[Tfug] Laptop freezes and shuts down

[christopher floess]

John Karns wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 8:10 PM, Linux Media <linuxmedia2 at aim.com> wrote:
>   
>> Hi,
>>
>> My laptop started freezing up (frozen mouse, frozen keys, no response
>> whatsoever) and on occasions would just reboot (no shutdown proceedure, just
>> suddenly blank screen and reboot).
>>
>> I once thought it was the wireless card because there were internet
>> connection problems at the same time, but that went away. Then it seemed to
>> correlate with plugging something in (or just moving) the PCMCIA sound card.
>> Then it seems to correlate with hitting a key a bit hard. Maybe it is a
>> hardware problem. The only time I ever had this kind of problem with any
>> Linux System was when there was a faulty sound card.
>>
>> Some times when I reboot (have to hold on/off button until the laptop shuts
>> off), it wont start back up. And it fails anywhere from prior to the BIOS
>> screen, to sometimes in mid boot, and even at times at the log in screen and
>> sometimes right after the desktop starts up.
>>
>> The following link shows the screen shots. I've only seen it fail at this
>> point twice. Could anyone tell me if this gives them a clue what it going
>> on?
>>
>> Link to screen shots:
>> http://members.cox.net/ryannotti/
>>     
>
> To state the obvious, it could be any number of causes.  First place
> I'd look would be memory, then heat dissipation, then something
> shorting from making contact when you start applying outside physical
> force to the machine by touching keys, pcmcia cards, etc.  This last
> category would also include possible cracks in the mobo, or even loose
> (a) solder joint(s).
>   
I have seen situations where seemingly unpredictable instability was 
caused by overheating. In the end it was my gf at the time solved it by 
not sitting her brand new laptop in bed with her under, cradled on a 
thick blanket :).

Not saying that this is what you're doing, but if there is any blockage 
to the ventilation, you could see something along these lines.

-- chris