ifl90 switches its self off! overheating?

ive owned an ifl90 for nearly one your now but it has started to turn its self off after about ten mins of playing civilization4.
The back gets quite hot so I think it must be overheating.The laptop is clean, free of dust and is sat on a hard wooden desk.
Im not sure what to do. Should I send it back or do you think there is something that could do to fix it?Do you think it is overheating or is it switching off for someother reason?

 

It certainly could be a thermal issue, have you monitored the temps while playing with it.

Also when it shuts down is it a lock up or an actual shut down? 8600GT? A reported number of 8600GTs are dying after about a year or so, at least with some ASUS 8600's.

What's your warranty like?

 

hi thanks for the reply
I have just monitored my temps with coretemp and it was getting up to 74c.
the comp doesnt lock up it just shuts down.
yes it has an 8600gt hope its not one that will break after a year!
still in warrenty so i could send it back what do you think?

 

74 for CPU is a normal temperature, it looks like some power failure or maybe your 8600M is down. Good for you it just breaks and restarts your machine, my can hold gaming all day long sometimes, and some it just keeps breaking with a quick GPU recover. I'll try to keep my RIG until it breaks completely, and maybe then they will offer me to replace it with another model. Rumors are, that Nvidia only plans now to product fault free chips, them means all 8600m, 8800m and even 9600m had suffered from the same cause until now.
Well at least I wont be looking Nvidias way for some time, ATI/AMD ftw!

 

A cpu temp like that isn't most likely the reason for a shut down.
Try to check out the GPU's temp using something like Rivatuner's monitor or HWmonitor (cpuid), although a GPU failure would more commonly lock up the system.

It's is starting to sound like a power issue.

I'm assuming all your drivers and bios are up to date.

 

I have just checked the gpu temp with HWmonitor and it was 68c idle and went up to 97c that seems hot to me but I dont know how hot it is designed to get.
im using forceware version 156.10 should i use a newer driver?
I have not changed my bios its the same as when i bought it(i didnt want to mess with that)should i update it?
could it be a power issue? I have had to send for one new power pack all ready.I think i damage the last one by running it off a cheap 12v-240v inverter.I may have damaged this power pack in the same way.

 

97c Is hot, not the hottest but certainly could be hot enough to cause problem in some cases.

What are you running the power off of, and or where are you? If you're in the states your power adapter is for 110/120v not 220/240v that'll fry your adapter in no time.

By the way, might want to continue this over here since it sounds similar.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=283780

 

Looks like you haven't cleaned your cooling system for a long time, normally it should be sub 90. I just cleaned main, and I have 88 under FurMark.

 

i live in the uk so 240v is normal.
the posts in the link look very similar and very worrying.
i have never cleaned out the cooling system i was worried about voiding my warrenty.Im going to write to the company i bought it from and ask them what they think.
Can you recomend some drivers and a bios if you think that would help?
Thanks for all your help.

 

Here is your problem! Clean it.