I have an Asus ROG gaming laptop that's about 8 years old. Recently, I was playing Final Fantasy XIV for around two hours when I stepped away for 10 minutes. When I returned, my laptop was off. I turned it back on, logged into the game, and after taking just a few steps, it shut off again. This happened several times until I gave up. I suspect I might need to clean the fans or replace the battery since it doesn't hold a charge anymore. I've ruled out issues with the charging cable. Is there a possibility this problem is more serious than just needing a fan cleaning or battery replacement? I also want to note that nothing is blocking the vents, as my laptop is on a stand for better ventilation.
2 Answers
It sounds like overheating could be the main culprit. If your laptop shuts down without any error messages or a blue screen, it's likely protecting itself from damage due to high temperatures. Given that your laptop is a bit older, dust accumulation can really inhibit airflow and cause overheating. I'd recommend cleaning out the fans and possibly replacing the thermal paste if you’re comfortable opening it up. This issue is pretty common in older laptops since they aren’t as easy to maintain as desktops. After doing some maintenance, it should run cooler again for a while!
You should definitely monitor the CPU and GPU temperatures using tools like HWMonitor or the Task Manager. If your fans are really loud at start-up, that could indicate they’re working harder to cool things down. It might not be a bad idea to check those temps when you get home—you might find they’re way too high, which is leading to the shutdowns!
I’ll check the temps tonight! The fans have always been loud during start-up but quiet down after I log in.
I read that you might need to change the thermal paste too. Is it essential to replace the fans, or can I just clean them? I’ve seen people use compressed air for that.