Solved Overheating after new hard drive and clean install

[ThrashZone]

You might be misreading the temperature
Even 89 degrees is only 31.6 Celsius
I could see it shutting down at 84-89c though that is messed up time for new thermal paste and make sure the fan is actually working because that is 192.2 degrees :shock:

 

[Layback Bear]

hazel123 please always report your temp with a (C).
We need to know that your readings are in Celsius.

 

[TrustMe]

I'm glad it helped. I agree with TrashZone. CPU/cooling fan probably needs new thermal paste.

 

[DavidE]

You might check to see if there is a newer BIOS for your laptop with a temperature fix.
See this article:
Sony Recalls Vaio Laptops Due to Overheating

 

[hazel123]

Sorry - yes it was centigrade - the numbers were from Speccy. David - thanks - it has the latest bios installed. The model is about 6 years old. It seems it just overheats with hard drives that aren't the pre-installed one. I have the original drive back in now and it's running cool all the time. Speccy also showed the firmward version of the original drive. Do you think Sony's bios might have something in that recognises the firmware of the drive?

Anyway - not sure how long this current drive will last, but have another drive coming today that is similar - same make, same size. If that doesn't work I'll give up on this machine.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
You can make sure the ssd and hdd's have the latest firmware installed they do have a shelf life time and are all probably out of date
Just go to which ever manufactures website and search the help and download sections for the model drive and firmware updates
Some will have a utility to do it for you.

 

[DavidE]

The model is about 6 years old. It seems it just overheats with hard drives that aren't the pre-installed one. Do you think Sony's bios might have something in that recognises the firmware of the drive?

That article is about 6 years old and states this:

Affected laptop models include the Vaio VPCF11 and VPCCW2 series.

I don't know if the bios might recognize the HD firmware and that affects temps.
It seems Sony support should be able to answer that.

 

[hazel123]

Thanks for that article David - wow - yes mine is a VPCC2 model. I do have the latest bios update though from the Sony site. It has never been a problem and runs ok - just when I change the hard drive! Am waiting on a response from Sony. I think last time I asked them this question they just said you need to use an identical hard drive to the one in there (which is now no longer available) but didn't say why.

Checked out my model number with the link and it wasn't one of the affected ones - plus checked a recent battery warning and my battery isn't one of the affected ones.

Thrashzone - will check out the firmware, thank you. The SSD is now back in son's laptop and image installed back on it and all running fine.

I have a drive coming today - this one

Toshiba MK3276GSX 320GB SATA 3GB/s 5400rpm 2.5 Inch Internal Hard Drive: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Same make, same size - only difference is it is Sata II instead of Sata I but it's an older style drive.

But if it needs Sony secret firmware on the drive or something I guess that won't work either.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
One thing for sure I wouldn't be buying another Sony computer if they react to ssd's like that.

 

[hazel123]

No I won't be getting another one either after this! Not even a used one. I have had older Vista Sony's - I got one for my aunt and upgraded it to Windows 7. Most of them had no issues at all and would accept any new drive. Although they were 32 bit. I did have one with bad overheating trying to install 64 bit (it was 64 bit capable) so put 32 bit on and it was fine.

I installed the 320gb Sata II drive last night and tried installing from recovery discs - just to see if it would work (as they have failed on every other drive) - and they did. So clearly they only work on the same size drive that was taken out, as Sony said.

I haven't done all the Windows updates yet as I want to see how it performs. It is running hotter than the original drive, but not as hot as when I had the other two drives in. It got up to 80C installing the first few updates but didn't go any higher. It ran about 65C otherwise. I left it turned off overnight after that, so will see what happens today. I get the impression that Sony saying it needed the exact same drive, is the case with this machine - and it might be that although the same size drive will run the recovery discs, it is not the same model and still cause overheating. I reckon even if I had the same model drive it would need some firmware or something.

Anyway - if I can get Windows up to date on this replacement drive, I'll take it out again and keep it for emergencies - and use the old drive until it fails. I can manage with 320GB - I'd still have about 80GB free.

