Laptop turns itself off randomly and often

[dres17]

If have a Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop, Win XP Pro. Got it refurbished from Dell 1.5 years ago.

6 months ago it suddenly started shutting itself down randomly, at any time. While I'm working on things, while computer is just sitting sometimes too. It happens at totally random intervals, sometimes every 3 mins, sometimes I can work for a few hours. Sometimes it shuts down right after booting up. It happens less regularly if I disable my internet connection, but still does happen occasionally. Of course most of what I need to do on my computer is internet related!

About 1 week after it started happening 6 months ago, it stopped and didn't happen again for 3 months or so. Then it happened for 2 days and went away again. In the in between periods everything seemed to be working normally. Now it is doing it again constantly for the last 2 weeks or so.

My Norton Antivirus has never found a virus - I stay very up to date on this. Removal of spyware with Adaware and Spybot has also not helped.

I can hear the main fan working, so it didn't seem heat related. My BIOS doesn't offer any heat readings. Also since it shuts down right after booting up sometimes - doesn't seem like it is getting too hot.

I had to send this computer back to Dell right after I bought it refurbished from them because it would not regularly boot up - would turn off 2 seconds after turning on. Their tech support diagnosed it as being a malfunctioning memory card or memory slot. But when I got it back from them the paperwork said it was a "System Board" issue, and the memory cards were the originals still. But then things worked okay for 7 months or so until it started shutting itself down.

Any help you can give would be highly appreciated! Thank you!

[Windows98]

If Dell says that it is a systemboard issue then that means that there is a piece of hardware failing inside your laptop.


The first thing I read was if you turn off the internet. Are you using Wirless Internet or Cable connected internet?

If you are using Wirless is there a switch somewhere on the laptop which allows you to trn it off an on?


For your RAM test: How much Ram does your computer have?

How many slots being used?

[dres17]

Thanks for your reply.

Installed RAM is 1.00 GB - 2 cards using both slots.

My BIOS rundown is:
Processor 1.73 GHz
794 MHz, 1.00 GB RAM
Memory Installed 1024 MB
Memory Speed 533 MHz
Memory Channel Mode=Dual
Memory Technology=DDR2 SDRAM
80 GB hard drive
CD-RW/DVD Combo
Video - ATI Mobility Radeon X300
Audio - Sigmatel 9750
Modem - Conexant D110MDC
MiniPC Device - Intel Wireless
AC Adapter - 90W

I currently use Wireless internet - I am able to turn it off by disabling the Network connection. I could also turn off the router (but have other people on my network). I switched to wireless 4 months ago -- so was having episodes of the turning off when I was on cable too (same general set-up, just different router now).

However I'm now working from a new location just this am - T1 line on cable, and so far computer isn't shutting down, and it's been a few hours. What do you think?

[Windows98]

Was the enviornment diffrent then what you were using last time? ( I was using wirless, I had the computer on for hours at a time, I never shut it down)

When a computer shuts off by itself it indicates a hardware failure (ex. Computer try to start a device but it is not responding. It either shuts down or restarts.

When you use the laptop is both the wirless and ethernet enable or only one is enable at a time.

When you use the laptop is the wirless the only thing enable when it happens or when you plug it into the wall?

Do you run the computer on battery or is it always plugged in?

[dres17]

I use the laptop only on wireless -- no ethernet cable. So only wireless is enabled, since no ethernet is connected. Although the issue happened a few months ago too - before I was wireless.

I pretty much always use the computer plugged in - only battery once in a great while. I shut down every night - otherwise laptop is on (if I can get it to stay on)

Today I have my computer plugged into another network - at another person's house - it is ethernet connected - and it is not shutting down.

But on my connection at home it shuts down whether wireless or ethernet.

It has also sometimes shut down even after I disable the wireless connection - but much less frequently. It doesn't otherwise seem activity driven -- doesn't matter what program I'm using or not. Although it seems to stay on better without any activity.