Laptop shuts down installing Windows XP

Sneachta

Hi guys,
Have googled this problem and have no answer thought someone here might be able to help.

Uncle had probs with laptop as in it wouldnt start up so i have tried reinstalling windows but it keeps shutting down at same point (just after you choose what partition to install to) every time. Works ok with geexbox so i was thinking that this means it has no problem with overheating?

Am gonna try some different OS and was thinking of trying Ubuntu.

What ye think?

5uspect

If you're feeling adventures you could pop it open and check that the thermal assembly is connected properly and not choked with dust. Dell laptops, for example, are easy to disassemble and they even provide instructions online. Often the tightly packed cooling fins get blocked and the fan gets full of hair balls.

If you don't want to do that take a vacuum cleaner to the air vents to try and clean out the system that way.

Also if you're going with Ubuntu try the Live disk first to stress the machine a bit. See if it heats up a bit. There is a system monitor in Ubuntu by default iirc. (otherwise you'll have to install imsensors or some acpi tool to see the temps).

If the temps check out okay maybe try a different hard drive.

Right click on the tool bar at the top and select add gadget.

Sneachta

Thanks I'll try your suggestions....