Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Email this6:00 am
September 11, 2013
Offline
I bought my Acer AX3910-ED5501 desktop ("Intel Pentium inside, Windows7", whatever that means) at Radio Shack years ago, aside from one repair shop visit to upgrade it's been fine. That's pretty much what I know about tech, and that I like whoever the folks at Acer are.
6:52 am
December 12, 2015
Offline
“Support for Windows 7 is ending. After January 14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or support for PCs running Windows 7. Now is the time to upgrade to Windows 10. If you continue to use Windows 7 after support has ended, your PC will still work, but it may become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Your PC will continue to start and run, but Microsoft will no longer provide the following support for your business. No technical support. No software updates. No security updates. To avoid security risks and viruses, Microsoft recommends you upgrade to Windows 10.”
Time to open your piggy bank, Bill
7:34 am
December 12, 2009
Offline
Saver-Mom said
Time to open your piggy bank, Bill
+1
LOL, @Saver-Mom. Sorry, I don't have anything further to add, but had to just acknowledge the brilliance of your reply. I can almost hear @Loonie chuckling after reading your reply to @Bill. 😉
Cheers,
Doug
12:50 pm
September 11, 2013
Offline
Thanks for your concern, Saver-Mom, this is why I never talk about tech because then I just find out that I'm doing it all wrong. So of course you worried me, I checked my system (that took a while to figure out) and found, magically/sunny-dazily, someone (I'm guessing Microsoft) installed Windows 10 Home on Dec 16/18, about a year or two after I'd taken it in for its one upgrade. (Come to think of it, I might vaguely remember being prompted online at some point if I wanted to upgrade to Windows 10.) Anyway I trust Microsoft and Mr Gates to look after me and it appears my trust is justified. So, thanks anyway, but now I'm laughing again!
4:53 pm
December 12, 2015
Offline
Oh good! But do be sure to regularly delete your browsing history after banking online, and keep your antivirus software up to date.
6:10 am
September 11, 2013
Offline
Thanks again, Saver-Mom, but I do know about that empty your cache thingy, and my internet provider Bell tells me they've got me covered re virus protection and that my "computer is secure", etc. I've been doing online transactions since ING set up shop here about 20 years ago, a ridiculous number of transactions based on the ridiculous number of online institutions/accounts (including discount brokers & Edward Jones) I almost daily deal with, plus I've been doing it for two households for some time now, and never a sniff of a problem. For me ignorance has been blissful so far.
11:45 am
December 12, 2015
Offline
I may be a tad more paranoid than usual due to the Desjardins fiasco which has hit people I know...
12:23 pm
October 21, 2013
Offline
GOOD NEWS!!
We received a cheque from Allianz insurance today for the full amount of the computer repair, including tax!
As for the computer itself, not so good. It's limping along, frequently overheats. I have to unplug it and then it cools down and is OK again for a day or two. I have zero confidence that they can repair it successfully and don't think I'll bother. Will not be buying another ASUS. I hope I can coddle it along for another year.
2:16 pm
April 26, 2019
Offline
Loonie said
GOOD NEWS!!We received a cheque from Allianz insurance today for the full amount of the computer repair, including tax!
As for the computer itself, not so good. It's limping along, frequently overheats. I have to unplug it and then it cools down and is OK again for a day or two. I have zero confidence that they can repair it successfully and don't think I'll bother. Will not be buying another ASUS. I hope I can coddle it along for another year.
Loonie I have been involved with PCs and older mainframe systems. Sounds like you have a very simple issue. A dead fan. I would suggest you google Asus Model xxxxxxx overheats and see what you find. Fans are cheap on Amazon and eBay. And you may even find used, but good, parts only on Craigslist. And yes there could be a chip or larger component that is overheating too. Was there a warranty on the work...dumb question I know, why would you trust them again? Have you approached Asus directly?
Website search gets me this.
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/220816/Why+is+my+laptop+overheating
I use ifixit all the time to repair iPhones. And am sure you may find another good one too.
The compressor blow out is a good idea too. I use a can of compressed air....you can buy at Costco, London Drugs or Princess Auto.
2:38 pm
October 21, 2013
Offline
thanks for the advice.
They already replaced the fans. This is why I have no confidence.
I suspect the design of the thing may be the problem. It's an ultra-slim model.
2:52 pm
April 26, 2019
Offline
Loonie said
thanks for the advice.
