Laptop wont do anything a few minutes after start-up

[Guest]

A few days ago my laptop started playing up. I turned it on, as normal, and
then a few minutes after starting up (2 or 3 minutes) it doesn't want to
respond to anything.

I click on a shortcut on my desktop - doesn't do anything
I click on a programme in the start menu - doesn't to do anything

So, I tried rebooting my computer, but it doesn't seem to do that either, I
click shut down then it stays like it for about 15 minutes, before it comes
up with a common error message saying you need to end the programme now.
Which I click but then t still stays on the same screen. I try clicking a
programme on the desktop but it gives the message "Windows is shutting down
and cannot run this application" or something to that effect.

I turned the computer off manually, started it up again, and quickly went
into system restore, tried restoring my computer but it didn't solve the
problem.

I then tried putting in my windows CD and reinstalling windows, but that
doesn't work as after about 5 minutes of going through the setup process it
freezes.

I thought about just re-formating my hard drive as maybe it's a corrupt file
or even some kind of virus that's making my computer do it but I'd rather
have this as a last resort as I would like to keep my files on there.
Obviously if it is a virus in a file maybe I'll have to format the drive.

Thank you for any help anyone can give, Max

 

[Richard in AZ]

A few days ago my laptop started playing up. I turned it on, as normal, and
then a few minutes after starting up (2 or 3 minutes) it doesn't want to
respond to anything.

I click on a shortcut on my desktop - doesn't do anything
I click on a programme in the start menu - doesn't to do anything

So, I tried rebooting my computer, but it doesn't seem to do that either, I
click shut down then it stays like it for about 15 minutes, before it comes
up with a common error message saying you need to end the programme now.
Which I click but then t still stays on the same screen. I try clicking a
programme on the desktop but it gives the message "Windows is shutting down
and cannot run this application" or something to that effect.

I turned the computer off manually, started it up again, and quickly went
into system restore, tried restoring my computer but it didn't solve the
problem.

I then tried putting in my windows CD and reinstalling windows, but that
doesn't work as after about 5 minutes of going through the setup process it
freezes.

I thought about just re-formating my hard drive as maybe it's a corrupt file
or even some kind of virus that's making my computer do it but I'd rather
have this as a last resort as I would like to keep my files on there.
Obviously if it is a virus in a file maybe I'll have to format the drive.

Thank you for any help anyone can give, Max

Acts like it is over heating. Do you hear a fan ever run?
Laptops will over heat very rapidly if the CPU fan dies.