Precision 5520 random shutdown

If the system is going through a graceful shutdown, open Event Viewer and check the System log.  One of the entries should describe who/what requested the shutdown.  It's easiest to check this right after a shutdown event because as you'll see, the System log accumulates a lot of entries from a lot of sources, but if you leave your system powered off for a few minutes, you'll be able to find the time gap in the log entries to identify the "break point" between the previous shutdown and the entries from the most recent startup, and then you can look back through the entries immediately prior to the shutdown.

I have a new Precision 5200 (shipped March 25, 2018) and have experienced numerous thermal shutdown events. They are triggered by Windows, not the BIOS. Regardless, the processor is getting up to 100 degrees Celsius, which is simply too hot. Research by me and Dell support has shown that running Photoshop can make this happen. Oddly, it's not so much when I am doing graphics-intensive operations as I/O-intensive operations, sometimes just opening or saving files. After numerous updates of the BIOS, chipset drivers, even Windows drivers, nothing seems to help. The only workaround so far is to disable CPU Turbo Mode (performance section) in the BIOS. This really **bleep** because isn't that why I paid big bucks for this system? Dell support's latest suggestion is to reinstall Windows. Having spent over 7 years in front-line support, I recognize this as a way to get out of acknowledging the real problem: defective design. Reinstalling Windows would take a VERY large amount of my personal time and I don't have faith that anything would change. I have to say that I am very dissatisfied with my system, not because of its performance, but because I feel like I've been ripped off by Dell, overcharged for something that I did not receive.

Me too, more than 3000 $ in a Dell Precision 5520 with i7, 32Gb RAM, 512GB M.2 PCIe Solid State drive Class 50 and it shuts down randomly. In the event viewer:

The system was shut down due to a critical thermal event.
Shutdown Time = ‎...
ACPI Thermal Zone = Intel(R) Dynamic Platform Thermal Framework
_CRT = 373K

Up to 6 times a day. Even with a change of the mother board. I think it's a design failure. But I don't seem it too hot.

Advice: Don't buy this laptop.

You should contact Dell support if your laptop is under warranty.

My company switch over to several 5520's for about 2 years now.  Two them had posted similar errors from globero above with the only differences in temperatures(K) that caused the shutdown; the first (Anniversary Edition) laptop with this error was very recent that was purchased in a couple months ago, and and the other one happened end of April this laptop and was purchased early 2017. 

I called Dell support, told them this event error (after a fresh Windows 10 installation) and able to replicate this error multiple times on Dell's Diagnostic page (http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19) using "Full Test".  They put me on hold for several minutes, came back and told me that I would need to ship the laptops back to Dell for a heat sink and fan replacement.  I requested that they come to my office (New York) to do the replacement instead.  They said I would have to wait for the parts to be shipped first before a tech could be scheduled which was a day.  A day later, a tech showed up and they replaced the heat sinks.

I did another "Full Test" and so far so good.

Hi Guys,

I am battling with this issue too.

Dell support have been good - responsive - just no success yet.

So far we have replaced the heat sink and fans.  Yesterday the motherboard and CPU.

However, just had another shutdown tonight.

I see the thermal shutdown messages in Windows eventlog.  However, there is a "thermal log" in BIOS - no messages at all in here.  Anyone think that odd?

I have just downloaded Windows 10 1803 - I have been running with the default install.  See how it goes.

Best of luck to those of you dealing with this too.

Thanks

Simon

Same here 5520 shuts down almost every day at least once.  Also major issue with graphic card, it has compatibility issues when switching between screens.  My former 5510 had none of these issues, saldy it was replaced by this 5520.

I've been suffering from this same issue since a month ago. Had dell support to replace my motherboard and heat sink. It only worked for a few days, and now the problem is back again!

There are tons of discussions here

https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Dell-XPS-15-9560-Shuts-down-randomly/td-p/5712086

on exactly the same problem with XPS15.

The solution seems to be downgrading intel dynamic management and thermal framework to an old version (A04):

https://www.dell.com/support/home/jp/ja/jpbsd1/drivers/driversdetails?driverId=JTXD1

I'll try and see if this really solves the problem.

Update: I've tested it for two weeks and no more thermal shutdown ever since! The new driver is causing the problem, and dell support does not seem to be aware of it.

I tried downgrading the drivers and it didn't solve the problem.

I found out that the issues does not happen in Ubuntu Linux. I have dual OS now. But in Ubuntu, the fan is at high speed too much time. At CPU usage between 10% and 20%, the processor fan is over 4000 RPM most of the time, making too much noise. But the CPU Temp doesn't go under 85ºC

Conclusion: Windows shuts down the laptop and Ubuntu let you continue, but the CPU temp is high anyway and the fans are not capable of dissipating the heat.

This really should not effect anything, a re seat could be most advisable. 

im going to have to try to downgrade BIOS - thats awesome i had heard of that a bit but didnt expect it to be causing such spikes from a BIOS rev. Wish they'd just give us a free open BIOS  ... too many people would probably break stuff trying to OC thinking its funny. 

Happy mediums..

mine overheats like crazy - i had to buy this https://www.ebay.com/i/173709701913?chn=ps

I plan on re thermal pasting in the future. I would suggest anyone with the g series closely watch your CPU core temps.

Great program for temp monitoring is called coretemp - just google coretemp. Monitors temp of each core. Also intel extreme tuning utility can be used to undervolt to save temps so your not rebooting.

If you do this too much ( if its pwring off due to heat that is 100c ++ ) your going to fry the processor quick. Just posted in another thread how it **bleep** how bad of a job they did on thermal pasting or heat dissipation. Aside, its a pretty good system for the price i got on black friday.

I play fallout 76 on medium graphics on that laptop and it works amazing 100fps+ , i was able to do that with intel turbo boost turned off. Effectively limiting your CPU to 2.3 ghz or w/e the stock is. This can save you 20c easy.. go to BIOS and disable intel turbo boost. You will loose a hit of processing pwr - but the 8300H is a tough cookie and can do pretty much everything with turbo disabled. 

sounds like you may have a failing component actually