Hot, Hot, Hot!

Hello, I've been having an overheating issue for about two months now and I'd really like to know what could be wrong and where I should go next. I have a cooling station, but it seemed to only be trapping heat and making the laptop even hotter. It's gotten to the point where I have it duct taped to the station so it won't slide off, have the station turned off and am just using it for ventilation, and am using a desk fan in front of vents to keep it remotely cool. That's apparently failing though. All I was doing earlier today was watching youtube videos and my temperatures began flaring up to around 42 degrees for the HDD and in the 60's for the processors. It was probably only like 80 degrees (F) in here (the laptop readings are in C) .

I was thinking of taking it somewhere for a look-at, but I don't have the money right now for any repairs or a new computer. Should I go ahead and try a repair shop for a better look on the inside, or what should I try to do? I just wish I knew why it was heating up so badly.

Model: HP G71-340US entertainment laptop 62 bit windows 7; two years old

What is your laptop doing when it overheats? Is it just hot to the touch or is it shutting down?

My sisters laptop does the same thing. Soon as you turn it on, it overheats and man, does it get hot fast.

Yours is starting to sound like a fire waiting to happen.

I would just go but a new laptop or just get a desktop.

reply to post by Thescripter


Nowadays, it's just hot to the touch but it has not shut down on me in a while. It still bothers me that the temperatures are going into the hot range though. I'm afraid that I might be doing damage to my computer. It was running just fine today but I've heard that even so if it's getting hot, you're still damaging hardware and I need this laptop to last. I use speedfan right now though, and I've heard that sometimes it exaggerates heats and sometimes gives improper readings. I also wanted to alter fan performance with it, but I can't because my fan never shows up on the list whenever I go into its options.

reply to post by Manhater


I can't get a desktop. I'm a college student and go back and forth every week or so whenever i'm in school and this computer is for school as well as personal use. I don't think I could bring a desktop home and school over and over. I might as well be though with this thing pretty much stationary nowadays and needing so many things to stay cool. Without me using the desk fan and stuff on it now, it overheats while idling all on its own. It was around 80 degrees in here today, but that's not too warm, is it? I can't make it any cooler up here because I have no AC unit. Just a window fan, and that only helps to cool the room in the evening hours after the sun has set.

reply to post by Myomistress


If you keep running that computer, your going to melt and fry the inside of it. Sounds like a death trap. Get rid of it and go buy a new laptop. Take the hard drive out though.

Has it always had a heat issue? .. I've seen that happen when dust gets in there and blocks the vents..

Some laptops are prone to overheating though.. Apple had a rough time for a while when the thermal paste on their CPU's wasn't properly applied in the manufacturing stage.. if you know what you're doing you could pop it apart and check the fans and perhaps apply some thermal paste..

If you don't know - you can always take it to someone who does, especially if your warranty is already up..

80 degrees in your room isn't exactly cool though, if that's your ambient temperature you can expect a laptop to get a bit warm

reply to post by miniatus


I'm going to try to take it to a shop to see if they'll take it apart and clean things out and everything. I've tried popping it apart before, but discovered that more of the case would have to come apart than I was comfortable with so I'm going to see about taking it somewhere hopefully. I don't know exactly what price to expect though. I also can't control the room temperature issue. It gets broiling hot here during the day and I have no AC here in my room at my parents' house. My parents are under the opinion that my little brother and I do not need/deserve them and that the only two AC's belong downstairs and in their room. -Grumble- How much do you think I'd be charged for a physical cleaning at any given repair shop?

By the way .. 60 degrees celsius for a CPU is warm but not "hot" unless you're idle .. if you're idle and it's getting that hot I'd be concerned.. safe normal operating temperatures on modern cpu's ranges between 50 and 70c so you're on the upper end but not quite there yet.. I'd still suggest trying to get in there and make sure everything is clear of dust if you're capable..

Originally posted by Myomistress
reply to post by Thescripter

 

Nowadays, it's just hot to the touch but it has not shut down on me in a while. It still bothers me that the temperatures are going into the hot range though. I'm afraid that I might be doing damage to my computer. It was running just fine today but I've heard that even so if it's getting hot, you're still damaging hardware and I need this laptop to last. I use speedfan right now though, and I've heard that sometimes it exaggerates heats and sometimes gives improper readings. I also wanted to alter fan performance with it, but I can't because my fan never shows up on the list whenever I go into its options.

Speedfan can't control your laptop fans (it's for standard desktop casefans, I believe). There should be a BIOS setting. Sometimes it's called QuietMode, or similar. You can set it so that the fan goes on and off, or stays on at all times.

I think F2 will get you into the BIOS. You need to do a complete shutdown, and then restart with the physical pushbutton on the laptop. As soon as you see something on the screen, press F2. That should take you into the BIOS settings. I could be wrong, and it could be F1 or something else. As it comes up, look on the screen--probably lower-right corner or lower-left corner--it should tell you the F-key to use (probably says "Setup" or "Hardware Setup" instead of "BIOS.")

ETA: Be patient after you hit F2 (or whatever); it's not instantaneous. May take 15-20 seconds before you see the BIOS settings. After you make your settings, you should be able to save them by pressing F10.

42c is normal for a hard drive but 60c is not for a CPU that is not working hard. Is you computer turning it self off? Its probably the thermal paste, company's use the cheapest crappiest thermal paste to save money. Thermal paste is a gel that goes between your heatsink and your CPU, it helps transfer heat from the CPU to the heatsink. Youtube how to replace thermale paste in a laptop, its not that hard. Just a couple screws. While its open clean out all the vents, they probably have a good amount of dust in them.

I recommend article silver 5 thermal compound. Some of the best stuff on the market.

