[Nightweb]

I'm reaching out looking for help, I have been reading lots here and this site actually helped me fix my Bluetooth (was turned off previous owner and I didn't reinstall program, why with a mini give a cd and not an SD card? if write locked gotta be a cheap and safer option??), and learned about the F11 and F12 key thing (Fn+Z, Fn+x), so here seems be the best place to ask anything mini as you guys seems to know best ^^.

I have a Dell mini 9 that I bought off a website, it seemed to work perfectly well, however after a few weeks I've come accross a little problem. the mini seems to randomly freeze, I don't know why, I have however been to make it happen if I try, if I install windows or install a game called torchwood (I've check the install file it works fin on main lappy) the mini freezes. It also freezes randomly while booting in use the system just locks up, USB still powered but if removed and put back in the device seems not to get power.

I've run the Dell diagnostic stuff all seemed to pass, I've swapped ram still happens the only thing I haven't swapped it the SSD or Processor, I've a mini 1210 or 1012 (the one with the fancy purple artwork) around I could try, but rather not, also read about reflowing but not really sure my skills are up to that, I plan on getting more ram and a 16GB+ SSD if i can get it working as I want something on the go which is why I got it but doesnt seem worth it if I can't stop this freezing issue

one thing I did do was swap the broadcom Wi-Fi card for a inter 3945 not sure if that matters, but at a lost, as I say I can load from USB and try install windows format SSD but system still freezes, could really do with some suggestion/help please

Nightweb

[ScottLott]

Normally, the main reason behind a freezing PC is an overheating CPU. So you may need to replace your entire netbook or atleast the mainboard.

[Nightweb]

first thank you I was starting to worry I'd never get any help, I had thought it might be heat so I ran the clock (to check when the system frooze) at the same time I ran Core Temp, and also Prime95, Prime95 ran for about 12-ish hours and the CPU temp ran up to 63oC and the system still ran happliy, I have to admit I thought the passive cooling seemed silly, I ran it beside a core 2 Duo (That's actually worring me as its hitting 85oc I didn't think it was meant to but thats a different day's work)

so if the cpu running for nearly a day after and being happy running at nearly 65c could it be a heat problem? I'm typing on it now and it's 36 and it cools down really quickly after stopping Prime95

Nightweb

[holmes4]

I doubt it is the CPU - the Atom CPU has a built-in thermal diode that will slow it down when it gets too hot. The SSD might start to fail if it gets too hot and there's no monitoring of that.

[Nightweb]

well I'm inclided to agree with you based on running the test's. I've run the build in tests on the ssd but they all pass, have you any suggestion's? I've managed to get the game to install thought I was watching the clock and think it was case if watched kettle never boils, game installed fine.

Thank you for the advice I really apreciate it,
Nightweb

P.S.
Wouldn't a SSD failure be predicted by a SMART alert?

[ScottLott]

If the CPU isn't the cause and the SSD checks out, the very next likely culprit is the ram. Try to swap it out with another stick of ram and see if the problem goes away.

[Nightweb]

I've tried swapping out the memory at apart from slowing from less memory it didn't affect the freezing issue, this is a problem that I find most perplexing, I've never hear or a problem like this now (I should add using the Dell Diag evrything passes, ram ssd mainboard, the works so it can't be an easy problem) again any help/idea's are very welcome

Nightweb

[HumanTarget]

I would try, in this order:

1) Did you test with wifi card removed? If not, do that first.

2) OS did you say you reinstalled the OS? your original post was ambiguous. If you haven't, do that first. If you have, try using an entirely different OS, like linux. See if it's stable with 7, vista, ubuntu whatever you have access to.

3) SSD - Hard to test this without having another SSD. You could make try running from a live USB linux distro like Ubuntu 11.04 easy to make on even a small flash drive using LiLi USB creator abd an ISO file. Unmount the SSD once booting into linux, if it's rock solid and no freezeups then that tends to look like maybe the SSD is the problem. SMART very often fails to warn of impending failures.

4) Motherboard/CPU. if you've done all the steps above and in the order recommended and still no joy. There's a good chance it's one of these two. Most likely motherboard considering Prime95 ran for so long without errors. It taxes the CPU and RAM but not really the motherboard.


What I expect it will turn out to be is either the OS (including drivers) or the SSD.