Restart issue when placed on flat surface

[xceptional786]

Hi 

I have been facing problem with my laptop since I bought it in Feb,

It restarts on its own, initially it was problem with the drivers due to update ran recovery from cloud,  now when I place it on flat surface it get heated up and restarts, am really frustrated can someone please guide what's could be the possible reason, I would be very grateful, I am using HP spectre 16 inch, intel evo edition with 1TB drive and 16 GB ram and 6GB Geforce RTX 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @xceptional786 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thanks for sharing all that—it's genuinely frustrating when a premium device like yours behaves unpredictably, especially after you've already gone through recovery and updates. 

Let's work through this together and get your Spectre running reliably.

🔍 What Might Be Happening

Placing the laptop on a flat surface could be restricting airflow, especially if the vents are underneath. That can lead to thermal buildup, triggering automatic restarts to protect internal components. Given your powerful specs, heat management is crucial.

🧼 Step 1: Clean the Vents

• Power off the laptop.
• Use compressed air to gently clean the vents—especially around the hinge and underside.
• Avoid placing the laptop on soft surfaces like beds or cushions.

🧊 Step 2: Improve Ventilation

• Use a cooling pad or a laptop stand to elevate the device slightly.
• This helps airflow underneath and reduces heat buildup.

🔄 Step 3: Update BIOS and Thermal Drivers

• Visit the HP Spectre 16 support page.
• Download and install:
  • Latest BIOS
  • Chipset drivers
  • HP Command Center (if available)

Restart after installation.

🧠 Step 4: Adjust Thermal Profile

• Open HP Command Center.
• Go to Thermal Profile and select Cool Mode.
• This reduces performance slightly but prioritizes heat management.

🧪 Step 5: Run Hardware Diagnostics

• Restart and press Esc repeatedly to open the Startup Menu.
• Press F2 to launch HP PC Hardware Diagnostics.
• Run System Tests > Extensive Test to check for thermal or fan issues.

🧰 Step 6: Monitor Temperatures

• Install a tool like Core Temp or HWMonitor.
• Check CPU and GPU temps—if they spike above 90°C consistently, cooling may be insufficient.

If the issue persists even after these steps, it could be a thermal sensor misread or a faulty fan. But let’s stay optimistic—your laptop’s got serious potential, and we’ll get it stable. 

Let me know how it goes or if you'd like help interpreting the diagnostics!

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye