[mphenterprises]

Hi Manrayferns. It's my pleasure to help you out as much as I can. Let's see what we can do for you.



Technically, lack of memory will not directly shut your computer shut. However, lack of memory will make your make your computer work harder, which in turn, could lead to high CPU Usage, which could then lead to your computer shutting down to save the processor.

Having many internet tabs does affect your CPU Usage and the more memory you have, the less likely you will fall victim to system slowdowns or shut offs. Now, even though the games are old, let's look at each game's system requirements:

- Age of Empire II (32MBs of RAM)

- Counter Strike: Condition Zero (96MBs of RAM)

- FIFA '08 (256MBs of RAM within XP/512MBs of RAM within Vista)


I figured that FIFA would give you the most issue. If you only have a total of 512MBs of memory, FIFA '08 takes up to half of that within XP and all of that within Vista. This, coupled with the fact that up to 128MBs of memory is used for video resources, pushes the total memory needed to between 320-384MBs. I would presume you have XP since you are playing older games, this total is 75% of your total memory. Since your initial post only referenced this game, I am inclined to believe that your lack of memory is at least partly behind your problem.

Yes, compressed air will do wonders to clear out your laptop vents. This will blow away any dust that has built up inside your computer that may block the vents.

I do not think the video card driver is the issue; however, for your future reference, you can check the video card driver by doing one of two things. The easier of the two ways is to:

- Open Device Manager (Right Click on My Computer and select Properties -> Click on the Hardware tab -> click Device Manager )

- Click on the + next to Display Adapters, Right Click on the entry that is listed and select Update Driver

- Windows will search to see if you have the latest driver and if not, will attempt to find the latest driver on the internet



Conclusion, I would advise you to up your memory to at least 1GB; 1.5GBs would be a better comfort zone. I would presume that your computer has one 512MB memory chip. That being the case, here is a list of all available memory chips that will be bring your computer to either 1GB or 1.5GBs.

[manrayferns]

Hi,
I'm new to PC World and I stumbled here because I typed that subject in Google and found a thread to "Computer Shut down unexpectedly". I read the entire thread but it does not entirely help me.

I do not have too many softwares (especially antivirus, spyware etc. ones) running. My laptop computer shuts down randomly, although I suspect it shuts down when there's increased activity. Like for e.g. I was playing a game (yes, i'm a teenager still :8}) and in the middle of my shot (Football/Soccer) my computer just shut down.

This isn't the first time it's happening. It's been happening for close to a month now and I don't know exactly why. The first time it happened I thought the laptop was quite hot, but recently the laptop doesn't even seem hot (maybe that's because I installed a table fan next to it after the first couple times to help it cool faster...I couldn't think of anything else)

It's annoying to have my computer shut down randomly...

I have an Acer (TravelMate 4150) Laptop, couple years old. 512MB RAM, Windows XP.

Please Help me

Manuel

PS: I read something about PSU being the problem?

[mphenterprises]

Hi Manrayferns and welcome to PCWorld. :-)




I have several questions for you:

- According to this site, your laptop came with 256MBs of memory and can support a maximum of 2GBs of memory. You may want to consider increasing the memory. Your current 512MBs of memory is on the very low side of Windows XP specifications.

- Are you using your laptop on a hard surface like a desk or a soft surface like a bed?

- Have you used compressed air to clean out the vents?

- Are you using your laptop via the battery or the power adapter?

- Have you confirmed that you have the latest drivers for your video card?

- Does this only happen when you are playing games? If so, have you confirmed that you have the latest updates for both of these games?

- Additionally, what are the system requirements for the games that you play? (Name of game and specification of each)

- If you have not done so, please check how many processes are running and your CPU Usage while you are playing these games. To do this, open your Task Manager (Ctrl Alt Delete) and click on the Processes tab. In the lower left corner, you will see the current processes and in the lower middle, you will see the current CPU Usage. Please start a video file, check this tab, and then post what you find.


