Miscellaneous laptop discussions forum: Laptop becomes sluggish and makes beep sounds

And could not find any mention of software/apps outside the stock ones. But glad you found it.

However, it seems strange that such would cause the CPU to overheat. That sounds like a design or product flaw. My laptops can run at 100% CPU load for many hours. This model seems to buckle much too soon.
Bob

It's not caused by malware nor overheating; I know it for sure because I even replaced the HDD twice (bad HDDs) thus reinstalling the OS multiple times.

If it would be caused by overheating whjle in a video game, then why would the problem be instantly gone after logging off? The temperature is a little high but not a problem (cleaned the heat sink recently, using a cooling pad too).

I find that most will use other than what Dell supplied and problems follow.

The beeping is a sign so why not replace the heat sink compound and clean just to be sure?

And let's be clear that any TEMP MONITORING is suspect. For my temp monitoring I use the following gear:
1. http://www.amazon.com/Raytek-MT4-Non-Contact-Thermometer-Sighting/dp/B0002198GY
(laser spot thermometer)

2. http://www.amazon.com/Cole-Parmer-Remote-Monitoring-Thermocouple-Thermometer-Deg/dp/B003NV0HM4/
(another thermometer which I can check other chips with.)

If you agree it's not that, what does Dell suggest?
Bob

Because when we log off the CPU and such can nosedive as what we are running in our user space ends.

Then again you could look at what's running and try end tasking such as a test.
Bob

I am monitoring the temperature just by using software, speedfan and i8kfanGUI.

I will try to end processes one by one, even though I doubt I will find out the problem..

Any other suggestions are welcomed!

Ask dell what they think needs to be done. I may have very opinionated views about heatsink, compounds, cleaning but it's only because 999 out of 1,000 laptops need that done at the shop. 998 folk will tell the folk at the shop counter it can't be that.
Bob

Unfortunately I'm at over 1000 KM from the nearest Dell shop and they were unable to help me online. I opened the laptop myself and thoroughly cleaned the heat sink and every other component, I am positive it is not caused by overheating.

As we speak, I have not opened any applications other than the browser since the last reboot and the laptop is becoming sluggish again, not so severe though; the temperature has been the same (+- 5C max).

I can't see it being anything else but the usual. I don't read where you removed the heat sink to wipe off and replace the old compound. This also lets us inspect that the parts are installed proper as we button it up.

I know this area is too much for most to do themselves so the next best thing is to ship it to Dell and let them do their thing.

You did not write about that fresh OS install. Again, it's an area that many will not install the factory load and we find so many errrors there.
Bob

I would've shipped it to Dell a long time ago but I need it every day.

I suspect there's something wrong with the CPU because when the laptop becomes sluggish, I cannot do 2 actions at the same time (i.e. press two keys which would trigger 2 actions at the same time), but they will be somehow queued and executed one after another, time during which I cannot do any other action.

Are there any tests for the CPU and/or the motherboard? The BIOS tests don't find anything wrong.

If we can, we swap the CPU but in many laptops that means the motherboard has to be swapped since the CPU is soldered down on most boards.

It's a shame you are dismissing the usual repairs for this issue. I know that most folk will run some software to report the temp and then convince themselves and tell everyone "it's not that."

The counter folk are trained to nod and agree and then let the techs do the work anyway. I was hoping you could see how this plays out many times a day in shops all over the world. And I hope you don't take offense at that.

So try again with the canned air on the vents and remove all those temp monitoring apps as they can cause the issue too.
Bob

1. The HDD is ok, I've had bad experiences with the Samsung brand (had to change 3 in less than a year) but the Seagate I have now is fine.

2. I will try to look for BIOS updates.

3. I don't have that area since I changed the original HDD and I did not save those files.

Ask Dell for the EXACT STEPS on how to install your version of Windows.

This problem occurred when I had the original HDD as well. I know my way around a computer, I just cannot figure out what's causing the problem described so far.

It was defective when new so how to solve a defective machine? Let Dell fix it.

I would but, as I've previously mentioned, cannot because I need the laptop for daily use and the nearest Dell shop is at about 1000 KM away. Thank you for your input though!

I will do a BIOS update and see what happens.

But this is sad to read. I've lost count of folk depending on one lone machine. Or not keeping their files on backups. Even if just on a dropbox.

Ok, I'll try to contact Dell during this week and, hopefully, find out where the problem is. Unfortunately, I'm a student so I cannot afford more than 1 computer and I didn't save the files from that partition because they were mostly useless, I didn't need them at that time.

My comment was about your files. The ones you can't lose. The story is what I've read too many times. Prepare for the worst.

My files are safe, I've changed 3 HDDs and I've lost very few, if none, files.

Thank you for your concern and suggestions! I've emailed Dell support, im wiating for a reply now.

I've had someone else suggesting it might be a memory leak but memory diagnostic tools didn't show anything wrong; any comments?

I've followed your advice and I started killing processes one by one; the problem seems to have been caused by a software that records keystrokes - similar to a key logger. After killing the process, the laptop seems to be running ok. Thank you for your help!

Usually find keyloggers. I wonder if it was one of them?

It was a keylogging software but it was installed and running on purpose, I was aware of its existence.