studio 1569 that appears to be due to overheating. The problem is very difficult to isolate because it happens spontaneousely and unpredictably. The fan will race and slow down in about a 5 sec interval of oscillations ocassionally. Not sure for how long but it is long enough to make you wonder why. Most of the heat is located in the area between the cover and the round vent where the fan is located. The laptop will shutdown when used on a wooden lap table where there is no blockage to the air flow. Pushing to TV does seem to generate more heat but will operate for long periods without shutting down. and other times will shut down.  The shutdown is like the power is instantly being disconnected. The heat is an amount that you would not want to touch the heated area for very long if at all.  I have Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 your instructions to disable Automatic Recovery is not clear to what is seen on the window for "Startup and Recovery"  It is a guess that this spontaneous shutdown has been happening for about 6 months and lately it seem to be more frequent. It is also a guess that the time between shutdowns was a the start once a month but is not is every few days to a week. I have owned this 1569 for right at 1 year.

I also have the same issue & it doesn't appear to have anything to do with overheating.  The laptop is completely cool. Keep in mind this has happened since I purchased the laptop a yr ago.   I called Dell & they asked me to update BIOS--it didn't fix the problem.  I'm not pleased with this malfunction.  I never had issues with my previous Dell, but this Studio 1569 laptop has given me headaches, including the keypad (mouse function) became permanently depressed after half a yr of used & I had to get it replaced.

Hi Terry, 

I have a Studio 1458. A year after I bought it, I suddenly had shutdowns and the notebook felt hot. This happened several times and finally it downed on me that the CPU over heated and shutdown. My Dell was still under warranty then so I called in service and the service man replaced the fan and everything worked just fine again. So it was clearly a fan problem. 

Another year later. I started to have the same problem starting a couple of weeks ago. Since last it happened last time, I knew what to do... I put a small fan I bought at Walmart and put it beside the part where it is hottest. And the problem goes a way. But I end up with another problem, namely using this cheap Walmart fan is not a good solution. It blows into my eyes making them dry. Not to mention portability and taking up space for the fan is annoying. 

My warranty is now over, repair is very expensive, that's why I use a Walmart fan which is blowing air into my eyes right now... But I think twice in a row for the same fan failure is a little bit too much.  Is there a technical fix? Or can Dell Customer Support help for a n0-charge replacement? Dell has record of my first fan repair. 

Thanks, 

Robert