Any Bump causes Laptop Shut-Down

[Monty Python]

Working on a Dell Inspiron. Customer says it "shuts off" unexpectedly. I've determined it is movement/vibration/bumping that causes the shut-down, and not heat or malware.

Any movement at all will cause it to shut-off instantly; no warning whatsoever. Even adjusting the cover with too much energy.

My only theory at this point is the 18 Gbyte Hitachi HD is bad, but it behaved normally under testing/malware scanning installed on my desktop.

What could possibly cause this ?

[TheMatt]

It sounds like there is a loose connection somewhere. Reseat all DIMMs and other socketed components. Take out the hard drive and reinstall it to make sure that connection is not the issue.

[Monty Python]

I've been experimenting with what type of mechanical force is required to cause a sudden shut-down, and have determined that any pressure applied from beneath the laptop upwards in the front left corner area (while the laptop is open & running) causes the shut-down.

The other 3 corner areas do not.

More specifically, "squeezing" the case from top to bottome causes the shutdown.

The optical drive is in this area (it loads & ejects on the left) and so I removed it, hoping to isolate the cause one way or the other. The shut-down still occurs when squeezed, with the optical drive removed.

I also removed the small modem package, and the problem continues.

Could this be a simple matter of a lack of some insulation material on the PC board in the laptop, a crack in the PC board, a cracked solder run, or what ?

Has anyone encountered this before ? Could the cause be something simple and easy to fix ?

[TheMatt]

Sounds like it might actually be a short. Reset the components I suggested to see if that is the issue.

[Monty Python]

Originally Posted by TheMatt

It sounds like there is a loose connection somewhere. Reseat all DIMMs and other socketed components. Take out the hard drive and reinstall it to make sure that connection is not the issue.

I've reset the DIMM (just one) three times. I HOPE it is the HD, but that is on the other side of the laptop (see "UPDATE" post). I'd like to boot with an Ubuntu CD with the HD removed to see if having it off the system makes the problem go away.

There are two loose wires under the installation cover where I think the wireless NIC should go. It appears this model came without one, or it has been removed for some reason. Perhaps because of this very problem. The customer seemed "sneaky", and in retrospect I wonder if he didn't have a clearer idea what the problem is than he let on when he gave it to me.

[TheMatt]

Does it do this like if you go into the BIOS or anytime you are not booted into Windows?

[BCCOMP]

Just a suggestion,
Is this Laptop running strickly on AC? In otherwords is the Battery any good. This may help narrow it down (AC or Battery). If there is no good working Battery then we have to assume the connection (as Matt suggested) to the AC power supply is faulty. I have seen many times that the connector to the Mobo (AC connection) has been damaged causing irradic behavior.
Thanks,
Bill

[Monty Python]

Originally Posted by TheMatt

Does it do this like if you go into the BIOS or anytime you are not booted into Windows?

I was just about to report the following.

This model has a battery of BIOS tests you can run, and during this testing the laptop seems much less sensitive to physical movement causing a shut down. Squeezing reasonably hard does not cause a shut-down, however tapping it smartly with several fingers will. I assume this is normal, and also the "slap" test was done with the batter removed, so it may have crashed only because AC power was interupted momentarily.

Bottom line: Much more sensitive in Windows (or during boot to it) than when running tests at BIOS level.

Originally Posted by BCCOMP

Just a suggestion,
Is this Laptop running strickly on AC? In otherwords is the Battery any good. This may help narrow it down (AC or Battery). If there is no good working Battery then we have to assume the connection (as Matt suggested) to the AC power supply is faulty. I have seen many times that the connector to the Mobo (AC connection) has been damaged causing irradic behavior.
Thanks,
Bill

The symptoms while booting to, and in Windows are the same whether running on AC with the batter inserted, AC with the battery removed, or battery only.

BIOS reports the battery at 98%, and charging.

I also thought of a break in the AC wiring, I've also read threads and had phone calls from customers looking to buy a new AC power supply & cord, so it was the first thing I checked.

I'm hoping to find a way to make it the HD's fault, so I can simply replace it and move on.

[Monty Python]

I think I may have found the cause.

The cover has two small hooks (left & right) that hold the cover closed when pushed down to close it. There must be some sort of switch on the left slot (or hole) where the left hook descends into it, because if I take a pen or small screwdriver and just barely touch in that area the laptop shuts down completely.

I wonder if there isn't some sort of spring-loaded switch down there that has lost it's spring, so the electronic switch in there is flopping around willy-nilly every time the case gets bumped, and then signals to the computer that someone closed the lid.

What to do next is the issue.

Do I crack this thing open, and risk making it worse, or give it back to the owner with the boilerplate "this needs to be repaired at an authorized Dell Service Center" ?

[BCCOMP]

I believe only a physical inspection will tell of a short (of some sort) or a cracked mobo
(Opening up the laptop). If you are not familiar with taking a laptop apart I would refer you to a computer repair facility. You may cause more damage. Is this laptop still under Dell warranty? How old is this laptop? It maybe cheaper in the long run to replace than to fix seeing a new Dell Vostro 1000 is running about $600.00. If the Mobo is cracked you are looking close to $500.00 (est.) for parts and labor.
Hope this helps.
Thanks,
Bill

[mynameismud18]

I realize that this thread is a year old and so this probably won't help the guy who started it, but maybe someone else will run across it and it will help them.

I own a Dell Inspiron 1150. I bought it about a month ago from a guy who sold it to me dirt cheap because of this same problem. It turns out that the problem is a simple design flaw in the casing. Specifically, the small cover on the bottom, underneath the CD/DVD drive. Mine would shut down when the computer was bumped and after many, many pokes and prods and shut-downs, I narrowed it down to one side of this cover being the culprit. After removing the cover I found the problem. There are two small tabs, one on each side of this cover in the center. These are just guide tabs and are unnecessary. They are too long and they press up against the motherboard when the cover is secured all the way down. Break the tabs off and your problem will go away.