Laptop overheating

[Jake0307]

Hi,

I purchased a laptop from PCSPECIALIST - Custom PCs, Custom Computers, Custom PC, Desktop PC, Custom Built Computers, Gaming PC back in October 2012. If you're not familiar with the website, you configure your own PC/laptop online, they then build it for you and ship it out to you.

Since I bought it however, the laptop itself has been getting extremely hot. Before, I would only notice the hot air blasting out of the side vent, but now there is heat radiating from the keypad and the underneath of the laptop is also very hot (almost too hot to touch).

I always keep the laptop on a flat solid surface so it always has good airflow, I never have it on my lap or in bed with me because I know that the fabric of your trousers and your bedding can sometimes restrict airflow. It has never shut down from overheating, but I am worried about it doing so in the near future. I know laptops tend to get quite hot, but my last laptop (admittedly a lower spec one) never used to get this hot.

I do have the laptop set on the High Performance power-usage setting as I often use it to play Football Manager on. I have it plugged in nearly all of the time, but I am still worried about the parts maybe being damaged if it keeps getting this hot.

My questions are:
-Why do you think my laptop is overheating like this?
-Will the components in my laptop get damaged if persistent overheating continues?
-If so, are there any steps I can take to prevent said damage?

Here are the specs of the laptop:
Processor: Intel Pentium CPU B970 2.3GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 4GB
HDD: 500GB
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics
Windows 7 Home Premium

If you require any more information, I'd be more than happy to provide it.

Many thanks in advance,
Jake

 

[indianacarnie]

Well, I'm no hardware expert but if its "too hot to touch" or close then I would say thats too hot. Have you cleaned the vents lately? (canned air) Yes , persistent high temp.'s WILL damage your system components.

Any number of programs/applications will check your temp.'s.......

Download Core Temp 0.99.8.0 / 1.0 RC4 Free - A compact, no fuss, small footprint program that monitors CPU core temperature - Softpedia

Download SpeedFan 4.47 / 4.48 Beta 6 Free - A small application that shows you fan speed, voltage and chip temperature - Softpedia

Download Speccy 1.20.446 Free - An advanced System Information tool for your PC - Softpedia

Download and run one (or more if you like) of these and post back the temperature readings and we'll go from there.

You may , with that dual cpu set up , need a cooling pad. They come in all flavors so picking one is about personal choice. Heres a few:http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=cooling+pad

Hope this helps!

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Do as Indy says mate and just for the record I know they are called laptops but please don't rest it on your lap there is an intake aperture for the cooling fan that blocked off will overheat the thing faster than you can think about it. Just take a quick look to see if a piece of paper or something has not blocked off that intake aperture.

Having said that sounds like it could be that the thermal compound might not be up to the job or it has ben done rather poorly.

If you go try blowing dust out of the FAN aperture make sure you insert the end of say a cable tie to stop the fan from spinning too fast with the compressed air.

 

[carwiz]

ARK | Intel® Pentium® Processor B970 (2M Cache, 2.30 GHz))

That's one CPU with two cores, two threads. At 35W, it shouldn't be getting anywhere near that hot unless there's an air blockage somewhere and it's running flat-out all the time.

 

[indianacarnie]

ARK | Intel® Pentium® Processor B970 (2M Cache, 2.30 GHz))

That's one CPU with two cores, two threads. At 35W, it shouldn't be getting anywhere near that hot unless there's an air blockage somewhere and it's running flat-out all the time.

Didn't even look just went with the posters "2 cpu's". Apologies offered to all. Still agree that if its too hot to touch, then its too hot. Maybe after a fan clean and temperature check we'll have more to go on.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Jake mate just what is the laptop made up from? is it an older refurbished Toshiba or Acer or what if it is an Asus then it quite easy to check the cooling system as it is very easy to get to.

For starters though get a very strong light and shine it in the exhaust vent holes you should see what looks like a car radiator grill. Now if you take that light and shine it down the intake aperture then you should see plenty of light coming from the exhaust vent. If not then the cooler "radiator" is well and truly blocked with crud.

Let us know what you can see - there are two ways to fix this and one of them is NOT blowing compressed air in from the fan intake aperture.

Otherwise I would hazard a guess at the thermal compound being well and truly past it's use by date or if it is refurbished job then someone needs some training on how to do that. .

 

[Jake0307]

Well, I'm no hardware expert but if its "too hot to touch" or close then I would say thats too hot. Have you cleaned the vents lately? (canned air) Yes , persistent high temp.'s WILL damage your system components.

Any number of programs/applications will check your temp.'s.......

Download Core Temp 0.99.8.0 / 1.0 RC4 Free - A compact, no fuss, small footprint program that monitors CPU core temperature - Softpedia

Download SpeedFan 4.47 / 4.48 Beta 6 Free - A small application that shows you fan speed, voltage and chip temperature - Softpedia

Download Speccy 1.20.446 Free - An advanced System Information tool for your PC - Softpedia

Download and run one (or more if you like) of these and post back the temperature readings and we'll go from there.

