Diagnose my computer: load-related shutdowns

[jbsegal]

So my laptop - 4+ year old 15" MacBook Pro - has taken to shutting down under high memory/high cpu conditions

Comments

[eccentrific]

I agree with it sounds like overheating. I wouldn't start with the thermal paste though. Clean out all the fans, make sure they're spinning at speed (last time I had overheating problems, it turned out to just be cat hair in the vents...), clean out the vents, etc. Figure out what feels hot. It might be an individual component shorting and overheating, not the whole system. If all else fails *then* maybe try the thermal paste.