Is my laptop possessed?

[MidnightFlyer]

Hi,

I turned by laptop off last night on almost full charge (maybe 90%). That was at about 2315. Whilst watching TV at about 2335, I heard the Windows start -up noise (the same one which occurs when the log-in page loads). It certainly didn't come from the program on my TV, and no-one else was up that late. I thought nothing of it, and eventually went to bed at about 0020. I couldn't get to sleep, but that wasn't aided by, at about 0045, my laptop turning itself on (complete with start-up noises and usual hardware noises), staying on for about 2 minutes, then dying because of low battery, despite it being 90% charged when I left it. All this happened whilst it was closed on my computer desk; I didn't touch it once between turning it off and it dying (I was just about to open it up and investigate when the battery died). Sure enough this morning I couldn't start it without my charger. Everything else to do with the laptop is working fine this morning, but I'm still rather confused about events last night and in the small hours of this morning!

So, does anyone know what it could be, or is it possessed (which I highly doubt, I just wanted an eye-catching title!)?

EDIT - I will just add that the above is 100% true, I would have little reason to make something like this up!

 

[90019]

Could be something as simple as a faulty switch or dodgy connection in the button to turn it on.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Could be something as simple as a faulty switch or dodgy connection in the button to turn it on.

Thanks for that. I've just realised it must have done it twice though, the noise I heard before I went to bed could only have come from one place, then it did it again later with accompanying hardware noises.

 

[trentside]

My old Sony laptop used to do this all the time. Was particularly annoying as it had a light underneath it which would fade on and off. Never worked out why it happened, sadly.

 

[HugePilchard]

Does it have anything set to make it come on at a certain time and do certain things, like Windows updates?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Does it have anything set to make it come on at a certain time and do certain things, like Windows updates?

Nope, in particular Windows Updates are disabled. I've had this laptop 2 1/2 years now, and this is the first time anything like this has happened.

 

[90019]

When was it last cleaned?
I wonder if it could be dirt in the switch.

 

[Crossover]

Yep, it's possessed :P

Windows Updates probably wouldn't wake it unless it was just sleeping.

Aside from a dodgy switch, the only other things I can think of are faulty switch (as mentioned) or some BIOS settings. The only thongs in the BIOS that could cause anything are auto on times being set (they do exist but not sure if they do on laptops) or wake-on-LAN which could be playing up.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

wake-on-LAN

That was my first thought.
Some BIOSes have other 'wake-up' triggers, and even if they are not accessible from the BIOS set up, they could have been inadvertently set if the BIOS memory had been upset from an extraneous pulse during a switch-on/switch-off.
Even an external device could trigger a 'wake-up' and we can only guess what might be connected to the USB or other ports (eg a printer giving a 'low-ink' warning).

I used to have a cat which liked to take a walk along the function keys - that could start a sleeping system.

 

[Wyvern]

Do you shut it down by closing the lid into for instance hibernation?

Lid switches are often dodgy.

If you shut Windows down completely it really must be possessed. !!!!!

 

[Lampshade]

Does it have any touch-sensitive buttons that might have a fingermark on it, such as volume/multimedia controls? When I bought my laptop it would switch on of its own accord even with the lid closed, I'd then open it and find all the multimedia lights flashing hock:

Since I got rid of Vista it's been fine though.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Even an external device could trigger a 'wake-up' and we can only guess what might be connected to the USB or other ports (eg a printer giving a 'low-ink' warning).

I always unplug anything external from my laptop when I turn it off, and I hadn't used any ports etc once yesterday.

Do you shut it down by closing the lid into for instance hibernation?

I shut it down fully, I'm sure. I always turn it off then wait until I'm sure it's off before closing it. When I did close it last night, I only touched the lid, no parts of the keyboard etc.

Does it have any touch-sensitive buttons that might have a fingermark on it, such as volume/multimedia controls? When I bought my laptop it would switch on of its own accord even with the lid closed, I'd then open it and find all the multimedia lights flashing hock:

Since I got rid of Vista it's been fine though.

It does, but they haven't worked in a long, long time. As with what I said above, I didn't touch any of them when I was turning it off / closing the lid.

 

[12CSVT]

My computer started up on its own while it was on standby mode a few weeks ago (and I know it wasn't caused by anybody or anything touching the keyboard or mouse because the computer was within sight at the time).

Needless to say I always shut it down when not using it.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I always switch mine off at the mains as well ( which in any case is something one should do with any electrical device which does not specifically have to be left on ).

 

[HST Power]

A very strange case! It's worthwhile to make sure you always shut down your computer properly, don't just hold down the power button.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Just to let you all know that my laptop hasn't repeated its 'actions' since - and no, the CPU hasn't exploded :roll:

 

[HST Power]

Just to let you all know that my laptop hasn't repeated its 'actions' since - and no, the CPU hasn't exploded :roll:

Did you see my computer thread a few months ago? Like yours, it hasn't repeated the actions ever since either. These machines work in strange ways!

 

[michael769]

Was it properly shut down or just in sleep ( standyby mode).

Windows has an option where in sleep/standby it will wake up on a low battery state and then go into hibernation. Unfortunately the default battery level is so low that the battery usually gives up before it manages to hibernate properly.

 

[JamesHorrell]

My Laptop does this sometimes and when it does it i just get a paint brush and clean the button as sometimes something gets stuck in the button but it seems to work to clean teh on/off button every month or so