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Hello people! I must say that I've looked everywhere for answers and this forum seems the most suitable to give me them .
Well, my problem is that my laptop switches off but only while playing a game, this game is not even a newest game or anything, is Pokémon yellow with its visual boy advance for pc. Because this happens I assume it's got to do with my graphics card. my laptop is an acer 3000 and my card is the SiS type (SiS M760GX). I just upgraded all my drivers from the acer website, but my computer keeps switching off when I play the game. So my question is, can I change the graphics card of the laptop, or download some drivers or whatever to be able to play the game? or does it switch off because of something to do with lack of ventilation or sth lke that?

Thank you for your time and answers.

Sandra.

I'm guessing but it sounds like your computer is overheating and turning off. If you are determined to play games on your lappy and don't mind voiding your warranty I'd open the thing up and clean it out with canned air.

First of all, thanks for ur quick reply.
in such case, (that the laptop is overheating and switching off) what shall I do? does that have a solution, or do I have to buy a new computer?

Same graphics, same problem, but a solution that helped.

While doing anything that requires processor horsepower on your laptop (For example: full screen flash movie for 20-30 minutes), feel around your laptop for the heat vent. If it's very hot (more than surfing, or listening to music for an hour), then you may have the same problem that I did.

1) I flipped my laptop over, and I opened a little panel, next to where the heat vent is. I had to use a "Jeweler's" Phillips head screw driver (which is a very small one).

2) After the panel was off, I saw my CPU fan. I unplugged it from the main board (a very small plug), and removed it by unscrewing where it was connected to the computer to hold it in place.

3) I took an old toothbrush and cleaned it out as good as possible. I used a little vacuum too.

4) I also cleaned a very dirty heat sync that was between the fan and the outside of the laptop with the same toothbrush. Used the vacuum to clean it off real well.

5) Screwed the fan back on, plugged the little plug back in, closed the panel, and voila! ... i played my games 'til i got sick of em.

Before I did this, I couldn't play old games like Fate or Diablo2 for any extended period of time before my laptop just lost power.

If your laptop is under warranty, or you don't feel comfortable messing with things that, technically, can ruin your laptop, best bet is just to have your local computer tech clean it out. Maybe print this out and bring it with you.

Hope that helped...

A couple notes:

DON'T WET THE TOOTHBRUSH WITH ANYTHING! (you probably knew this, but I gotta say it)

Acer has outdated drivers... as of today, the latest driver is v3.84, url'd below from SiS's website.

driver.sis.com/graphic/igp/uniVGA3/uvga3_384.zip

I highly recommend getting a laptop cooler too. I have a media lap top and play AoC on it and it helps keep it cool. And I had the same problem you were having with my old Laptop with cleaning and the cooler I could play wow for hours on end

Sometimes just putting the crevice tool of a decent vaccuum cleaner to the vent will suck out a dust-bunny or two. Try that before opening the case.