No no no...I was laying on my bed on the phone and my laptop was on my desk like normal. A nice hard surface and it was under normal use...i had a few programs running. AIM, Winamp, Opera, and a 3D screensaver. Sorry for not fully explaining. The laptop was on my desk, where I normally use it. Thanks

~Jas

When you say "on the bed" was the notebook directly ON the bed?  Or was it on a flat surface that you placed on your bed. 

If the former is true, the sheets probably obstructed the airways under the notebook causing the overheat problem. 

Am I wrong in suggesting that normal use should not cause overheating to happen?

 

All right...Dell, it is time for an answer. My laptop just did it again. I assure you, your tech department will be getting a call this weekend, I'm just too busy now. My 5100 shouldn't be getting this hot to the point it shuts itself off...I was running AIM and winamp. That is all, if it can't handle that, I'd like one that can. This is the 2nd 5100 I've had and I'm a very unsatisfied dell customer. When it works, it is great...when it is overheating...it isn't. I'm sorry if this appears to be rude to anyone. It is nearing midnight and this is getting very frustrating. Can anyone out there help me? Anyone at all? I'll take any advice. My laptop was sitting on my desk, nothing underneath it and nothing blocking any fans or heat vents or anything...this is getting tiring. I have a paper later this week to write, what am I to do if it overheats again? Especially if I'm in the middle of typing it. I'd like assistance, and I'll take whoever thinks they can help. Yet again, sorry if this appears rude, that is not at all my intended off coming. I'm lost and confused and I put a lot of money into this computer, I'm just a student who doesn't have a lot of cash to spare. Help...

Jason

perhaps you should install i8kfangui.. it'll let you configure when you want your fans to turn on and off.. you can manually set them as well.. it'll help preventing your laptop from overheating if that is the main issues.

  

Message Edited by Summars on 11-05-2003 02:18 AM

Thanks for the help..but Fangui doesn't work on the 5100. It just doesn't, Dell have reccomended us to download RAIN and give a link, that link never works and never takes me anywhere close to the program. I'm tired of it, I should be able to come home from school, open my lcd panel and my computer still be on and it not overheat that night and turn off. I leave it on a lot, but i do give it rests. Leaving it on over night and running with it the next day after it being idle for 16 hours(sleep, then i use it for 20 minutes...then another 8 hours while i'm at school) shouldn't be a problem i think. I'm calling dell.

Thanks,
Jason

All right, I got off the phone with dell support and they had me run the diagnostics. As it turns out, there is something wrong with my fan. The Low speed is cranking out 4279 RPM when it should only be doing 3000 RPM or something. Whatever the case is, Dell is going to replace my fan sometime relatively soon. Dispatch is going to call in 2-5 business days to schedule the time they'll come out. It is being taken care of, I just hope this works.

Jason

BTW...anyone considering buying a 5100..i highly do not reccomend it...this is the 2nd one i've had and it is now broken too. Dell is fine, get an 8600 or something with some sort of mobile processor. If I could do it again, there would be an 8500 on this desk..not a 5100.

Hmm, I don't see how having a fan that spins slightly faster than what is programmed would cause the laptop to overheat!  You would think the opposite.  Now....if the fan was supposed to be on high, but was only spinning on low (though slightly faster), then I can see that may cause overheating.

You even say so yourself that it does not seem very hot when it shuts down.  Since the diagnostics ran fine except for the fans, I guess you'll have to try replacing and see. 

I would have thought a RAM chip was going bad, or the motherboard itself.  If not hardware, there could be some bug with your Windows setup causing this shutdown.

In any case, keep us updated.

 

Message Edited by Summars on 11-05-2003 02:18 AM

All right...good going Dell...and there is no sarcasm in that. My fan was what went bad, within 25 hours of the break, my computer had a new fan installed. Dell overnight shipped the fan to their contractor here who showed up right on time and installed the fan. Another good thing is, this fan is quiter than the other one, or maybe it is because it isn't broke. I'm not sure but whatever it is, I'm now satisfied with this service call. Still, not sure a laptop is the way to go. They seem to break quite a bit but when working, they are fabulous. I love being able to take my laptop to robotics with me. (I'm in a program called FIRST, www.usfirst.org) Great fix this time. For those of you who didn't know and I can't remember if I said, this is my 2nd 5100. My first 5100's motherboard and soundcard broke at the same time so they gave me a new one. I more or less think it was the sound card was attached to the motherboard and to replace one you must replace the other. I can't remember honestly. Overall, my happiness with service calls is high but quality of the computer isn't overly high. If only it didn't break so much...

Jas

The sound chipset is on the motherboard so it was necessary to change the mobo to get it.

To everyone:
Notebook computers are not built like trucks - they are definately not made very sturdy.  So getting used to treating them with respect and more gentle handling is a must for a successful notebook experience.  Remember, the hdd head is floating on a cushion of air literally molecules over the magnetic medium - any jaring will cause the head to hit the platter and scrape the material.  The material holds the data.....

Having a 3 or 4 year onsite warranty is also money well spent in the notebook realm - Complete Care is valuable if you are rougher or in a situation where the lcd is more suceptable.  Buying a really good carrier is also money well spent - it protects the notebook from bumps, impacts, and general banging around.  Spending up to $100 for a good case is wise after a $1500+ investment.

/rant off

Wait...John, you act like we mistreat our computers. I bought a 5100 because technically, it is mobile and if I needed it, I can pick up and go. Both of the 5100s I've had, however, have never really left this room. We all know that laptops aren't tanks. My first 5100 was pretty much brand new when the sound card went. It was still within it's first 30 days and had never traveled. Yeah...

Jason

I had an IBM Thinkpad that was built like a tank...In fact, from 10', you'd have to look twice to be sure...

As far as Complete Care warranties go - I am beginning to 2nd guess my decision to purchase it, since it seems that Dell doesn't want to fix your notebook - they expect you to:

1. Fix it yourself.
2. Believe that it's a "feature" and not a flaw.  (ie. overheating saves on your gas bill).
3. Fix everything under the sun, except for the original problem.
4. "Will" or "Imagine" that it is fixed (or may be fixed, someday).  This only applies during the 30 day return period.
5. And last, but not least..."Live with it, since it's a 'Dell' and "it isn't really broken" (see #2).

I only wish I were joking.

---

@JAH234 wrote:
Wait...John, you act like we mistreat our computers. I bought a 5100 because technically, it is mobile and if I needed it, I can pick up and go. Both of the 5100s I've had, however, have never really left this room. We all know that laptops aren't tanks. My first 5100 was pretty much brand new when the sound card went. It was still within it's first 30 days and had never traveled. Yeah...

Jason

---

This is just a general comment (not directed at you) but, most people DO abuse their SEDs (Sensitive Electronic Devices). Even at Computer Seminars and Conferences that I've attended, people smack their LCDs like they would a chalkboard, open and close the lid as if it's a suitcase, etc. Of course these people have the notebooks provided for them by the companies; but still...no respect! I treat my 13 month old lappy with complete respect and it reciprocates by remaining in "as new" condition.

Message Edited by RandyB on 12-12-2003 07:08 AM