Solved Why does Memory Diagnostic Tool turn off my laptop on its own at 6%?

[beck2ham]

Hello,

I am running Windows-7 (64-bit) on Acer 5738.

Off late, my laptop has started misbehaving. It randomly turns off on its own...without any BSOD or anything. It simply Turn Off in the blink of an eye...without allowing me to save my work etc.

At first, I thought it might be due to erratic/unstable power supply. So I did the following tests:

1. I confirmed that the Main Power Supply was stable. So it was ruled out as a possible culprit.
2. The next likely suspicious character appeared to be my laptop's battery. I thought that maybe the battery wasn't able to provide a stable power supply. So I removed the battery and started using the laptop on direct A.C. power.
3. However, even on direct A.C. power, it did the same...it would turn off randomly. There's no pattern to it...like a fixed time of day it would turn off. So I knew that it's not related to any scheduled activity and was likely a hardware issue.

While I started investigating the Event Viewer logs for these random turn offs. However, for each one of these random turn-offs, all the Event Viewer had to say was that "The previous system shutdown at <<time>> on ‎<<date>> was unexpected."
e.g.: The previous system shutdown at 7:55:19 AM on ‎10/‎22/‎2017 was unexpected.

I then came across this article:
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/mrsnrub/2008/12/30/the-previous-shutdown-was-unexpected/

As suggested in this blog post, I unchecked the "Automatically Restart" option. So my Startup and Recovery options are as shown in the attached image (titled "Startup and Recovery options.jpg").

However, even now, the system randomly turns off...without creating any dump files or giving me a BSOD.

So I thought maybe I should check my memory. And I ran the "Windows Memory Diagnostic" tool.
I ran it twice with the following settings: Extended, Cache ON, Pass=1.

In both runs, the system turned off at 6%. And no Memory Diagnostic logs are created in the Even Viewer.

Any ideas what my next step should be?

I tried running the Basic version of the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, instead of the Extended version. And the Basic tests completed successfully without turning off the laptop. Could this help me narrow down the problem to any specific hardware component/cause?
Also, even though the Basic version of tests completed successfully, I didn't find any test results in Event Viewer -> Windows Logs -> System. I right-clicked and clicked Find to find "MemoryDiagnostic". The only entries I see are those informing me that "The Windows Memory Diagnostic scheduled the testing of the computer's memory to run immediately". Are there not supposed to be any logs for successful tests?

Edit:
1. [24th October 2017 7:20 PM] I completely forgot to mention that although no logs were being created, and no BSOD is being shown, I created a Dump by following the procedure mentioned in this link: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions - Windows 7 Help Forums
The tool created the dump which is attached as a ZIP file titled "XOLO-Sat_10_21_2017_110502_23.zip".
2. [24th October 2017 7:48 PM] Before running Memtest, I just ran Windows' Memory Diagnostic Tool again. I can confirm that no errors are detected in Basic and Standard tests. But when I tried Extended Tests, it again crashed...not restart...but turn off.

 

[torchwood]

Hi beck2ham,

follow the tutorial here


RAM - Test with Memtest86+ - Windows 7 Help Forums


Roy

 

[beck2ham]

Hi beck2ham,

follow the tutorial here


RAM - Test with Memtest86+ - Windows 7 Help Forums


Roy

Wow! This is going to take a while, it seems!
I'll let it run overnight and shall report back with results tomorrow, Roy sir. Thank you!

 

[beck2ham]

Hi beck2ham,

follow the tutorial here


RAM - Test with Memtest86+ - Windows 7 Help Forums


Roy

Hello, Roy sir!

I used the USB option to run Memtest86+. Here are the results:

1. Memtest offered me to select "Fail-Safe" or "Multi-threading". I selected neither. After a few seconds, it started the tests on its own. After 15% or so, the laptop turned off on its own again. Memtest didn't show list error(s) by then.
2. I again let Memtest run on its own. This time, the laptop turned off on its own by the time 5-6% tests were completed.
3. In the 3rd run, I selected "Fail-Safe" option. This time too, it turned off on its own after completing 7-8% tests.
4. In the 4th run, I again selected "Fail-Safe" option. Again, it turned off on its own...this time, as soon as the tests started!
5. In the 5th run, I selected the "Multi-threading" option. The laptop turned off on its own again...after about 6-7%.

So basically, in none of the runs did I find any errors. But none of the runs were successful because the laptop turned off on its own.

What should I try next?

Also, out of whim, before trying Memtest86, I tried to run Windows' Memory Diagnostic Tool in "Standard" mode. Then too, the computer turned off on its own.

So basically, with Memtest, my laptop turned itself off on every run.
But with Windows' Diagnostic Tool, my laptop turned itself off only when I ran the "Extended" tests, not when I "Basic" tests, or the "Standard" tests.

Would this be of any help in zeroing down the problem?

 

[Megahertz07]

I would say that your laptop is turning off due to high CPU temperature.
How old it is? Have you ever cleaned the CPU heat sink?
Enter BIOS. Does it has a hardware temperature monitor?

 

[beck2ham]

I would say that your laptop is turning off due to high CPU temperature.
How old it is? Have you ever cleaned the CPU heat sink?
Enter BIOS. Does it has a hardware temperature monitor?

The laptop is 9 years old.
No, I haven't cleaned the CPU heat sink.
The BIOS doesn't show temperature anywhere. I'm guessing its doesn't have such a feature.

So are suggesting is that I need to clean the fan in the laptop?

I've heard rumours about it being a cause of turning off/restart of computers. But after reading this article on Technet, I had ruled out that possibility. In the comments section, the writer says that, "...systems shutting down due to heat often refuse to power back on for a period of time, or until the temperature has dropped back to a safe level..."

