Why does freezing my laptop break the boot loop?

[Preacher ✝]

My gaming laptop is about 4-5 years old now and it's getting temperamental. It doesn't like running on battery power but is mostly fine when plugged in. I have had to program an aggressive fan curve to keep it from cooking itself when playing games but aside from being a little louder it gets the job done.

One thing that does frustrate me is the boot loop I find myself in almost every time I have to restart the thing. It will get stuck on start up, cycle into "Automatic Repair" which suggests restarting, rinse and repeat.

I have to presume its some kind of temperature issue because the only reliable solution I've found is to turn it off, unplug it, and shove it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. After that it goes to Automatic Repair but then it actually starts up normally. What's not adding up is that during the boot loop it doesn't feel particularly warm/hot.

Anyway I am considering a replacement but that's it's own issue.

 

[Penis Drager 2.0]

Best guess is CMOS battery issue. Replace the coin cell on the motherboard and the problem might go away.

Spoiler: Disclaimer

As with all things troubleshooting: easiest thing first. If you can think of anything at all that doesn't require cracking the bitch open, do that instead.

 

[urr13 account]

Laptops were actually designed to always be below 32 fahrenheit.

 

[Preacher ✝]

As with all things troubleshooting: easiest thing first. If you can think of anything at all that doesn't require cracking the bitch open, do that instead.

Shoving it in the freezer for 10-15 min its pretty easy...

 

[Penis Drager 2.0]

Shoving it in the freezer for 10-15 min its pretty easy...

But is doing that every time the boot loop occurs easier than cracking it open once?

 

[Preacher ✝]

But is doing that every time the boot loop occurs easier than cracking it open once?

Maybe. I don't know how easily accessible the coin cell you're talking about is, and if I am going to open it up then I ought to go buy a can of air duster and clean it while I'm in there. Additionally there's no guarantee that the surgery will be successful and if I attempt it I might end up making things worse.

If it happened more frequently then it would be different, but right now I can usually go a good while without having to reboot at all.

 

[Penis Drager 2.0]

I don't know how easily accessible the coin cell you're talking about is

Google "replace [brand and model laptop] CMOS battery" and there will almost definitely be a how-to guide or maybe even a YouTube video. Do not attempt surgery if you're not confident you know what you're doing. Granted, this procedure is typically about as "easy mode" as it gets.

if I am going to open it up then I ought to go buy a can of air duster and clean it while I'm in there.

Not a bad idea. You might as well.

there's no guarantee that the surgery will be successful and if I attempt it I might end up making things worse.

Hence the lecture about seeking easier/less invasive solutions first.

 

[Preacher ✝]

Google "replace [brand and model laptop] CMOS battery" and there will almost definitely be a how-to guide or maybe even a YouTube video. Do not attempt surgery if you're not confident you know what you're doing. Granted, this procedure is typically about as "easy mode" as it gets.

Looking into it I'm not convinced the CMOS is the issue.

None of this seems to describe the problem I have. The date and time are always correct, the configuration and settings are unaffected. No messages have mentioned BIOS issues either.

 

[Neodanthril]

gaming laptop

There's your problem

 

[Penis Drager 2.0]

Looking into it I'm not convinced the CMOS is the issue.
View attachment 7167832
None of this seems to describe the problem I have. The date and time are always correct, the configuration and settings are unaffected. No messages have mentioned BIOS issues either.

Yeah, those are typically the kinds of issues you get when the battery dips well below operating voltage. I was mostly going off the fact that the freezer seems to help.

You make a good point though. Next time the boot cycle starts, jot down (or snap a pic with your phone) any error codes that pop up and Google that.

 

[Preacher ✝]

Yeah, those are typically the kinds of issues you get when the battery dips well below operating voltage. I was mostly going off the fact that the freezer seems to help.

You make a good point though. Next time the boot cycle starts, jot down (or snap a pic with your phone) any error codes that pop up and Google that.

I'm not entirely sure it even gives me a code but I'll try to remember to check next time. Could be a week or more.

 

[dick brain]

Best guess is CMOS battery issue. Replace the coin cell on the motherboard and the problem might go away.

Spoiler: Disclaimer

As with all things troubleshooting: easiest thing first. If you can think of anything at all that doesn't require cracking the bitch open, do that instead.

This is a troll post, sea moss is not a motherboard component, it is an underwater organism.

 

[Le b0wski]

The "freezer trick" has long been a way to get a little life out of a dying mechanical hard drive so if it's got a hard drive and not an ssd then it could be that.

Run HDD Tune and do a scan, if it's bad replace the drive

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

Might need to change some thermal paste and dust the interior out. Reinstalling your OS might also be a good idea.