OT: Laptop Freezing Question

[RPI-Fan]

My laptop has been very uncooperative as of late. The only thing I really do on it is play FM or EHM, and I have been getting more frequent freezes. The freezes come without warning, and at different times (sometimes when loading a saved game, others when just looking around at stuff). The mouse becomes totally locked and I have to do a cold shutdown of the computer.

My laptop is an IBM Thinkpad T40 -- does anyone have any experience and/or suggestions for this issue?

Thanks!
~rpi-fan

[Celeval]

Is it hot? Overheating a possibility?

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

My laptop has been very uncooperative as of late. The only thing I really do on it is play FM or EHM, and I have been getting more frequent freezes. The freezes come without warning, and at different times (sometimes when loading a saved game, others when just looking around at stuff). The mouse becomes totally locked and I have to do a cold shutdown of the computer.

My laptop is an IBM Thinkpad T40 -- does anyone have any experience and/or suggestions for this issue?

Thanks!
~rpi-fan

You know, I actually have had that happen to my IBM Thinkpad T21.

Of course, my system board's failure was due to me pounding my fist violently when I screwed up on play calling for FOF2K4. However, prior to my system board failure, my laptop's hard disk was going out. I've had an IBM DeskStar 75 gig in my PC a few years ago, and those 5 platter drives were notorious for failing -- in fact, one of my platters had offset because of the heat build up and ended up being mis-aligned. The result: 30-35 gigs of unusable space.

Still, I noticed that my laptop's HD started acting funny. The dreaded 'tick-tick-tick' sound of it trying to read the platter. Turns out, the Hitachi hard drive in my laptop was finally dying. I was a bit surprised, though. After all those years, in such an enclosed space with very little ventilation, it had lasted as long as it did.

In the end, I wish I had backed up my originally FOF2K4's universe before that drive went dead. I'd suggest to safely backup your stuff while you still can, in case your HD's going out.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by hukarez

You know, I actually have had that happen to my IBM Thinkpad T21.

Of course, my system board's failure was due to me pounding my fist violently when I screwed up on play calling for FOF2K4. However, prior to my system board failure, my laptop's hard disk was going out. I've had an IBM DeskStar 75 gig in my PC a few years ago, and those 5 platter drives were notorious for failing -- in fact, one of my platters had offset because of the heat build up and ended up being mis-aligned. The result: 30-35 gigs of unusable space.

Still, I noticed that my laptop's HD started acting funny. The dreaded 'tick-tick-tick' sound of it trying to read the platter. Turns out, the Hitachi hard drive in my laptop was finally dying. I was a bit surprised, though. After all those years, in such an enclosed space with very little ventilation, it had lasted as long as it did.

In the end, I wish I had backed up my originally FOF2K4's universe before that drive went dead. I'd suggest to safely backup your stuff while you still can, in case your HD's going out.

OK, I will defiinitely backup for now... I've only had this laptop for 1.5 years though so I hope the HD isn't bowing out!

Thanks!
~rpi-fan

[Airhog]

It could be a few things

1. Overheating
2. Memory Failure
3. Hd Failure
4. CPU/Systemboard Failure

Since it is a laptop it will be much more difficult to determine which is bad. If it was desktop model, I would ask you to try removing one stick of memory and seeing if it doesnt run better. Since it is a laptop, you probably need to have a service center look it over.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Celeval

Is it hot? Overheating a possibility?

Of course it's a possibility, but I think it's unlikely here. Last night, after a fucking long day of work, I came home and wanted to play some FM (the air conditioning had been on in my parents' house). Computer had been shutdown so I started it up and everything was fine, but it locked up real soon. Another try at FM, and another lockup not too much longer. Finally, I gave EHM a shot, and got a little further even before a lock-up.

[Airhog]

Remember that time is'nt a good indication of overheating. You would be suprised at how quick a system can overheat, especially if the cooling system is malfunctioning

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by Airhog

Remember that time is'nt a good indication of overheating. You would be suprised at how quick a system can overheat, especially if the cooling system is malfunctioning

Definitely something to take note of here. Especially if that fan in the Thinkpad isn't working (I believe the vent is to the upper left, if I'm not mistaken).

