Solution for Smartstep shutdown problem

Question

cleaning the fan or heatsink for dust will never solve the problem. The only solution is that when you start your computer just put it into standby mode and start again. It will work normally. The fan will work when required. This is the thing i am doing for the past 14 months and i am really happy with this laptop.

Funkafier · Answer

I too have used the stand by method to keep my laptop fans going when needed... but lately the laptop is turning off anyways.  The fans are going full blast, and the laptop is not overly heated yet it will still shutdown on me, so enjoy it while the method still works :P

punkypez · Answer

I had this problem about 7 months ago while my computer was still under warranty and Dell replaced the motherboard and the problem was solved... until now.  The computer's once again pulling the same ol' shutdown nonsense.  So what do you do?  When you turn your computer on you put it in stand by mode, and then right away you restart it?  That's it, and it works?

Honifer · Answer

I have had the same problem for a while now.

Regarding the opening of the laptop for a spring clean, can someone explain (with a diagram if possible) how to remove the 'plastic part' to get to unscrew the keyboard.

I have read through RaphFromTheSouth's post on how to open it, but I cannot quite figure out what he's talking about :s!

I've been attacking my power button trying to get it out and all i seem to be doing is removing paint (doh!). I'm guessing this is not what he means lol.

The SmartPC is like a desktop vacuum cleaner, except emptying it is turning out to be a little bit tough...

Cheers

Hon

plow164 · Answer

My 250n is about a year old, it first started to shutdown when running adaware 6.0 - started about 2 months ago - I thought it was a bug in the software or something, then a few weeks ago it shutdown while norton was running a scan. I just tried to do some video from the camcorder for the first time last week and it shutsdown everytime - the CPU is at 100% when this is going on - and yes it feels hot.

I work in I.T. in a raised floor room with vents in the floor blowing cold air - I put my laptop over one of these vents and then started the video download and editing and it did not shutdown - obviously a heat and cooling problem.

Loved it until now.

Honifer · Answer

the cleaning does seem to work a treat. I'm crashing MUCH less now, which is nice, and I feel nice coooooool air being blown out of the side.

The only times it crashes now are just simple software errors.

Hon

Funkafier · Answer

The question is, how long will it be before you have to clean it again? Is there some sort of trap thingy majiggy you could put over the vents to help keep it clean?

Honifer · Answer

I think you could stick some old tights or something across the vents to catch any dust or fluff.  I'm reluctant to do this because a) it looks weird b) i don't have any tights   Hon

The_Canadian · Answer

Ahh thats cool that i found this forum...  i just contacted dell and they said that they never heard of the problem before now...  i was getting scared that my ram had gone faulty or my vid card died or somethin like that...  im gonna try to clean the fan and heat sink right after i get off of here but i have one problem...  where do i go to figure out how to pop the case on this bad boy???  and does ne1 know where to get a better heat sink or fan thats compatible with the system??? or another thing where to get better vid cards for these things cause that little mobility m6 in these things doesnt have the power to push new games at sufficient frame rates to get rid of the lag...

Honifer · Answer

well tbh Dell aren't renowned for admitting they were wrong, with putting a desktop cpu in a laptop, and they certainly won't mention it on their website (and i guess their tech support won't have heard of it either).

Anyway

1) to begin the opening of your laptop you need to pry the bit at the top of your laptop (with all the holes and dimples in it) from the laptop. The power on off button will remain connected but the dimple bit the runs along the top, and also includes the hinges for the screen (which is why the screen needs to be put down flat). I think there is a french translated guide on this forum somewhere on how to pop open the casing, and with further details past that.

Using a hard flat narrow screw driver or knife there are places where you can get good leverage just above the F2 key and below the power button, and just above the Del key (you should notice a small gap).

2) As far as I know the heatsink and fan are custom built for this range of laptop so I would assume that you couldn't get a replacement.

3) the video card (the slightly poor) ati radeon mobility m6 is part of the mother board so (as are all of the graphics 'cards' on laptops) so it can't be replaced or upgraded.

Laptops = glorified typewriters, so don't expect them to run any decent new games. I failed at getting a decent framerate with UT2K3 which disappointed me a bit. I've pretty much given on on proper 3d games and am keeping to solitaire and flash games a lot now :)

Hon

The_Canadian · Answer

Hey thnx for telling how to crack the case.... all i need to go do now is buy some thermo couple gel to put b/t the processor and the heat sink and ill be all set... i noticed once i cracked the case that the vid card was built into the mobo... dissapointing to say the least... as for the guiy that says that the heat sink is not the problem... ya it is give it a couple more months and youll find out what were complaining about... the fan operating software is like grade 12 progamming about 6 lines of code....

Locked Topics – Laptops General

Solution for Smartstep shutdown problem

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