Laptop - SERIOUSLY overheating!

[AmEv]

My lappy has always had the problem of overheating.
Especially while folding.

What can, and should, I do to improve the cooling?
The biggest concern is, it still has to fit in a laptop bag, so no LCing (you wish), and it has to be easy to carry (nothing heavy), AND I am low on funds (so I can't do an utter cooling system redesign).

I've already dusted out the system, so it can't get any cleaner than it is now.
Speedfan doesn't work on it, either.




The frustrating part is, the genii at Toshiba put the intake vent on the fan right where the left leg naturally sits, therefore sucking your pants in and overheating.


I also noticed it gets even hotter when it's at an angle.





Oh, how hot are we talking? Apparently, it's hot enough to boil water. Still works; I'm typing on it right now.

[Fuganater]

Laptop cooler (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007639%20600028834&IsNodeId=1&Tpk=laptop%20cooler)

[Technochicken]

The easiest thing to do would be to remove the heatsink, clean out any dust, and apply fresh thermal paste. You could also build a thin stand to elevate the laptop off your lap a little bit.

[AmEv]

Hmmm....

My Compaq lappy had pop-out feet. REALLY nice feature.

Got some spare alu somewhere.....

[xr4man]

you could stop folding on it.

[Snowman]

The easiest thing to do would be to remove the heatsink, clean out any dust, and apply fresh thermal paste. You could also build a thin stand to elevate the laptop off your lap a little bit.


you could stop folding on it.

These are the two best ideas I have seen here but will also add :crossed:

[msmrx57]

Enlarge the air inlets/outlets and make sure they aren't blocked. Buy/build a stand for it that has a fan blowing air into it.

[Luke122]

I would double check to make sure that the inlets/outlets are actually clean. I've taken some apart, and found a clump of hair/lint that effectively turned into a filter on the heatsink. It was so tight that compressed air couldnt move it, and I had to physically peel it off.

I would double check that for sure.

Also, check a program called I8KFanGUI ( http://www.diefer.de/i8kfan/ ), which I found to work like a charm on my XPS M1210 (speedfan wouldnt work, but this one did..)

I've always noticed that Toshiba's tend to run pretty hot.. mine was SCREAMING hot until I downgraded the CPU, but then again, it was a socket 478 cpu..

[AmEv]

Gets hot even without folding!

Definitely a reconstruction of the cooling system is underway.

And, yes, I have taken apart to clean out dust.

The dust peeled off like it was on a lintscreen, and there was a small ball dancing around the fins. Although I'm not getting the airflow I once did......

Nope, that program didn't work.

*It's a Socket M Celery 1.6. Was planning on upgrading to a Core Duo processor in the future; heat problems are more important to take care of.

[Technochicken]

If you are going to rebuild the cooling system completely, you could always to this:

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21063
more info (http://build-its.blogspot.com/2010/07/water-cooled-laptop.html)

:P

[Luke122]

Hmm.. replace fan? Voltage mod to ensure the fan is always running at top speed?

Clean up intake/exhaust for better airflow?

Is there maybe some hair/lint/thread wrapped around the fan creating some drag?

[Luke122]

Also, is the cooler making proper contact with the CPU?

I found that in my XPS, the main source of heat was the GPU.. check contact on that also... mine used a shared heatpipe and fan system, not a very good design, but it was compact..

[AmEv]

My CPU uses a long, copper heatpipe to the heatsink fins.

Interestingly enough, my brother's Compaq (dead :( ) was its twin sister as far as specs go. Compaq was (seriously, genuinely) smart enough to put the heatsink DIRECTLY over the procy.

I did notice, it's an el-cheapo mounting system; it's held down by springs. Compaq was smart to have screws on the heatsink (learn from them, Toshiba!). Bending the lappy (well, more of a slight twist while holding) apparently lifts the sink off of the procy enough for it to boil water.


Although, my 2g of ram seems toasty, too.......

[jdbnsn]

Luke's two ideas above struck me as the the best ideas. Seeing if you can replace the mounts and possibly lapping the heatsink and replacing the silver paste, then see if you get work in a higher RPM fan. Should help at least. I have had to replace many a fan due to grime and dust gunking them up enough to slow them down over time.

[AmEv]

You know what?

I may be doing a Skype maybe this weekend, but definitely some time soon, of a take apart and cleaning out the system, so you can see the damage and system itself.

*Wait, I'm not 100% sure what you mean by "lapping" it, J.

[xr4man]

i believe "lapping" is polishing the mating surface of the heatsink. i could be wrong since this is the only real place i've heard the term and i see performance-pcs has "lapping" kits which look to be super fine grit sand paper. but that is my best edumacated guess.

[Blibbax]

You know what?

I may be doing a Skype maybe this weekend, but definitely some time soon, of a take apart and cleaning out the system, so you can see the damage and system itself.

*Wait, I'm not 100% sure what you mean by "lapping" it, J.

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/cooling/air/39

[AmEv]

Well!



Turns out, dust WAS plugging my HS!

And, it seems, Tosh did a CRAPPY job of smoothing out the Cu!

Well, I guess I'll be saving up for a nicer procy soon!

[Blibbax]

You broke it?

[AmEv]

No.

It still works!



Just, now that the heat is taken care of, I can upgrade safely!