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by hukarez

Definitely something to take note of here. Especially if that fan in the Thinkpad isn't working (I believe the vent is to the upper left, if I'm not mistaken).

Hmm, interesting.

Also, FWIW, I just made a backup copy of my saved games (EHM and FM are all I really do on the laptop, at least when school's not in session) and played EHM for about an hour with absolutely no issues.



~rpi-fan

[Eaglesfan27]

My laptop was doing the same thing. Freezing at many odd times (seemingly random,) and not always very hot physically. I bought a pad to put underneath it with 3 fans that was supposed to help keep it cool. It hasn't frozen once since I bought the pad with the fans. The pad was about 30 dollars.

[Dunleavy]

at the risk of highjacking the thread, on the subject of Laptops, what's the newest and greatest out on the market now. want something big, fast and reliable that i can travel with.

[Peregrine]

This is what I use, but hey, that's just me.

http://www.apple.com/powerbook/

[MizzouRah]

I would run defrag and chkdsk /f - freezes could be many things as Airhog suggested, but the two most common laptop issues usually have to do with:

1. System board
2. HD

I would say #1 is much more common than #2 especially if chkdsk and defrag run fine without locking up. I probably replace 1-4 system boards a week and lockups are definitly an issue I've seen caused by a faulty system board.. of course a faulty processor or memory module could be an issue as well.

I believe a T40 is an older Laptop? We have mostly Dell and Compaq at work, but I believe one user has a T40. ..and then I would assume the warranty has expired? If NOT, I would place a call.

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Hmm, interesting.

Also, FWIW, I just made a backup copy of my saved games (EHM and FM are all I really do on the laptop, at least when school's not in session) and played EHM for about an hour with absolutely no issues.



~rpi-fan

On occasion, do you often hear the fan 'whirring' on the left side of your ThinkPad? Where it would normally blow out the hot air off your processor? It should be periodic.

Those symptoms are pretty strange; but I thought the stuff I had experienced prior to my laptop's death were strange as well. Don't get me wrong -- I loved my laptop, but I wish I acted sooner on some things rather than wait for them to go completely kaput.

I'd invest in a Toshiba laptop drive, just to be safe. BTW -- I'm assuming all of this stuff transpires while you have it plugged into an AC power source, as opposed as to operating solely on battery?

[AlexB]

I had a few problems with FM and my laptop automaticall shutting down - worked out it was when I used the player search screen (every time I used the player search, the computer didn't shut down, but every time it shut down it was when I had moved to this screen).

I got myself some more memory, and if I haven;t visited this screen for a while I'll save the game before looking at it - touch wood I haven;t had any problems since...

Don't know if this helps, but thought I'd mention it.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by hukarez

On occasion, do you often hear the fan 'whirring' on the left side of your ThinkPad? Where it would normally blow out the hot air off your processor? It should be periodic.

Those symptoms are pretty strange; but I thought the stuff I had experienced prior to my laptop's death were strange as well. Don't get me wrong -- I loved my laptop, but I wish I acted sooner on some things rather than wait for them to go completely kaput.

I'd invest in a Toshiba laptop drive, just to be safe. BTW -- I'm assuming all of this stuff transpires while you have it plugged into an AC power source, as opposed as to operating solely on battery?

Whirring -- not that I can think of.

Plugged into AC Power - yes, definitely.

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Whirring -- not that I can think of.

Plugged into AC Power - yes, definitely.

Really?

Man, unless the design changed from the earlier T series to the later ones like yours -- I think the exhaust fan died on you then. On my T21, where the 'vents' are on my left hand side, I know for a fact that a fan kicks in overtime to blow out the hot air over the CPU. It's not on all the time, but it kicks in for a good minute or so, before stopping.

Just to really be on the safe side, I'd give IBM product support a call and inquire about some kind of preventative measure for heat death, to see if they use some kind of fan or if it's just some kind of heat sink/spreader. That would be definitely more serious than just the HD going out. If it's under warranty, then I'd send it their way -- but if not, there should be some local laptop shops (if you're lucky), who might be able to replace the fan for you if it is indeed busted.