But I, on the other hand, have never had any difficulties powering the laptop back on as soon as it it turns off.

But I'd try cleaning the heat sink.

But I have never really taken my laptop apart before. So I want to ask this: Heat sink refers to the fan unit in the laptop, right? Do I have to open it and clean it?

Also, I've seen online (such as this video, and this page) that they also replace the Thermal Paste. Is it mandatory to replace the Thermal Paste? Are their any guidelines how to buy the right thermal paste? Is it like simply putting on the Thermal Paste and spreading it along? How much Thermal Paste to apply?

 

[Megahertz07]

Try to find a service manual for your laptop. It gives you step by step on how to get to the heat sink and fan.
Replace the thermal paste only if you take the heat sink from the CPU. Normally you can take the fan out and clean the heat sink.
Use a paint brush and a vacuum cleaner. Don't let the fan spin. Don't get the vacuum tube too close to computer parts (static discharge).

Just to be sure it's temperature, install a hardware monitor Open Hardware Monitor - Core temp, fan speed and voltages in a free software gadget
expand it to C:\Program Files (x86)\HardwareMonitor and execute the OpenHardwareMonitor.exe. Go to options tab
- Start minimized
- Minimize to tray
- Minimize on close
- Run on windows startup

 

[LMiller7]

Spontaneous shutdowns are usually due to power problems or overheating. I would think a memory test would give the CPU a pretty good workout so if the problem was overheating this would bring it on quickly. Overheating wouldn't normally produce a BSOD. Overheating would cause the hardware to shutdown without the OS being aware there was a problem.

 

[beck2ham]

Thank you, Megahertz07 sir/ma'am and LMiller7 sir/ma'am!

I took my laptop apart following this service guide and this video. I cleaned the heatsink.

Thereafter, I ran Memtest86+ as suggested by torchwood sir/ma'am. I completed one complete pass of the tests run by that software!

Then, just to be certain, I ran the stress test using Prime95 as suggested in this article. It's been 2 hours since the stress test has been running and even though readings in HWMonitor suggest that my CPU has been running over 90 degree celcius since the stress test started, even hitting 95 degrees once, but it's been 2 hours since the test has been running and the laptop hasn't turned off on its own yet!

I'm so happy! It seems that the issue has been resolved!

Just to be clear, before cleaning the Heatsink (fan) module, my laptop never went past the 15% mark in Memtest86+'s tests...it would turn itself off before that. Also, running the stress test using Prime95, my laptop won't even last 15 minutes! It would turn itself off before that!

So I'm so happy with the results after cleaning the heatsink!

If the laptop continues to run fine even after 8 hours of Prime95's stress test, I shall mark this thread as resolved tomorrow.

Or should I be worried that the laptop is running beyond 90 degrees since the start of this stress test? Should it not touch the 90 degree mark?

 

[beck2ham]

Hello,

The problem seems to have not been cured completely. The system shutdown unexpectedly again. Event Viewer log says that the unexpected shutdown happened about 15 minutes after I wrote the previous comment. So, it shutdown only after 2 hours 15 minutes of stress testing.

I was actually worried at the temperatures hovering around 90-93 degrees Celsius during the stress test. My fears have come true..

What should be my next step? I've already cleaned the heat sink.

 

[Layback Bear]

Just a suggestion.
Do not run prime 95 that long on any laptop. The odds are even a proper working laptop will not be able to dissipate the heat.

Check your temps while using your laptop in a normal fashion.

90C is way to hot. I would never stress any computer into the 90's C.

Jack

 

[beck2ham]

Just a suggestion.
Do not run prime 95 that long on any laptop. The odds are even a proper working laptop will not be able to dissipate the heat.

Check your temps while using your laptop in a normal fashion.

90C is way to hot. I would never stress any computer into the 90's C.

Jack

Sir/Ma'am,

Does that mean that my laptop is fine now? I've been using the laptop for my normal usage since morning (it's been 10 hours since the laptop is under use), and the CPU temperatures are in the range of 57-62.

Is this acceptable performance?

 

[Megahertz07]

Did you installed Open hardware monitor as I suggested on #7?
Did you checked the temp before cleaning the heat sink?

Temperatures up to 80ºC aren't ideal but are acceptable for a laptop.

 

[beck2ham]

Did you installed Open hardware monitor as I suggested on #7?
Did you checked the temp before cleaning the heat sink?

Temperatures up to 80ºC aren't ideal but are acceptable for a laptop.

Megahertz07 sir/ma'am, yes, I installed Hardware Monitor as you suggested. That's how I'm able to monitor the temperatures.

Also, now that you mention it, I had run the prime95 test even before cleaning the stress test. Even then, as soon as I started the tests, the temperature soared from 55-60 degrees celsius to 90 degree celsiu and above within a few moments. They continued to hover beyond 90 degrees for 12-15 minutes, before the laptop turned itself off.

The only saving grace, I suppose is that instead of turning itself off within 12-15 minutes, it's now turning off after 2 hours 15 minutes of prime95 stress test.

In normal functioning (implying use of Opera and IE, instead of Chrome; office programs; etc.), the laptop hovers in the range of 50-60 degrees celsius. That is, after being used for the entire day.

But I'm worried that if I ever need to go higher, I might face the problem again.

As a precaution, I've bought this laptop stand to prevent the vents below the laptop from being blocked. And despite this, the temperatures soar over 90 degrees in prime 95 stress test.

[Update:] I did some OCR in Adobe Acrobat this morning which pushed the CPU usage above 70%. This also pushed the temperatures above 68 degrees celsius. Temperatures hovering in the range of 68-75 degrees.