Laptop freezes when tilted...

steviedee · 03-31-2008, 11:00 PM

Hi! Love this site, have used many times :)

I have an issue with my HP Notebook model number DV5128TX. It seems to be freezing either randomly or when the notebook is tilted while using it. A small click ( from inside the notebook) is heard before windows vista freezes up, and either gives a bluescreen error ( it changes so i cannot tell you what it says) or simply reboots.

When i try to reboot it sometimes dosnt work perfectly. It will show the HP symbol, then just show a small line flashing in the top left hand corner and hang there forever. Other times it loads vista fine. I have noted that if i turn off the notebook for around 10 mins, it loads ok.

This is a very annoying problem as it can jus give in anytime as im doing work etc, so much help needed!!!

steviedee>>>

**TriggerFinger** · 03-31-2008, 11:22 PM

hi steviedee,

does it happen if you move the laptop slightly (tilting of LCD or any movement of the base). have you tried it with an external monitor?

another is to check your RAM. run Memtest86+ just to be sure.

by the way, is your laptop still under warranty? if so, I suggest you take it back for warranty claim.

steviedee · 03-31-2008, 11:57 PM

not under warranty, around 2 years old.

yes, sometimes small movements make it "click" but again , its pretty random, i'm on ti right now for example, and i can move it around ok, even tilt it abit and it fine...

have not checked with an external monitor..explain why?

will run mem test.

**TriggerFinger** · 04-01-2008, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steviedee

not under warranty, around 2 years old.

yes, sometimes small movements make it "click" but again , its pretty random, i'm on ti right now for example, and i can move it around ok, even tilt it abit and it fine...

have not checked with an external monitor..explain why? -- i was thinking it might be the video card. sometimes when GPUs come loose, any slight movement will crash the system. it crashes both LCD and external monitor. but in your case it looks like that it is not... if there is a 'click' before the crash, it might be the hard drive dying on you. have you tried another HDD? if you do not have one to use at the moment, try using a linux live CD like Ubuntu. you do not have to install anything as it will only give you a taste of how Ubuntu is. Boot the linux live CD and see if the crash/BSOD show up. Doing this will eliminate if it is the hard drive or something in your motherboard.

will run mem test.

steviedee · 04-01-2008, 12:04 AM

great suggestion, ill do that and get back to you

**TriggerFinger** · 04-01-2008, 12:32 AM

just some additional info... if your tests point to a possible HDD failure, get the maker and model of hard drive. Some HDD manufacturers' have a diagnostic utility to test their drives. May be you can try downloading the utility (if there is one) and test your drive for errors.

also.. continue doing the RAM diags using Memtest86+... better to check it so you can narrow down the possibilities.

steviedee · 04-01-2008, 12:47 AM

im on linux live atm, no message came up, everything ran perfect....

i tried tilting too and it dosnt seem to affect nething...

will run the mem test now

any suggestions as to why this click occurs in windows?

i have recently reinstalled windows vista ultimate as i thought it would solve the problem, but it persisted.

steviedee · 04-01-2008, 12:51 AM

will also try hp to test the hard drive..

**TriggerFinger** · 04-01-2008, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steviedee

im on linux live atm, no message came up, everything ran perfect.... -- that is a good sign.

i tried tilting too and it dosnt seem to affect nething...

will run the mem test now

any suggestions as to why this click occurs in windows? -- A defective hard drive may cause this clicking sound. May be a dying a hard drive. It may not necessarily have Windows in it. You may have Linux in it and still the symptoms may persists. It is time to make your backups. It is also the time to look for an HDD replacement.

i have recently reinstalled windows vista ultimate as i thought it would solve the problem, but it persisted.

-- next thing to test is the HDD. If you can pullout the HDD, take note of the maker if it is Fujitsu, Hitachi, etc. Get the model also and download the HDD diagnostic utility for that model from the manufacturer's website.

steviedee · 04-01-2008, 07:54 AM

mem test passed, took forever..haha

testing hard drive now

steviedee · 04-01-2008, 07:58 AM

UPDATE: i have actually already tested the hard drive previously (about 3 days ago), it took around 2 hours and i went into the bios and did it from there under tools

is that the test you mean?

it passed with no errors

steviedee · 04-01-2008, 08:22 AM

just took out the hard drive..it didnt really have a manufacturer on it, looked v. generic...

however, i did notice a small screw under the hard drive was a little bit loose. I tightened it quite hard. perhaps this was causing a short circuit?

i am testing the laptop now, and waiting to see if it makes the click sound whilst in use to verify..

