[Techtalk] Linux on a laptop problem

[James]

I have a Toshiba Satellite S5005-S504 laptop (1.1Ghz PIII, 512 meg of
RAM).

I'm trying to install Gentoo on it, but after I complete the install and
reboot with the kernel I compiled, the laptop will randomly shut off
completely if left for sometime (ie, left compiling X/KDE).

Anyone ever have a similar problem on a laptop with Linux?

It never occurs inside the Gentoo installer shell or in WindowsXP.
Something I miscompiled in the kernel?  I compiled a kernel with just
ACPI and then one with APM and ACPI.  The ACPI one powered itself off
just now, and the APM+ACPI one (compiled both into the kernel) is
seemingly working fine now (*knock on wood*, it'll probably shutoff in a
few minutes).

Could this be some kind of power management issue, like that the laptop
wants to go into low power mode or hibernate but screws up and ends up
shutting down?

Oh and yes, its plugged into the wall, so it isn't a battery issue :)

- James