To answer your question regarding the Power Supply...this only pertains to Desktop computers. Your computer does not run off of a Power Supply. You use either the battery or the Power Adapter.

[manrayferns]

Hi mphenterprises,

Thank you very much for helping me out. I honestly did not expect such a prompt reply. thank you.

Answers to your questions:-

1. RAM:- Yes, I have 512MB RAM. My laptop came with it (surprisingly, given that it should've come with 256), I did not do any upgrades yet. But, I do not completely understand how my laptop would shut down if I have low MB RAM. wouldn't my computer just work slowly? (I thought that MB RAM just makes your computer work faster...?); so, how would upgrading it hel, because given my thinking - that RAM = speed of computer functions - my computer works fast. it's got barely any delays in opening applications or folders or anything of that sort. (I'm sure it would work faster though, if I upgraded)

2. Surface:- I used my laptop a few times in the past 2 years on soft surface and realised it would heat up very quickly, so I've been using it only on a hard surface. However, I assumed, in the past few months, that my laptop was shutting down randomly because it was getting very hot (which I guess is not entirely true anymore) So, I propped it up such that the vent's functioning wouldn't be hampered (I hope you get what i mean) and i also put up a table fan next to the laptop to help it cool faster...to no avail though. Laptop still shuts down :(

3. Compressed Air:- No haven't used that till date. In fact, haven't heard of anything of that sort. I should clean out the vents right?

4. I seldom use my battery...I guess 95% of the time i've used my laptop would be using the power adapter.

5. Video Card:- How do I check if i have the latest drivers for my video card?

6. Games:- Well it's happened mostly when I'm playing games. But it has happened at other times too. I cannot remember when..but I think when I had very many internet tabs open, and MSN messenger and probably Youtube..
one of the games is quite old..Age of Empires II (yeah...very very Old!) and Counter Strike: Condition Zero (quite old) and recently I've installed Fifa 08 (Soccer/Football game)

7. Game specs:- Well I'm sure my computer meets the min. required specs for Age of Empires & Condition Zero because I have been playing these when I first bought my laptop (around 20 months ago, to be fairly specific)..

Fifa 08 says--> Processor 1.3GHz, 256 MB RAM, Video Card 64-128 MB RAM (no idea about this), Sound Card DirectX 9.0
My laptop meets all those req., but i cannot be sure about the Video Card stuff...how do I check that?

8. CPU Usage:-
I opened Task manager and CPU usage was on avg about 0-2%. Then I clicked on a movie file (700MB in PowerDVD) and CPU usage went up to 100% for a split second, and came down and stayed at the 30's for a few seconds. While the movie was playing on full screen and full volume CPU usage on avg was 10-20%. When i closed the movie file CPU usage went up to 95% and came down in a spilt second to around 10%.

I hope that answers all your questions. I really appreciate your help.

Thank you

Manuel.

PS: Thanks for clarifying my doubt about the Power Supply.

[manrayferns]

Great thanks. I'm going to try that out. Hopefully my problem should not persist.

So, now I have 512 MBs, should I add 2 more 512 MBs of a 1GB?

Thanks

Manuel

[mphenterprises]

Well, your computer has two memory slots. So you have three total options:

- If you want to bring your total memory to 1GB, then add another 512MB memory chip.

- If you want to bring your total to 1.5GBs, then get a 1GB memory chip.

- Now, if you want to max out at 2GBs, then you would need to take out the 512MB memory chip and add two 1GB memory chips.



Doing one of these, along with cleaning your vents, should prevent any further shut downs while playing FIFA '08. Additionally, this will also help when you are opening multiple tabs within your browser. Now, if you ever notice anything else, we can troubleshoot that as well.

[Dockmasterlynn]

Hello, I have a problem with my pc shutting down also that is why I was directed to this site and found your post. I just wanted to add that my neighbor has the same computer as you and with the same low mb of ram. Oh my how slow. Then when I realized what he had and I upgraded him to 1gb of ram oh my how much faster and smoother did his computer run. So if you have not upgraded your ram do so and you will love your computer even more.