HP dv4000 Notebook Randomly Shuts Down

In August 2005, I bought an HP Pavilion dv4000 notebook. It didn't really give me any problems until a few months ago, when it started to randomly and spontaneously shut down, without any warning whatsoever.

I thought it might be a low battery issue, but it shuts down even when the battery is at full power and when I'm on A/C power too.

Here are some things that might be helpful in figuring out what's causing the random shutdowns and possibly how to fix them:
--The computer shuts down no matter what I'm doing, including word processing and simple tasks. It even shuts down when the screensaver is up.
--My computer ALWAYS shuts down when I'm playing a certain game called Stepmania, which is a DDR-type game for the computer.

I've considered getting a new battery and possibly uninstalling Stepmania, but I'd prefer not to do that.

Thanks to anyone who might be able to help with this unpredictable and very annoying issue!

 

Does the laptop feel hot? Measure the temp of the CPU, HDD and GPU as your problem might be overheating

 

it does feel very hot through usage, how can this be remedied?

 

You could get a laptop cooler. I got mine off of newegg.com for about $10.

Do you know the exact temperatures?
Tim

 

Get MobileMeter, it will show the temperature of the CPU and the HDD. ATI Traytool will show the temp of the GPU (that is in case you have the x700; if you have GMA900, then this is certainly not the problem).
Check your settings in Power Options. Your scheme should be portable/laptop in order to have the CPU throttle down.
Don't leave the laptop on soft surfaces; raise the back of the laptop 2-3cm (inch and a half) or get a cooler. It could be that it's time to open the laptop and clean the dust, which has built up around the exhaust vents.

 

Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions! I often keep my laptop on my lap, which probably is bad for ventilation. Is keeping it on a desk good enough, or should I also elevate the back like vassil suggested?

Getting a cooler and MobileMeter seem like drastic options to me; I'd rather not have to do that. I'd rather learn tips to care for my computer and keep it from overheating. Thanks again to everyone who replied--I never thought of elevating the back of my laptop, which would probably help a lot.

 

Hm, no. Mobile Meter is a small program, so nothing drastic about it. Download it here,it's just an executable file, no installation.

 

oh, hehe, i should've checked that out before. anyway, it seems to overheat more when it's on AC power, if that helps at all. i just switched to ac power about a minute ago. going down the mobile meter column, my readings are:
frequency: 1.00 GHz
Temp: 69.0 C
Temp: 43.0 C (yet it has already started to increase now that i've switched to ac power..)
but the first reading seems to be decreasing...
Charge Rate: 26.00w
HDD: 36.0 C
whoa now the first reading has jumped to 71...
i dont exactly know what this means, but i hopes it brings about some ideas =)
thanks again, everyone, for your quick replies!!

 

71C is very warm. I think laptops shut down at 80C. Do you have the x700 graphics card?
Tim

 

i dont think i have the x700 graphics card, but i have this program called ccleaner that says my basic specs on the top, and it says my processor and then my mobile intel graphics card, which doesn't say anything about x700.
and if you guys haven't noticed, im basically a n00b. =) so i might be a little slow sometimes.. xD

 

That is okay. We were all n00bs at one time or another.

Yeah it sounds like you have integrated graphics so that shouldn't be your problem.

I have two suggestions.
1) Install Notebook Hardware Control. Change the settings in it to "Dynamic Switching". That should help keep things a little cooler. (BTW if you have any questions regarding how to use it don't be afraid to ask)

2) I highly recommend getting a cooler. Here are two pretty cheap options from newegg.com http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16834987001

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16834999336

I definitely notice a difference when I use my cooler. If you really don't want to use a cooler make sure you don't block your vents and be sure to prop your laptop up.
Tim

 

So, 71 for the CPU at 1ghz... that's a lot of heat: a) you've blocked the exhaust vents b) your fan is not working or c)lot's of dust accumulated within the laptop and around the fan

Can you hear (or see if you turn the notebook upside down) the fan spinning? If yes, this is good news, it's working.
Go to Control Panel, Power Options. Your powerscheme should be Portable/Laptop, if not, change it.
Next, set the laptop on a desk (prop it up if you can) and close all open windows except for MobileMeter (or NHC, whichever you use) so that you can see the temp. Then open Task Manager and observe the load of the CPU. In this idle mode it should vary between 1-3%. Leave it like that for 5-10 min. Unless your room temperature is very high, the idle temp of the CPU should be between 48-53*C and the fan should kick in at about 55*C.
This would be the normal behaviour of the laptop. If the load on the CPU is higher because of some program running in the background, get rid of it. If the temp is still higher, then it should be dirt. Feel the air coming out of the exhaust vents on the side of the laptop. With 71*C the air coming out of there should be a lot and very hot.

 

The Notebook Hardware Control Program seems to be cooling it down somewhat, I'll try the program it keeps shutting down through again, and hope for the best! Thanks for the tips! I'll be sure to come back and keep you guys updated.

 

So far, the program hasn't shut down, but I guess I havent played it enough to test it accurately. But there's another issue, in the Notebook hardware control program you suggested, Tim, there is a message in the ACPI section of the program. It says ACPI Control System is not yet configurated for this system (lol configurated is a word?) but it gives me no option to configure it, so I'm guessing it's not really working to keep my temperatures low. I've gotten some warnings, saying my temps were too high, but it doesnt give me any tips to remedy that, so...I'n kinda stuck.

 

Yeah the ACPI Fan Control is not released yet. It says that they will release it in the next version of Notebook Hardware Control. So there is not much you can do there.

Can I ask what program you are running that makes your laptop overheat?

BTW in the "CPU Speed" tab do you have them set to dynamic switching? If you do then your temps should be a little cooler when surfing the web and doing basic applications.
Tim

 

the program that makes the laptop overheat is called stepmania, a ddr type game for the computer. i tried it again and it still makes the computer shut down. i might just uninstall and then reinstall just the program.
yeah, when i first downloaded the notebook hardware program it was already set to dynamic switching. i dont particularly notice any difference. i've also decided if i should just open it up and take a look inside, but with my n00bish experience, i dont know if that's such a good idea. =)

 

Do you know what the system requirement for stepmania are? It could be an issue that your laptop doesn't meet the system requirements and it shuts down because of that.
Tim

 

sorry if this comes as a reply but can't find where to post new thread....duh I am stupid!

anyway, I have a hp dv4000 notebook and have an external wireless mouse connected for ease of use.

I keep running my hands over the built in mouse pad and messing up what i am doing.

I cannot find anywhere I can DISABLE this function.

Am I not seeing it, just like the New Thread post button.

thanks, jackieb

 

Welcome to the forums!

The link to creating a new thread in the HP forum is here. There is a button right on the top left of the page (right below the forum description). There is also a create new thread button on the bottom left of that same page.

I have the Compaq v4000t but I believe it should work the same way on both laptops. First click on the start button, then click the control panel button, and click on the mouse button. After you click on the mouse button a little box should pop up. Click on the tab that says Others, and uncheck the box that says Use Touchpad and PS/2 Mouse.

Let me know if that works and welcome again to the forums.
Tim

 

I have had this problem with programs (games such as Defcon) with memory leaks. My only solution was to wait for a patch.

 

MY dv4018 so far does not shut down but it did fail to boot the other day. I reinstalled the XP operating system which successfully reinstalled everything but the bluetooth. I cannot get onto the internet with it but do have all the HP disk drivers etc that came with it. Should blue tooth be on one of the disks and if so how would I accesss it as it is not automatically finding it.

Next problem I have got a crack in the outer screen casing just above the hinge, is this a common problem with HP pavilion 4000 series?