Has your smartstep / smartpc switched off without notice? Dell doesn't seem to be taking any notice of customer complaints nor even customer feedback. The Dell Forum is full of good intentioned advice from smartstep owners but before you start dismantleling the wicked machine take a look at the following visual guide for a quick clean without pulling out dozens of screws...
After about 6 months of perfect service the smartstep / smartpc switches off suddenly during use. It is a safety feature that causes the computer to turn off. Is the processor overheating? Is the internal thermometer just reading the temperature wrongly? Many have thought up theories...
I won't go into any great detail but from the day it first happened (april 2003) Dell support have been absolutely useless and I may even add rude, condescending not to mention evasive. I bought the computer in October 2002 and use it every day for several hours.
After finding the Dell forum, I was amazed that this was a wide spread problem and evidently a design fault.
I have identified three software packages that will cause the computer to shutdown every single time :
- Dreamweaver when synchronising local and distant ftp website with a very large website.
In this case, the computer switches off after roughly 4 minutes- Ad-aware when doing a system scan
In this case, the computer switches off after roughly 3 minutes- EA Games- Command and conquer. I'm not a big gamer but this will make the machine switch off very quickly.
In this case, the computer switches off after 30 seconds of begin of play.
The same one as everybody elses : heat. But I am not sure that it is only the CPU heat, it could be a combination of graphic processor and CPU generating enough heat together to tilt the thermometer.
Like I wrote above, I was able to generate the failure at will. I was very reticent to opening up the machine as indicated by several people on the Dell forums.
I have used compressed air sprayed in from side and rear vents. And also from inside the computer without removing any screws or any components.
I have not fully tested yet but The 3D game software runs for much longer / I quit after 5 minutes, didn't have time to play all afternoon waiting for a sutdown. I will leave the machine on test some time soon and post results later....
I placed white tissue paper in front of side and rear vents when blowing air out (which I did first before blowing air in). Not a lot of dust came out, but apparently enough was in there. I was expecting a ton but in fact the paper tissues were well covered in grey specks...
My experience corroborates the dusty heatsink theory.
Don't pull out your screwdrivers too soon. Many posts on the Dell forum suggest you do but this drastic solution is, I believe, not withing everybodies realm of action.
Oh, and before you read on, please note that if you decide to do as I have done, I will not be held responsible for any damage. These are not instructions, only a sharing of my experience.
Lifting the plastic cover
If you have read through the Dell forum, you will have seen that there is a panel to remove.
The plastic panel to remove is not the darker grey "easylaunch keys panel" but the light grey panel that the power button is set in and that covers the screen hinges.
I turned the computer off first, just in case!
I folded the screen all the way back so that it is level with the desk.
Lifting the plastic cover
Picture shows how i used a thin tool such as a nail file to pry the hinge cover first. This part must be released first.
I did the same to both sides of both hinges.
Lifting the plastic cover
The power button is wired so I left the panel diagonaly over the keyboard
Cleaning
Using a can of compressed air, I blew air down through all available holes and under metal components. Always blowing towards the right or rear vents so as to send any dust out of the computer.
I did not remove any other part. I just blew a lot of air taking care not to blow liquid. When tilted, the can of compressed air can blow frozen liquid. I don't know if this might have frozen and damaged electronic parts and so didn't take any risks.
Blowing more air
After having thouroughly blown air out. I started blowing air in the right vent
blowing more air
...and the rear vent
Placing the the plastic panel back on
The panel has to be placed front end first. Here is a close look at the plastic catches.
Placing the plastic cover
The plastic panel goes back on front end first as there are four clips that catch under the metal framework.
This is why the panel was removed back end first.
Placing the plastic cover
Pressing the hinge covers in
Information provided by BUSTERMAN
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