laptops shuts down radomly during xp installation

[djscoutmaster]

im setting up my acer aspire 3003 series for dual boot linux+XP pro. i first reformatted with a low level disc earaser took 4 hours. then i booted the cpu off the xp pro disc and at random spots. between 30 sec-2 mins the cpu just shuts off. not freezing but just shuts down? i thought it was my copy of xp. tryed another... same problem. so i tought is was hard drive\ memory connection. nope. i was able install linux no problem just to see then reformated once again and still it randomly shuts down on windows xp install. this is a problem becuase i us XP alot. i wanted a dual boot to get familar with linux please help?

 

[N3051M]

between 30 sec-2 mins the cpu just shuts off

It means that the CPU (not the actual tower/pc you're refering to here, but a component inside) is actualy getting overheated.

Go and see if you can access BIOS or SETUP when you boot the pc (usualy pressing F2, Del or some thing like that) and confirming the temps in the hardware monitor there. post us on it.

 

[djscoutmaster]

i cannot see the cpu temps in the bios. its a fairly simple bios. Why would it overheat and shutdown during xp installation but i can run/install linux just fine with no shutdown?

 

[N3051M]

Ah, so linux works ok, but windows doesnt want to boot at all? are we talking about a stand-alone linux like Knoppix/Linux live etc or a proper installation on the hdd?

Does windows actualy installs ok and runs? because the only reason why Linux would work and windows would crash would be due to a driver not compatible or wrong or unpatched from updates etc.. unless its actual hardware that windows doesnt like, so try going to bare bones (mobo, cpu, 1 ram stick, hdd, optical drive, power, audio/visual) and try windows now.. post on how you go..

Have a look in the "Alternative OS" section of the forum and read up about how-to do linux dual booting etc..