They already replaced the fans. This is why I have no confidence.
I suspect the design of the thing may be the problem. It's an ultra-slim model.
Also check YouTube. Lots of good info there too.
Like.
If you live in the lower mainland of BC.....come on over and let’s open it up.
If it worked fine for months and years then you first have to look at the obvious stuff that runs all the time like.....fans.....the hotter running components.
Maybe not all the fans were replaced. Could have been an incompetent tech or a defective part.
Just a short story. We had a mainframe hard drive that was as big as a washing machine. It kept dying when we ran a command that maxed it out. This command was only run once a day and back to normal use all was ok. So we had junior tech, then senior tech.....look at it....not fixed. They had a manual to refer to....where all fans were located. So they flew a super tech in from Texas.....he fixed it as he first reviewed what junior and senior should have done. Yup they overlooked one fan!! And a wasted trip from Texas and unnecessary down time for us along with a lot of wasted payroll.
What is the model number...I will check it for you.
7:21 am
March 30, 2017
Offline
Loonie said
thanks for the advice.
They already replaced the fans. This is why I have no confidence.
I suspect the design of the thing may be the problem. It's an ultra-slim model.
Sorry to hear your issues with the Asus. My daughter has the Asus ultra slim (3lb, $1k 2 years ago) for school and so far no issues (touch wood).
They do run fairly hot given its so pack inside and you can hear the fan even when turn on initially. Make sure it sits on a "non hot" surface such as a hard surface and not say a cushion while working.
Labtop are notoriously expensive to repair given its closely packed and parts are just way more $$ compared to desktop equivalent. My main PC has been various Dell and Acer desktop and no issues at all. $600 gets u a current i5 with decent ram and enuf performance for surfing net, email, excel, etc. I am tech saavy tho and can diagnose / fix most of the hardware or software issues. A google search will most of the time get you the solution you need.
6:08 pm
March 15, 2019
Offline
Warning: I am not a techie! I am not a techie!
I had a laptop that also ran pretty hot so I bought a cooling pad for $5 (I think) and placed it under the laptop when it was in use.
3:32 am
October 21, 2013
Offline
I used cooling pad with another laptop and it helped somewhat. I still have it, but the connection doesn't work with the current computer. God forbid that we should have standardized connections!
Since my last report, this thing has been in the shop again. This time it was not charging properly as well as overheating again. They decided the problem was the battery and they replaced that for a relatively modest $80. That was a few weeks ago. It cured the charging problem, for now, and it stopped overheating for a while, but it is starting to overheat occasionally now and I am sure it will only get worse. I won't be repairing it again, as the credit card warranty runs out in a few days. It's a dud. And I have little confidence the repairs are based on much more than trial and error.
By next summer, if not before, I will probably be looking to replace this computer, which will then be 2.5 years old, the shortest lifespan of any laptop I've ever owned. It's also the most expensive one. And by then they will very likely have stopped selling parts for it anyway!
This time, the intake clerk volunteered that he personally doesn't buy laptops any more, just desktops, because of the high failure rate. The first time we took it in, the guy who brought out the computer to us to pick up said that he would have advised us to "just" buy a new one. And these are the guys who work for the company!
10:50 am
December 12, 2009
Offline
Loonie said
I used cooling pad with another laptop and it helped somewhat. I still have it, but the connection doesn't work with the current computer. God forbid that we should have standardized connections!Since my last report, this thing has been in the shop again. This time it was not charging properly as well as overheating again. They decided the problem was the battery and they replaced that for a relatively modest $80. That was a few weeks ago. It cured the charging problem, for now, and it stopped overheating for a while, but it is starting to overheat occasionally now and I am sure it will only get worse. I won't be repairing it again, as the credit card warranty runs out in a few days. It's a dud. And I have little confidence the repairs are based on much more than trial and error.
By next summer, if not before, I will probably be looking to replace this computer, which will then be 2.5 years old, the shortest lifespan of any laptop I've ever owned. It's also the most expensive one. And by then they will very likely have stopped selling parts for it anyway!This time, the intake clerk volunteered that he personally doesn't buy laptops any more, just desktops, because of the high failure rate. The first time we took it in, the guy who brought out the computer to us to pick up said that he would have advised us to "just" buy a new one. And these are the guys who work for the company!
