Solved! Brand New Laptop freezing

[morality28]

I just got a new laptop a week ago - An Acer 7740G (Core i5, 4GB RAM, Win7, ATI Radeon 5470). The first night I had it this happened (click to play video):


Now, my computer has frozen 4 times, always while browsing the internet (in different browsers) and then the screen goes black and I need to hold the power button down for 10 seconds or more to shut down and when I restart I get the windows didn't shut down properly screen.

Also, my Core i5 2.27 GHz is always turboboosting up to 2.53 GHz - it does it starting up windows, when I run virus scans, etc. Is this normal? I thought it would take a lot of multitasking for the turboboost to kick in, not simple things like starting windows.

I'm thinking about just taking the laptop back since it's pretty unusable if it keeps freezing like this. Is there something wrong with the laptop or Win7 or something else?

Thanks!

 

[Maverick4396]

That is a GPU issue. Don't know if it is heat related or if the GPU has issues. I assume you have tried different/newer drivers for it? if so then I would say you have a GPU that is not working right.

 

[morality28]

I haven't tried new drivers - this laptop was only released a month ago so I figured they should be up to date. I bought it to replace a 3 year old hp laptop where the GPU had overheated causing crazy flashing colors. I can't believe I would have the same problem in 2 consecutive laptops. There is no heat whatsoever in this new laptop so that can't be the cause.

To top it all off I got the red checkerboard again while replying to this post!!

 

[Maverick4396]

those are called artifacts. Generally they are related to a GPU that is either overheating or underpowered. Just because you can't feel the heat doesn't mean its not there. As a matter of fact if your laptop is not blowing warm air out of the vents on the back or side (wherever the exhast vents are) that is probably an issue where the fan isn't doing its job.

Unless this thing is a netbook that is passive cooling.

You can try new drivers and see if the issue subsides, but if it doesn't I would get it back to Acer ASAP to be looked at.

Drivers for Acer

 

[ampedal]

RETURN IT

Don't waste time trying to fix a buggy NEW laptop - return it and shop elsewhere....