Originally posted by Myomistress
reply to post by miniatus

 

I'm going to try to take it to a shop to see if they'll take it apart and clean things out and everything. I've tried popping it apart before, but discovered that more of the case would have to come apart than I was comfortable with so I'm going to see about taking it somewhere hopefully. I don't know exactly what price to expect though. I also can't control the room temperature issue. It gets broiling hot here during the day and I have no AC here in my room at my parents' house. My parents are under the opinion that my little brother and I do not need/deserve them and that the only two AC's belong downstairs and in their room. -Grumble- How much do you think I'd be charged for a physical cleaning at any given repair shop?

You will most likely be charged hourly for that and so it's going to depend on how difficult it is to disassemble .. I've seen some of them be a real pain to get apart and in those cases some shops won't even mess with them.. but sometimes they are easier than you think =) I'd call around first, tell them what model of computer you have..

My current laptop is a Qosmio X775. Great for gaming and when playing something like Skyrim on ultra high you can really feel the heat. I am pretty sure it's normal being all that hardware in such a small space and only the one vent to push it out - actually in the winter it was kinda nice. I am not certain of the critical temps for mine, but in past experience with other laptops when it was overheating due to dust or blocked air vents it would shutdown or you would start seeing artifacts. Does yours do this when just browsing the web or sitting idle? or only during gaming/high resource hogging activities?

Originally posted by Ex_CT2

Originally posted by Myomistress
reply to post by Thescripter

 

Nowadays, it's just hot to the touch but it has not shut down on me in a while. It still bothers me that the temperatures are going into the hot range though. I'm afraid that I might be doing damage to my computer. It was running just fine today but I've heard that even so if it's getting hot, you're still damaging hardware and I need this laptop to last. I use speedfan right now though, and I've heard that sometimes it exaggerates heats and sometimes gives improper readings. I also wanted to alter fan performance with it, but I can't because my fan never shows up on the list whenever I go into its options.

Speedfan can't control your laptop fans (it's for standard desktop casefans, I believe). There should be a BIOS setting. Sometimes it's called QuietMode, or similar. You can set it so that the fan goes on and off, or stays on at all times.

I think F2 will get you into the BIOS. You need to do a complete shutdown, and then restart with the physical pushbutton on the laptop. As soon as you see something on the screen, press F2. That should take you into the BIOS settings. I could be wrong, and it could be F1 or something else. As it comes up, look on the screen--probably lower-right corner or lower-left corner--it should tell you the F-key to use (probably says "Setup" or "Hardware Setup" instead of "BIOS.")

Speed fan can control the speed of a CPU fan. As long as the fan is pluged into the motherboard and not directly to the power supply, all CPU fans are connected to the motherboard.


Speed fan is not a reliable source for temps. You should try other programs just to make sure. Real temp and core temp are really good programs.

If you do try applying thermal paste yourself just be careful and follow the instructions, especially for popping off the fan/heat-sync and how much to apply... if you apply too much you can actually make it worse.. usually just a bit in the center of the cpu is enough, when heat-sync gets re-attached it will spread out in a thin layer.. too much can act like insulation.

Any dirt near the fans ? do they make some noise ?
maybe the fan need to be replaced
make sure you never put your laptop on something soft
or the machine throw out the hot air

check directly on the CPU under the heat sink
if it have enough themal paste that touch the heatsink
maybe need to put more if its old

I have repaired hundreds of laptop
let me know if you find something odd

good luck

Originally posted by miniatus

Originally posted by Myomistress
reply to post by miniatus

 

I'm going to try to take it to a shop to see if they'll take it apart and clean things out and everything. I've tried popping it apart before, but discovered that more of the case would have to come apart than I was comfortable with so I'm going to see about taking it somewhere hopefully. I don't know exactly what price to expect though. I also can't control the room temperature issue. It gets broiling hot here during the day and I have no AC here in my room at my parents' house. My parents are under the opinion that my little brother and I do not need/deserve them and that the only two AC's belong downstairs and in their room. -Grumble- How much do you think I'd be charged for a physical cleaning at any given repair shop?

You will most likely be charged hourly for that and so it's going to depend on how difficult it is to disassemble .. I've seen some of them be a real pain to get apart and in those cases some shops won't even mess with them.. but sometimes they are easier than you think =) I'd call around first, tell them what model of computer you have..

They are not that hard to take apart. I build desktops for a living, my experience is with desktops but I have had to take apart multiple laptops with out knowing what I was doing. Its not that hard, you just have to figure out witch screws to take off and where the plastic snaps are. Just start taking screws out and figure it out as you go. Thats all a computer tech place will do and they will charge you a absurd price. Just be patient and take your time. You want to ground your self so you do not kill any of the parts all you have to do is stay in one spot (sit down) and swhipe your hands across a metal surface. If you get up swhipe your hands across metal to ground your self again.

I've been having the same problem lately. So hot to the touch on the bottom as I run it all day in the bakery for my music.

Shuts down. Has problems loading windows. Tells me I have to run a scan etc. Brought it back to a restore point

I propped up the back end a few inches off the table, unplugged and booted from the battery only as the power pack was hot also. Ran a small fan underneath from a few feet away. Solved.

Peace

reply to post by Infi8nity


This may seem excessive but I would recommend if possible set up a camera to record the process and organize your screws. I build desktops time to time and honestly laptops make me nervous to tinker with too much. I learned recording what I was doing has saved me countless hours of backtracking when learning to work on motorcycles and other things I was uncertain of. Just a tip that works for me =) best of luck

EVERY ONE SHOULD KNOW THE BASICS!!

I think its crazy how alien computers are to most people. They are simple machines, if you know how to add 1+1 then you can learn the basics. So if you do not, take the opportunity to learn it can only do good.