Laptop crashes when plugged in and playing

So my girlfriend's laptop is running Windows 7, she recently reformatted and installed CoH. Since then it always hard crashes without any warning (full power shutoff instantly) only when playing CoH and only when the power cord is plugged in. Anyone know what might be done to fix this?


Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 6:47:58 PM, on 5/24/2011
Platform: Windows 7 (WinNT 6.00.3504)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.7600.16766)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\plugin-container.exe
C:\Users\Sam\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\blank.htm
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=userinit.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: AMD External Events Utility - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\atiesrxx.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\efssvc.dll,-100 (EFS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\fxsresm.dll,-118 (Fax) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\fxssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\sppsvc.exe,-101 (sppsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\sppsvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vaultsvc.dll,-1003 (VaultSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Wat\WatUX.exe,-601 (WatAdminSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\Wat\WatAdminSvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\wbengine.exe,-104 (wbengine) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe,-101 (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing)

--
End of file - 4599 bytes






---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.2.0.2---

DxDiag gathered at May 24, 2011 18:42 (-06:00)
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.110408-1633)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Studio 1555
BIOS: Ver 1.00 BIOS A06 PARTTBL"
Central Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T6400 @ 2.00GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.0GHz
Memory: 4096MB
.Net Memory Report: 2931MB out of 4090MB available
Page File: 6931MB (1248MB currently in use)
C Drive: (Hitachi HTS723232L9A362 ATA Device) 166944MB out of 305205MB (54%) free
D Drive: (HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GA10N ATA Device) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\Windows
DirectX: DirectX 11
DirectX Diag version: 6.01.7600.16385 (64-bit version)

Display Notes: No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor:
Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank)
Video Device Name: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4500 Series
Manufacturer / Chip: ATI Technologies Inc. / ATI display adapter (0x9553)
Video Memory: 2039 MB
Driver Version: 8.632.1.2000
Driver Date: 8/18/2009 2:15:58 AM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)
Driver File: HdAudio.sys
Driver Version: 6.01.7600.16385
Driver Date: 7/13/2009 6:07:00 PM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: 0J276M
Motherboard Version: A06
BIOS Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
BIOS Name: Ver 1.00 BIOS A06 PARTTBL"
BIOS Version: DELL - 6040000
BIOS Release: 20090423000000.000000+000


Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1276x694
3D Resolution: 1276x694 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: No
Maximized: Yes
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: No


Physics Quality: None
Maximum Particles: 100
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No


Anti-aliasing: Off
Anisotropic Filtering: None
Texture LOD Bias: Crisp
Water Effects: None
Bloom: 1.000 (turned off)
Depth of Field Enabled: No
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: No
Shader Detail: Unknown (4)


World Texture Level: Unknown (3)
Character Texture Level: Low
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 0.500
Entity Detail Level: 0.300
Shadows Enabled: No
Shadow Mode: Disabled
Shadow Map Shader: Unknown (0)
Environmental Reflections: Disabled
Advanced Occlusion Settings: No
Ambient Occlusion: Off
Occlusion Strength: Off
Blur: Bilateral
Ambient Resolution: Performance


Gamma Correction: 1.000
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: Yes
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: Yes

Audio Mode: Compatiblity
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 0.000
Music Sound Volume: 0.000

Show Advanced Graphics Options: No
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.000
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: Unknown bytes/second
Current Game Version: ?
Installation Directory: C:\Program Files\NCsoft\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found

You probably need to update the video drivers:

Video Device Name: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4500 Series
Manufacturer / Chip: ATI Technologies Inc. / ATI display adapter (0x9553)
Video Memory: 2039 MB
Driver Version: 8.632.1.2000
Driver Date: 8/18/2009 2:15:58 AM

Go to www.ati.com, click on "Support & Drivers" in the upper right.

Set the dropdowns on the right side to:

Notebook Graphics
Radeon HD Series
Mobility Radeon HD 4xxx Series
Windows 7 - 64 Bit

And click "View Results"

heh, she tried to update drivers 2 days ago on her own. Guess she didn't do it right.

Co* is still, to this day, the number one thing I do to kill a computer. And while the drivers may cause this, I would be looking at thermal issues. myself.

I would prop up the back of the computer to get it a little more air under it and see what happened. Don't supposed you checked to ensure all is nice and clean, eh?

The reason I suspect it most is, unless you changed the power usage in the BIOS or something, the power used is less when not plugged in, to save the battery. Plugged in, it's maxing out, and overheating, and shutting down. Also, when charging, the circuit and/or battery will also get hot, adding to the thermal issue.

But then, that's just a guess on my end. Hope you find it.

It might. It may be more insidious than that... like permanently broken. Or maybe the cooler's loose. Or filled with crud.

Really can't know until you get a temp monitor like Speedfan or whatever works for ATI and see what the temps are, and/or take it apart.

I second getting some sort of program that monitors the CPU/GPU temps.

My daughter's laptop was getting super-hot almost immediately on start-up, and squirting some compressed air in the vent fixed the problem entirely. If you confirm it's overheating, I'd try that before taking it apart.

FWIW, I use CPUID Hardware Monitor. It's become indispensible for laptop gaming, always on in the background.

YMMV. My laptop has (as I understand it) a hot-running GPU (nVidia 8800M GTX). Dunno if newer cards use less heat; I'm betting they do.

Also to be taken with a grain of salt: My cheapo cooling pad does markedly lower temps (by about 5 degrees Celcius). The downside is that running the extra fans on the cooling pad seems to clog up my computer's vents with dust faster. Then again, I'm a smoker, and I have a veritable menagerie of pets (2 dogs, 3 cats), so my dust situation may be worse than yours.

The value of the occasional fan/vent cleanup can't be overstated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iggy_Kamakaze Nice build

Or it could be that because I own a Dell, I'm doomed to buy a computer that actually works properly for more than a few days at a time.

I ran CoH on a Dell laptop from launch until shortly after I17 was released. I can still run it, I just prefer not to as the graphics chipset isn't a gaming chipset and is no longer supported with drivers.

I still use the laptop for other things, mostly work related.

Of course, for my gaming I prefer using a desktop computer. Laptops and gaming are only for when I'm traveling and absolutely have to be able to log in to the game. That is becoming less and less of a priority for me since last November.