Compaq NX6120 - heat issue computer shutting down without warning

Try booting in safemode.

Is it only shutting down when unattended ? Which operating sytem ?

if your laptop keeps shutting off

If your laptop suddenly shuts itself off for no apparent reason, there are several factors that can contribute to the problem.

When you troubleshoot the laptop, remember that it is also possible for a combination of causes to be at work.

Excessive Heat

Keep Cool

All newer laptops have built-in heat sensors that shut the computer off when it exceeds a pre-set temperature threshold. Install and run a temperature monitoring utility to determine whether the laptop is overheating.

might be getting hot

check you CPU make sure its securely seated and has thermal grease

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Thermal-Compound-Roundup-February-2012/1490

Hardware Issues

If you replaced or installed new hardware in your laptop, use the device management utility to review if there are any resource conflict or failure reports. You can also remove unnecessary hardware and run the laptop to see if the problem persists. If it doesn't, reinstall each hardware component and re-test until the laptop fails.

Operating System Issues

The operating system start-up controls can affect how the laptop performs.

Follow the operating system developer's instructions for entering the start-up program, and confirm that the settings are what your laptop requires.

Power Supply

If the laptop computer suddenly shuts down, it could be because of a break in the power supply.

If the laptop is plugged into an outlet for power, check to see if the plug was pulled from the socket and make sure the cord is properly connected to the computer.

If the laptop is running on battery power, then it is possible that the battery is drained and no longer has enough power to run the computer.

A simple recharge of the laptop battery should fix the problem.

Typically, a laptop has an indicator on the screen that tells how much battery life is left so that a shutdown is not a surprise.

Failing batteries can produce unexpected laptop shutdowns.

Use a battery monitoring utility to determine whether or not the battery is healthy and replace it if it isn't.

Malware

Unfortunately, rootkits and viruses can cause your laptop to shut down without warning.

You will probably have to take the hard drive out of the laptop to be able to scan it fully and remove any malware that is installed, or the laptop will shut down before the scan and repair can finish.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Malwarebytes is as the name says, a Malware Remover!

Download the Free Version from the link above.

Download, install, update and scan once a fortnight.

http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

Spybot Search & Destroy 1.6.2 is a very good, FREE Anti-Spyware Program.

Download, install and update it.

Then SCAN with it.

Update it, and scan your System once a fortnight.

Hope this helps

A computer that turns off without warning is often a heat related issue. Many computers today are designed to turn off or automatically reboot if the computer, processor, or other device in your computer gets too hot. If you have heard any abnormal noises coming from your computer recently such as a high squealing, this could indicate a fan may be failing in your computer.

You can first start by verifying the fan on the power supply is working by examining the back of the computer and seeing if the fan is moving and moving smoothly. For all other fans in the computer, you will need to either open the computer and make sure the fan are working and if your BIOS monitors the RPM of the fans, enter BIOS and make sure the BIOS does not report any errors.


If you need any kind of technical assistance, you can contact support cell at http://www.vtechsquad.com

Shuts down when? Right after you boot it up? Or does it run a while then shut down?
If it shuts down after it has run for a while then the computer is probably running hot. Either the CPU Fan is not working or the Thermal Paste has dried up or is too thin to keep the CPU Cool. To prove it is running hot, let the computer sit for a while then boot it up. Once it boots up use it until it shuts down and immediately try to boot it up. If it does not boot up that means it's running hot. But if you let it cool off then try booting up you will be successful.

You might want to check on the heat protection for your machine's CPU. This sounds like the CPU gets to a heat level that triggers internal protection from damage by excessive heat.

-a.

“My Toshiba laptop suddenly shuts down by itself without any warning. Sometimes it works fine for hours, sometimes it shuts down in 10-15 minutes.” This complaint we hear from our customers over and over again. About 15-20% of all Toshiba laptops we get for repair, suffer from an overheating problem. Yep, OVERHEATING!
This is one of the most common problems with Toshiba laptops we deal with.
Indications of laptop overheating problem:

1. The keyboard and the bottom of your laptop are very hot when the laptop is working.
2. The CPU fans are working all the time at maximum rotation speed and operate much louder than before.
3. The laptop suddenly shuts down by itself without warning. When it just started, the laptop was shutting down after 1-2 hours and how it shuts down after 5-10 minutes of operation.
4. The laptop works fine when it runs idle, but shuts down as soon as you start using any memory demanding applications (DVD player, image editing software, video editing software, etc.).

Solution:
If the CPU heatsink is not clogged with dust and lint completely, you can use canned air and just blow it inside the laptop through the openings on the bottom and on the sides. It’s nice as a precaution measure, but it might not work if your laptop already has a problem and the heatsink is completely clogged.

1. Open the laptop case, so you can access the CPU fan and the heatsink. In some cases you can access the heatsink through the latch on the bottom of the laptop. Sometimes you have to open the laptop case all the way down.
2. Carefully disconnect the fan cables on the system board and remove the fan. If the fan makes unusual sound when it spins (grinding sound), I would recommend to replace the fan.
3. Clean the fan and the heatsink with compressed air.
4. I would also recommend removing old thermal grease from the CPU and applying new grease for better heat conductivity.

this is an indication that your computer has so many dust build up inside, CPU or the processor generates heat, even when in start up mode, when the heat doesn't dissipates somehow, there is a protection that will shut off electrical circuits to prevent further damaged to your whole computer.
that is why it is shutting by itself automatically. chances are there is a lot of obstruction in the cooling system, particularly the heat sink.
you need to send this to a technician, im afraid
hope this helps

This could be caused by MANY different things. If it is a random thing, where do you have your laptop when it happens? If it isn't on a flat smooth surface, it's probably a heat related issue. Laptops need a lot of air circulaton, through the bottom.

You are on the right track. Probably overheating. Open the left side cover and check the system fan and the fan on the CPU for dust. You can clean it with a small brush or compressed air that is purchased in any electronics store or Walmart.
Good luck!

Sounds like it might be getting over heated. You will have to clean out the cooling system.