Loonie, when you, or Bill if he's still not parted with his old computer, are looking to replace your computer, have a look at DellRefurbished.ca, which is operated by Dell's finance and leasing arm, Dell Financial Services Canada. The laptops are A and B cosmetic grade and are almost entirely off-lease small & medium-sized and large corporate enterprise laptops with anywhere from 4-16 GB of RAM. They also have desktops and monitors and you can get a full system for $300 (or less), plus taxes, but make sure you sign up for their weekly deals' newsletter so you don't miss out on any "Flash sale" coupons. Never pay full price as they often have 20-30% discounts every week and once a month 40-60% off sales monthly. Even though I didn't need, I bought a B grade Dell Latitude E6440 laptop with Windows 7 Pro, which I upgraded for free to Windows 10 Pro due to Microsoft's activation servers quietly still permitting such upgrades, with 4 GB of RAM, and a 320 GB hard drive for $249 plus tax and shipping. I've been impressed with its performance; it's a solid workhorse that can handle multiple applications and many open web browser tabs at once. 🙂
Cheers,
Doug
3:00 pm
October 21, 2013
Offline
Thanks for the idea Doug.
I have special needs and, last time I bought, Dell did not offer anything that met them. But perhaps someone else can use this route.
11:02 am
April 6, 2013
Offline
One can't fix overheating in a laptop, unless it is caused by a fan that's died. Otherwise, the overheating is caused by bad thermal design. The extra heat and higher temperatures will shorten the life of components like batteries and disk drives.
Repair shops won't be able to do much because laptops don't usually have a place for an extra fan or room to install bigger heat sinks.
My first laptop had that issue. It wasn't just the area around the CPU that got really warm. I could feel the hot temperature too on the laptop bottom around where the memory was and where the hard disk was. Could not put the laptop on my lap if I wasn't wearing jeans!
The disk drive started having problems reading data after less than two years. I was surprised as the disk drives in my desktop computers would still be good over five years later.
4:32 pm
October 17, 2018
Offline
Laptops can also overheat if placed on a soft surface like a blanket or even a couch or your lap if you cover the air intake or exhaust. One thing I did was to cut a piece of plastic I had to about the size of the laptop and I always keep it underneath. This ensures that it is sitting on the rubber feet and there is space underneath for airflow. And I don't worry so much about where I am setting it down. A simple sheet of that plexiglas from Home Depot would do the same thing.
4:57 pm
October 21, 2013
Offline
Thanks for the thoughts.
The way I use this laptop, there is complete air circulation around it, so I am inclined to agree with Norman that iit is an inherent design flaw.
It is periodically overheating again now. I don't know anything about its innards, but I can feel it underneath and also along the top of the keyboard near the hinge. Eventually, if it runs true to form, the power cord at the computer end will become quite hot as well and will jump out of its socket.
It is currently overheating once every day or two. The solution, for now, is to turn it off and then turn it on again - no waiting period required. Eventually that will not work either.
This is a very thin laptop, lightweight for its size of screen. That may be part of the design issue.
The technicians may not be able to fix it permanently, but they do seem to be able to fix it temporarily, which I find strange. Within a few weeks it is back to its old tricks.
If they can't make them so that they will work reliably, why make them at all? - and charge so much for them!
I've had similar problems, ultimately, with all my laptops, but the other ones had run a reasonable course of 3 to 5 years first. One of them was repaired and that repair lasted another year or so - it just required a new connector where the power cord goes in, and they stopped making those available - nothing else was wrong with it (Sony VIAO). But not so with this current ASUS.
Spouse has a smaller-screen Dell laptop which has run pretty much without incident, and with heavy usage, for 6 years already! Spouse thinks I jinx them! 
6:33 pm
January 26, 2018
Offline
My son had an Alienware laptop that lasted only 3 years before overheating. There is heat-transfer paste between hot components and the internal heatsink which dries out over time then the heat can't be removed from the components. We replaced the paste several times. I have owned a Samsung "New Series 9" laptop for 7.5 years. It's been a great laptop but Samsung no longer sell laptops in Canada 
(they must have lasted too long). A great place to go for knowledgeable and unbiased staff is Memory Express. I have used them since they opened in Calgary in the 1990's. They have their own product replacement warranties at reasonable cost but I have never had to make a warranty claim. The only Ontario store is in Hamilton.
Please write your comments in the forum.