You may , with that dual cpu set up , need a cooling pad. They come in all flavors so picking one is about personal choice. Heres a few:Search Results for cooling pad at TigerDirect.com

Hope this helps!

Thanks, I downloaded the first one and whilst running football manager 2013, core 1 is running at 61C low/70C high, and core 2 is running 56C low/68C high.

I've always thought about buying a cooling pad/stand, I'll definitely consider buying one depending on the price.

Do as Indy says mate and just for the record I know they are called laptops but please don't rest it on your lap there is an intake aperture for the cooling fan that blocked off will overheat the thing faster than you can think about it. Just take a quick look to see if a piece of paper or something has not blocked off that intake aperture.

Having said that sounds like it could be that the thermal compound might not be up to the job or it has ben done rather poorly.

If you go try blowing dust out of the FAN aperture make sure you insert the end of say a cable tie to stop the fan from spinning too fast with the compressed air.

Yeah don't worry, I never have it on my lap, 99% of the time it's on a desk/table.

Jake mate just what is the laptop made up from? is it an older refurbished Toshiba or Acer or what if it is an Asus then it quite easy to check the cooling system as it is very easy to get to.

For starters though get a very strong light and shine it in the exhaust vent holes you should see what looks like a car radiator grill. Now if you take that light and shine it down the intake aperture then you should see plenty of light coming from the exhaust vent. If not then the cooler "radiator" is well and truly blocked with crud.

Let us know what you can see - there are two ways to fix this and one of them is NOT blowing compressed air in from the fan intake aperture.

Otherwise I would hazard a guess at the thermal compound being well and truly past it's use by date or if it is refurbished job then someone needs some training on how to do that. .

The laptop and its components are all new, pcspecialist doesn't brand its computers either as they build them themselves, only the individual components are branded. (This cuts a significant chunk off of the price tag when compared to a Dell/Toshiba branded laptop for example)

 

[indianacarnie]

Those temp.'s don't look too high to me. Definitely not high enough to harm anything. (85c is Max.) Still warm though. The cooling pad is an option for sure. Range from $9.00 and up. I found a decent one at Big Lots of all places for .... like $10.00 but thats been a couple of years ago.

I would definitely check those vents first thing though. Just a thought..... did you get a warranty with this? ICit2lol has a very good point about the paste/compound, might be worth having them check it if you can't.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Again I am with Indy before you go making any changes take it back as my laptops run at usually 48-55C ( I have Arctic Sliver 5 in both) and that is running scans not a great task but I would certainly be concerned at 85C as that is the Tjunction of that core. My i5 also runs at 35 watts and it's Tjunction is 105C .
Now I take the Tjunction as a rough guide to as far as I want the temp to get to as it then starts to decline in performance and then thermal shutdown - but I stand to be corrected of course

Hence the never ending quest for better cooling see this it is a tad technical but I think you may get some idea of what I mean

Guide to Understanding Intel Temperatures | TechREACTION

 

[Jake0307]

Those temp.'s don't look too high to me. Definitely not high enough to harm anything. (85c is Max.) Still warm though. The cooling pad is an option for sure. Range from $9.00 and up. I found a decent one at Big Lots of all places for .... like $10.00 but thats been a couple of years ago.

I would definitely check those vents first thing though. Just a thought..... did you get a warranty with this? ICit2lol has a very good point about the paste/compound, might be worth having them check it if you can't.

I got a warranty yes, 1 year collect & return/1 year parts/3 years labour.

Again I am with Indy before you go making any changes take it back as my laptops run at usually 48-55C ( I have Arctic Sliver 5 in both) and that is running scans not a great task but I would certainly be concerned at 85C as that is the Tjunction of that core. My i5 also runs at 35 watts and it's Tjunction is 105C .
Now I take the Tjunction as a rough guide to as far as I want the temp to get to as it then starts to decline in performance and then thermal shutdown - but I stand to be corrected of course

Hence the never ending quest for better cooling see this it is a tad technical but I think you may get some idea of what I mean

Guide to Understanding Intel Temperatures | TechREACTION

I understand what you're saying, Icit2lol. I'm much more knowledgeable on desktop computers, but laptops aren't too different are they (Maybe just a bit smaller)

I'll consider getting them to collect it once my temps reach within 5% of the max. I'll keep the core temp application installed as it's very handy.

Thanks for the help guys

 

[indianacarnie]

You're very welcome. If you need anything else just give us a call!

 

[ICIT2LOL]

No probs Jake but keep in mind that Intel Tjunction temp and the info from that site I posted as I personally would not want to run at more than 90% of the stated rating and even that I would be taking a very close look at the cooling system.

Yes you are going to run hotter in a laptop because of very obvious reasons but even so it still needs to be kept to temps where the core/s can operate efficiently at the very least.