**TriggerFinger** · 04-01-2008, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steviedee

just took out the hard drive..it didnt really have a manufacturer on it, looked v. generic...

however, i did notice a small screw under the hard drive was a little bit loose. I tightened it quite hard. perhaps this was causing a short circuit? -- hmmm, i am not sure because commonly it should have shut OFF the system. but then again, who knows.

i am testing the laptop now, and waiting to see if it makes the click sound whilst in use to verify.. --OK, i hope the loose screw was the culprit and that no 'click' will ever happen again.

steviedee · 04-01-2008, 11:38 PM

seems to be that screw.. amazing...

lucky you told me to remove the HDD

many thanks for your time

steviedee>>>

steviedee · 04-02-2008, 07:54 AM

confirmed: screw was problem.

im still amazed how random this is.

Much thanks again

close thread

03-31-2008, 11:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
steviedee Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 153 OS: XP	Laptop freezes when tilted... Hi! Love this site, have used many times :) I have an issue with my HP Notebook model number DV5128TX. It seems to be freezing either randomly or when the notebook is tilted while using it. A small click ( from inside the notebook) is heard before windows vista freezes up, and either gives a bluescreen error ( it changes so i cannot tell you what it says) or simply reboots. When i try to reboot it sometimes dosnt work perfectly. It will show the HP symbol, then just show a small line flashing in the top left hand corner and hang there forever. Other times it loads vista fine. I have noted that if i turn off the notebook for around 10 mins, it loads ok. This is a very annoying problem as it can jus give in anytime as im doing work etc, so much help needed!!! steviedee>>>

03-31-2008, 11:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,847 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... hi steviedee, does it happen if you move the laptop slightly (tilting of LCD or any movement of the base). have you tried it with an external monitor? another is to check your RAM. run Memtest86+ just to be sure. by the way, is your laptop still under warranty? if so, I suggest you take it back for warranty claim. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

03-31-2008, 11:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
steviedee Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 153 OS: XP	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... not under warranty, around 2 years old. yes, sometimes small movements make it "click" but again , its pretty random, i'm on ti right now for example, and i can move it around ok, even tilt it abit and it fine... have not checked with an external monitor..explain why? will run mem test.

04-01-2008, 12:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
steviedee Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 153 OS: XP	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... great suggestion, ill do that and get back to you

04-01-2008, 12:32 AM	#6 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,847 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... just some additional info... if your tests point to a possible HDD failure, get the maker and model of hard drive. Some HDD manufacturers' have a diagnostic utility to test their drives. May be you can try downloading the utility (if there is one) and test your drive for errors. also.. continue doing the RAM diags using Memtest86+... better to check it so you can narrow down the possibilities. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

04-01-2008, 12:47 AM	#7 (permalink)
steviedee Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 153 OS: XP	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... im on linux live atm, no message came up, everything ran perfect.... i tried tilting too and it dosnt seem to affect nething... will run the mem test now any suggestions as to why this click occurs in windows? i have recently reinstalled windows vista ultimate as i thought it would solve the problem, but it persisted.

04-01-2008, 12:51 AM	#8 (permalink)
steviedee Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 153 OS: XP	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... will also try hp to test the hard drive..

04-01-2008, 07:54 AM	#10 (permalink)
steviedee Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 153 OS: XP	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... mem test passed, took forever..haha testing hard drive now

04-01-2008, 07:58 AM	#11 (permalink)
steviedee Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 153 OS: XP	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... UPDATE: i have actually already tested the hard drive previously (about 3 days ago), it took around 2 hours and i went into the bios and did it from there under tools is that the test you mean? it passed with no errors

04-01-2008, 08:22 AM	#12 (permalink)
steviedee Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 153 OS: XP	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... just took out the hard drive..it didnt really have a manufacturer on it, looked v. generic... however, i did notice a small screw under the hard drive was a little bit loose. I tightened it quite hard. perhaps this was causing a short circuit? i am testing the laptop now, and waiting to see if it makes the click sound whilst in use to verify..

04-01-2008, 11:38 PM	#14 (permalink)
steviedee Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 153 OS: XP	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... seems to be that screw.. amazing... lucky you told me to remove the HDD many thanks for your time steviedee>>>

04-02-2008, 07:54 AM	#15 (permalink)
steviedee Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 153 OS: XP	Re: Laptop freezes when tilted... confirmed: screw was problem. im still amazed how random this is. Much thanks again close thread