New computer shuts down by itself

[kdeppe]

I bought a new Dell laptop less than a year ago. Last night, it was just running while I was doing homework. I kept it open just to check a score of a game, so I wasn't using it. Then randomly, it shut off by itself. I turned it back on, got some error, then it shut down again. After a short amount of time, I was able to turn it back on and use it for a bit, then it shut down again. Overheating issue? What's the deal? Why would a computer overheat this soon? I'm just an average computer user. I don't use it for games or anything.

Any thoughts and advice appreciated.

 

[JMMD]

In my experience this is usually caused by overheating. Do you hear the fan running? Do you hear the fan get really loud at times?

Just as an experiment, lift the laptop so it's getting really good airflow and the vents are clear and see how long it's able to run.

 

[kdeppe]

The fan is running, but not very loud. It gets really hot and shuts down in about 30 minutes. What is a solution to this problem? What can I do?

 

[JMMD]

Have you tried the test I suggested?

Contact Dell support if it's still under warranty. If not, you can try a cooling mat type device to see if that keeps the system cool.

 

[mike1959]

Laptop too hot?

A free solution you could try, is to put the Laptop on a desk, and put a book under the left and right edges to let air get under. If you can then use it and not hear the fan running all the time, it was a cooling problem.

 

[LinkedKube]

A lot of people like to lay their notebooks on the bed, which is really bad. Don't Drown your notebook in the blankets.