Acer Aspire 5315 shuts down on its own

Hello from France.
The machine was bought in Nov. 2007, so there is no warranty left to think
about.
Now, as soon as October 2008, it started to shut down on its own--really shut
down, with no warning, in the middle of whatever. The first time I contacted the
after-sales service, but they answered I had to start it again and keep it
running as in a setup session, and then launch Vista if the machine had not shut
down, and wait until it did under Vista. Only it didn't, for a few more months.
Now, it keeps shutting down all the time. I brought it to a repair shop, but
they say it doesn't shut down with them. I've been doing this several time now.
There is no regular pattern I can come up with: sometimes it shuts down after a
few minutes, sometimes while I am using it, sometimes while it is being idle ;
same thing when I start it up again: sometimes it wants to go into an attempted
repairing process, sometimes it just resumes Vista.
Of course I've scanned it every way I could: it doesn't appear to be infected.

Now, would anyone be able to give me any clue as to why the machine does it?
What parts may be the problem? Has the Aspire 5315 been reported to do this?
Thanks for any help and advice, really.
--
a.

I forgot to mention:
- the fan seems to work all right
- the machine has been cleaned by the repair shop

....
--
a.

Oh, and the battery doesn't seem to be the problem either.
--
a.

"Albédo" wrote in message
...
Oh, and the battery doesn't seem to be the problem either.
--
a.


1. Check all the power settings. Make sure when it's plugged in they are
all on and nothing is shutting down.
2. Time how long it takes for the computer to shut down. Is it the same
every time you turn it on, or does it get faster and faster? (Overheating)
3. It's very unusual for the operating system to shut a computer down. Try
safe mode and see what happens.
4. If the computer is running hot it will shut down. Check for dirt and
dust in the vents. Seriously, run the computer in the fridge and see what
happens.
5. Bad memory will shut a computer down. If the computer has two memory
cards remove the secondary card and see what happens. Then switch them and
see what happens.
6. A bad CPU will shut a computer down. If you are able to restart the
computer and it shuts down faster and faster after restarting that could be
the culprit. Most new notebooks have the CPU plugged into a socket.
7. Could be a bad motherboard. Was the computer ever dropped? Does it
"bend" when you pick it up?
8. Same symptoms when you run it on battery? How does it run when you
remove the battery and run it on AC only?
9. Have you tried wiggling the power input?

Anything on a notebook computer can be fixed for less than a new one, but
you will probably have to do it yourself and get a decent price on the
parts. The one I'm typing on now had the motherboard replaced, by me, and
the board cost me $250. But, a new comparable notebook was twice as much.
If I had it fixed at a shop it would have been cheaper to buy a new one.

"Sheldon" :
Thanks for bothering to read and answer, Sheldon! Kindly see below:

1. Check all the power settings. Make sure
when it's plugged in they are all on
and nothing is shutting down.

I've been through this already.

2. Time how long it takes for the computer
to shut down. Is it the same every time
you turn it on, or does it get faster and faster?
(Overheating)

I never could find out any regular pattern: sometimes it takes only ten minutes,
the next time two hours...

3. It's very unusual for the operating system
to shut a computer down.

I've been having computer since 93, and I never came across this indeed, but
then again I never had a laptop before. Now, Google keeps countless records of
people complaining that their machines (in many cases the very same Acer Aspire
5315, it seems) do shut down on their own.

Try safe mode and see what happens.

It will also happen when I go F2 and enter Setup without even having launched
Vista--as I think I forgot to mention, *sorry* about that!

4. If the computer is running hot it will shut down.
Check for dirt and dust in the vents.

I've already opened it up and found quite an amount of thin, white dust covering
the fins of the radiator, but I cleaned it all--and the machine continued to
shut down abruptly.

Seriously, run the computer in the fridge
and see what happens.

Well, what's inside the fridge will turn hot, as I won't be able to shut the
door properly?

5. Bad memory will shut a computer down.
If the computer has two memory cards

Do you mean memory *modules*?

remove the secondary card
and see what happens.

Well, the machine will beep because it has lost one of its two memory sticks, I
suppose, and I'm unable to reconfigure it so that running with one module only
is okay.

Then switch them and see what happens.

This at least I can do.

6. A bad CPU will shut a computer down.
If you are able to restart the computer
and it shuts down faster and faster
after restarting that could be the culprit.
Most new notebooks have the CPU
plugged into a socket.

But changing the CPU is a most expensive thing, don't you think? Besides I'd
need to make sure that it the CPU. I know some people seem to get rid of the
problem after changing the thermal paste (it that right?), but then again others
don't...

7. Could be a bad motherboard.
Was the computer ever dropped? Does it
"bend" when you pick it up?

No problem of the kind.

8. Same symptoms when you run it on battery?
How does it run when you
remove the battery and run it on AC only?

This I did mention: it may shut down the same way while on battery, and on AC
with the battery removed.

: 9. Have you tried wiggling the power input?

Well... no, frankly, I never thought of it, but I will.

Anything on a notebook computer can be fixed
for less than a new one,

I bought mine for 500 euros, and the motherboard must cost at least half that
much, so I wonder...

but you will probably have to do it
yourself and get a decent price on the parts.
The one I'm typing on now had the motherboard
replaced, by me, and the board cost me $250.
But, a new comparable notebook was twice as much.
If I had it fixed at a shop it would have been
cheaper to buy a new one.

What really bothers me is that I need to make sure what part in the problem
first. Now, from what I get to read here and there on the Internet, people who
encounter the same thing with their Acer Aspire 5315 get away in many different
ways: reinstalling Vista, changing the thermal paste, changing the power unit,
changing memory modules, and so on and so forth!

....Thanks again for reading, and I'll be reading whatever you think fit to add.
--
a.

....so, to sum things up a bit, the machine will shut off on its own even when in
a F2, setup session, with or without the battery on, wether on AC or not.
--
a.

"Albédo" wrote in
:

...so, to sum things up a bit, the machine will shut off on its own
even when in a F2, setup session, with or without the battery on,
wether on AC or not.

Loose contact somewhere?

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Start with the easiest stuff first, reseating cards and connectors. More or
new heatsink compound may very well solve the problem. When looking for
parts check eBay. I've never bought a bad computer part on eBay.

It's a tough symptom to nail down. Could be just about anything. If you
are finding symptoms and solutions on the Net start with the easiest and
progress to the hardest.

Good luck.

"Han" :
: Loose contact somewhere?

Maybe, but of course "somewhere" would be the problem actually: how long would
it take to someone with the proper equipment to test each part of the whole
thing? With the cost of an hour's work in France, just how worth would it be?
Provided it really was a contact problem in the first place of course.
Thanks for answering anyway.
--
a.

"Sheldon" :
: Start with the easiest stuff first,
: reseating cards and connectors.

I will (actually I am, starting with reversing the two memory modules).

: (...) Good luck.

Thanks for answering.
--
a.