Acer Aspire 5737Z - intermittent power problem

[Grobe]

Hi. Just bought an used Acer Aspire 5737Z. For most of the time, the computer works - but there is a problem with the computer sometimes seems to suddenly loose power. What happens is that screen goes black and internal hdd spin down. Afterward I can boot the computer as if nothing has happend.

First time this occurred was when it was running Memtest86+ to determine if RAM is working OK. When the computer run Memtest, it cut power after about 10 - 40 minutes of wall time. How long time it will run seems to be random.

When I use the computer solely to Office tasks, this failure doesn't occur to me.

When I install Boinc client / World Community Grid, it runs fine for some time, but then it black out eventually.

So the failure it seems to be triggering of running heavy tasks over some time.

Some other things about this computer - might or might not be relevant
- The battery is dead. This is no problem for me because it was a very cheap used laptop, and I'm always working near a wall outlet.
- The power supply is not original, but a replacement model. The product number is "PA3290U-1ACA", cannot see any brand name on it. Output rating: 19V, 6.3A.

Neither the power adapter nor the surfaces on the laptop itself get noticeably hot prior to the black-downs.

I've never seen any error messages of any kind neither prior to the black-offs, or the following boot.

Any body having this issue before? What is the most probably cause of this in your mind?

Thanks

 

[Grobe]

A little update: Have installed Psensor and tried to log temperature curve while running benchmark using Veracrypt. Here is the findings:
GPU temp when little to no load lays around 88 degrees Celsius. This temperature raise to just below 100 degrees before computer shuts off suddenly.
Both CPU cores lays a little above 60 degrees and reaches around 80 degrees before shuts off suddenly.
The benchmark lasted shorter than two minutes before computer shuts off suddenly.

I had expected that maximum GPU temp would reach something like 130 degrees Celsius before critical shutdown.

 

[webworkings]

If this is a new device and is giving you problems, either contact the place you got it and have them exchange it, or if past the return date, contact the manufacturer about the problem.

 

[Grobe]

Thanks, but this is an old computer from around 2009-2010 (came on market then) and since I have bought it from a private person (not a business, store e.g.) so there is verrys slim possibilities to get any money back.

My hope is that it exist a technical solution to the problem.

 

[webworkings]

I meant new to you. I should have been clearer. Alas, not all people who sell things will allow a refund if it doesn't work.

I would try looking up the specs for that device and also the manual (most can be found online) and see if that is the right charger for it. If it isn't, then that would be a cause of it not staying on, that could over time cause worse problems.

 

[Grobe]

Thanks for answering. I have figured that going to shop an original power adapter and battery is probably much more expensive than the total cost I haw when buying the machine, yet it is certainly no guarantee that it will solve the problem.

Therefore I have now contacted the seller and claim refund.

 

[webworkings]

Good luck! I hope they do the right thing.

 

[Grobe]

I really doubt the seller will ever answer my request, so I'm probably stuck with this faulty computer.
The problem I now face is how costly it will be to get the computer in working order. This is what I suspect is the culprit - one of those may or may not be the cause of malfunction:
- AC Power adapter. Costs money to buy, and it is hard to find a genuine one that have a european 230V wall plug on ebay.
- Battery. Lot of batteries found at ebay. But it still costs money.
- Internal failure in mobo in power supply circuitry. I have already bought a bottle of freezing spray, but I don't want to spend two days of disassembling and assembling just to find no obvious failure.

So the best outcome for me is to establish what single component that is most likely to cause the failure, replace that and the computer run without failure.

 

[webworkings]

Have you tried testing where the power does and doesn't go in the device? If it say stops at the power button, etc, you can get a better idea of what is needing replacing. That is if you are comfortable doing said work.

 

[Grobe]

Thanks. The problem is that it may take hours before the failure occur, most often I'm not watching the computer. It also happens so fast that I beleive that is not for a human being to spot exactly the course (*) of events when the failure occur.

* Google translate wasn't able to find the English word I was looking for so the line may look some weird.

 

[webworkings]

Are the temps OK when this happens or are they high?

 

[Grobe]

The temperatures for CPU (about similar for both cores) 60-80 degrees when power failure occur. GPU temp is some higher, around 100 degrees celsius.
That was when running Veracrypt benchmark.

Right now, about 5 minutes after boot, the readings says 48 degrees for both CPU cores, and 69 degrees for GPU.

 

[webworkings]

That 100 is very high. The others, not so much.

Have you checked it to make sure that it isn't full of dust and debris? Also you may want to put new thermal paste.

 

[Grobe]

Thanks for noticing that.

So I did let Psencor stay on for some while. Turns out the GPU temperature stabilize around 90 degrees c when computer is idle. When moderate web browser activity, the GPU temp may rise to 100 degrees.

Thing is - and it happens more often now it seems like - when I left the computer (no demanding tasks running) it cut power even if there is no activity on the computer, takes from say 30 minutes to a couple of hours before it happens.

My gut feeling is that even if cooling needs thermal paste, there is also something else that cause the computer to fail.

 

[webworkings]

Yikes. 90 for that is quite high. Well, if it was left to get to those kinds of temps, by the prior owner, then it could have damaged multiple components. However, since it will start up and stay on for a while. I would say they aren't done for. I would start with the good clean out, paste replacement and check to see if the fans are working properly or need replacing.

 

[Grobe]

Ok, I'm stuck now trying to disassemble:
I'm following this youtube video (trying to not get nasty suprises) and all went pretty good - until 02:38 into the video - here the video deviates from reality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qcnP619Mqg

It turns out that the panel is stuckt - feels like it glued in position. Seem to be holding into something about 2-3 inches from right side. There it is stuck, and if I bend it more - surely something will broke.

Should I expect glue? Any ideas to get the panel lifted off without destroying the device?

[edit]
Solved: Had to lift near right hand screen mounting. But from the way it bend when lifted from right edge, It sure looked to be fastened somewhere in the middle too.

 

[Grobe]

I have now finnished applying new thermal grease to both CPU ang GPU. The old one felt likke old dry cheese so I guess it was at time.

However I got a new problem now - when trying to power on, the screen is completely dead (HDD spinning and it sounds like it boot). I have checked and confirmed all the cables is mounted correctly, have being aware and take precautions for ESD damage all the way when dismounting and re-mounting.

[edit]
That last issue solved: turned out I hadn't insert ram properly. Resetting RAM made the computer able to boot again.

BUT: It is now a lot worse than ever before, now it shut down even before OS finnished loading. That is computer is totally useless.

So - applying thermal grease onto cpu/gpu didn't solve the problem. I also cleaned the cooler for dust and dirt. Have this feeling that the top of the GPU chip isn't really in contact with the cooler, because there is just a sort of soft pillow that push the cooler against GPU from the casing.

Any one having a short list of what is probably failing?