 

[DavidE]

What is the exact model for your Sony VAIO ?
In Post #48 you stated "mine is a VPCC2 model", but i don't see that model on this Sony support site:
Sony eSupport - Drivers & Software Updates - Select a Model

Also what is the exact BIOS (version) information for your VAIO ?

I filtered (searched) your link in Post #48 for sony vaio hard drive and it seems like there are specific HD's for specific VAIO's.
Amazon.co.uk: sony vaio hard drive: Computers & Accessories

 

[hazel123]

Hi. It's a VPCCW2S1E. Bios is R0170Y7. It seems to be the latest one on the support site for this model. Maybe VPPC2 doesn't include VPCCW2?

Thanks for that search - yes I saw those and wasn't sure if they were correct/reliable when Sony said it needed to be the same size drive - wasn't sure which drive to get so I got the nearest to the current drive. Do you think those drives advertised as suitable will have some firmware on then? They also seem to be unbranded drives - not sure if that matters.

At least this one isn't running quite as hot as the other two. I left the install from the recovery discs on just in case it had something that worked on the drive.

At the moment I'm having problems with Windows Updates. Service Pack 1 installed ok and the next round appeared some hours later but don't seem to be downoading. I'm just downloading two at the moment of about 5mb and they've been downloading for half an hour and still showing 0%.

 

[Barman58]

I can remember having issues here back in the early days of Windows 7 with a member with a HP where you had to have a partition for the OS of exactly 30GB for it to work correctly during restore, it would not work if you tried to to restore to any other size. - but never any of the overheating issues if things were not to spec.

 

[DavidE]

At the moment I'm having problems with Windows Updates. Service Pack 1 installed ok and the next round appeared some hours later but don't seem to be downoading. I'm just downloading two at the moment of about 5mb and they've been downloading for half an hour and still showing 0%.

Many people have reported problems with SLOW searching/updating for W7 updates after a clean install, so that's not unusual.
You may have to let it run overnight, if it doesn't overheat and shutdown you might get the OS updated.

 

[Barman58]

I'm starting to wonder if Microsoft has cut back on the bandwidth allocated to Windows 7 Updates since it went into Extended Support and the expectation that the demands would be less. If they have a reduction in update speed would be inevitable especially when you do a clean install.

 

[DavidE]

Hi. It's a VPCCW2S1E. Bios is R0170Y7. It seems to be the latest one on the support site for this model. Maybe VPPC2 doesn't include VPCCW2?

Doing a search for Bios R0170Y7 i'm finding hits showing this version has Improves thermal management
Sony eSupport - Electronics - Drivers & Software
BIOS Update version R0170Y7 : Download : Sony Asia Pacific

Makes me think they have/had known thermal issues and fixed some, but maybe not all as you're seeing now.

 

[hazel123]

I know - all very strange - I think they just want you to buy a new laptop when the hard drive goes. I don't think it's going to overheat and shut down this time but would rather leave it running during the day than at night so I can sleep without risking burning the house down. The updates are there - been running it all day - but they're not downloading. I just ran Windows update troubleshooter and that's been running for ages as well! Before that I tried one update of 47kb and it spent 15 minutes and still didn't download/install.

Actually had the same problem on another computer last week with the latest round of Windows updates - I still haven't managed to get them to download/install.

I last did a full install in about October last year and didn't have problems with Windows Updates then - do you think W7 owners are being pushed into getting another OS?!!

 

[DavidE]

I hear you about not wanting to let it run overnight, if you're patient enough just let it run while you are awake and can keep an eye on it.

Yes, I think MS is pushing to get W7 users to W10.

 

[DavidE]

For me checking for Win 7 Windows Updates after Patch Tuesday updates are published now takes 30-60 minutes.
It should only take a couple of minutes (it use to).
After they are installed, i can scan for more updates in 1-2 minutes.

With Win 8.1 i have no problem scanning for new updates in 1-2 minutes, anytime.
With Win 10 i have no problem scanning for new updates in 1-2 minutes, anytime.

This is all on my Legacy triple boot PC, so the hardware, bios, and network connection are the same.

 

[ThrashZone]

Yea I've read it could be related to peer to peer networking services :/