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How to Fix Alienware Overheating or Random Shut down Issues

Summary: Resolve overheating and random shutdown issues on your Alienware system. Know troubleshooting steps, including ventilation tips, BIOS updates, and keep your computer running smoothly.

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Article Content


Instructions

What you must know about overheating

The system can become warm to the touch during usage.

  • Using for longer than 10-15 minutes

  • Watching a DVD/Blu-ray

  • Streaming online video

  • Using Flash Content

  • Playing video games

  • Using near a heat source or in a hot environment

Symptoms experienced if the system is overheating:

  • Random shutdowns or reboots

  • The computer locks up or stops responding

  • Fans constantly run at high speed

  • Slow performance

  • The computer is too hot to touch

Troubleshooting overheating symptoms

You can try these troubleshooting steps to reduce the overheating on your system:

  • Make sure the system is in a well-ventilated area

  • Use laptops on flat surfaces to improve airflow. Hard table tops are recommended and avoid using any type of cloth or any other soft material under the laptop

  • For desktop systems, make sure there is enough clearance around the system to allow the air to flow. If the system is in an enclosure, try to move it to a more ventilated area for testing

  • Check that the air vents are clean and that there is nothing obstructing them. See General Maintenance For Maintaining Your Dell Computer for instructions on how to clean your system

  • Update your system BIOS to the latest available in the Dell Support Site

    Note: To learn more about updating the BIOS on a Dell computer, see the Dell knowledge base article Dell BIOS Updates
  • You can reset your BIOS settings to undo any changes that could be causing the system to overheat. See How to restore the BIOS (System Setup) defaults on a Dell Product

  • Disable NVIDIA G SYNC and run a stress test using SupportAssist. Click here to run the video stress test when you are ready

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Additional Information

Article Properties


Affected Product

Alienware, Alienware

Last Published Date

31 Jul 2024

Version

8

Article Type

How To