Serious Laptop overheat

[theonetruewill]

My mate has a Hp laptop (14.1 screen) which has run quite happily for about 6 months but recently has had serious overheating problems.
With its additional external cooler the Pentium M 735 (1.7Ghz) reaches around 70 degrees within about 20 minutes of working non cpu taxing applications, ie MSN or word.
Whenever he plays games he has to slow the ruddy thing down (with notebook hardware tools) to around 1.4Ghz to make sure the processor doesn't reach 96 degrees and auto shut down.
I advised him to get the notebook hardware tools to slow down the chip and lower the voltage, and also told him to get speedfan but this hasn't really helped (ps could it be that the fan has..stopped working???). He's cleaned out the vents with canned air, any suggestions.
Its making it unusable in my opinion, no way should it be runnning 70+ degrees when only on MSN, mine only reaches 52max when oc'd.
Any suggestions would be gratefully recieved, I' haven't a clue how to fix it, as my solutions haven't worked.

 

[overclocker]

yes the fan might have stoped working my IBM think pad had the same prob but i had warranty and they said the fan died on it so check and see if the fan comes on at all wen you run it next time. and what i did for my lapy is i made a docking station out of a cardboard box and i put 2 fans blowing in the box and cut a hole on the top of the box were the fan of the laptop would sit blowing air in the laptop keeps my temps down 22 digrees.

 

[theonetruewill]

I've just talked to my mate again, and he says that the fans are working fine in his opinion. I don't believe him so I'm gonna check but any other suggestions.
Overclocker, he has an external already I can't understand why its not working, but I'll suggest getting on with three fan like mine, not some fancy looking crap shite that I think he has now. Your system sounds more efficient tan his slow running fans. Very quiet but totally crap, lol!

 

[niko084]

There can be a few different fans in it, I had this same problem in a HP of a friend of mines, the two back fans worked fine, but the one on the proc was burnt out.

 

[Grings]

the thing might be clogged up with dust, which is blocking the airflow from the (allegedly fine) fans, a friend has a compaq laptop, and i have to clean it out for him every 6 months or so as it gets a layer of dust on heatsinks that stops airflow almost completely (judging by the difference in temps once cleaned out

 

[theonetruewill]

Thanks Niko, I'll check that out; that might be why he thinks all the fans are ok.
And thanks too Grings, I never knew that the heatsinks could clog up that quickly, geez, gonna have to check mine soon.

Any other suggestions in case these both aren't the cause.

Is it possible that his processor is, in need of a better word, buggered? I mean 96 degrees is whopping for a pentium M in my opinion, especially at 1.7Ghz. and 70+ idle that just sounds too hot for just airflow to me, but I will definitely check the airflow and the heatsink, Myself.

 

[niko084]

Thanks Niko, I'll check that out; that might be why he thinks all the fans are ok.
And thanks too Grings, I never knew that the heatsinks could clog up that quickly, geez, gonna have to check mine soon.

Any other suggestions in case these both aren't the cause.

Is it possible that his processor is, in need of a better word, buggered?

Doubt it... That would be awfully odd that a chip randomly starts overheating.

I think if you check both of those, you will probably find your issue. If your still having that issue, you could try to pull the heat sink off the chip and using a thermal paste... But between a notebook cooler, and the fans all working and fins clean and clear you should be good to go.

Ya the fins though, they are horrible, they are so thin and close that they clog almost as easy as a screen......

 

[theonetruewill]

Ok, will do.
After I can check his machine, I'll post an update, Thanks.

 

[theonetruewill]

As suspected once I did the clean out there was an intolerable amount of gunk in the vents. And also the heatsink was a little clogged mostly easy to remove. Thank goodness no bust fans, although we managed to get the fans to come on at 58 not 68 degrees. How did Hp figure that would be safe?

My mate says thanks!

 

[imzjustplayin]

I try to avoid crappy laptops, might want to consider that next time..

 

[Dizzy]

Hiya guys I'm the mate in question.

I come to report bad tidings. The bloody thing has started overheating again! This time I actually went into the fans with a vacuum cleaner; so there is definately no more gunk on the fans. They all seem to be working although programs such as speedfan etc can't control them or even recognise their existence. To be honest that's the only visable problem apart from the fact it overheats in ten seconds fast. I've manged by fiddling around with settings to get it working at some reasonable level (I'm using it now), but I'm probably doing damage to SOMETHING through my constant temperatures of 70*C. To a certain extent this doesn't matter so much since I'm going to be building a desctop in a couple of months but it is highly irritating... and seems to have no cause!

At the moment it's been downgraded to 1.20 GHz using Notebook Hardware Control, but even with my external running I'm at 58*C. Not too bad, but bare in mind that's just with MSN and Firefox running. Short of sending it back for repairs or building a new external; anyone got any more ideas? Thanks guys.

 

[theonetruewill]

We found the problem, the voltages were set way too high at default.
My 1.86Ghz PM was running at 1.308volts max, his 1.73ghz PM was running at 1.356volts at max. What did those crazy guys at hp do that for?? Twits, oh well sorted now, all the voltages lowered and the comps finally cooling down to a degree, (geddit, to a degree....yeah that was pretty awful)
Thanks for all the Constructive replies

 

[niko084]

Good to hear you got it all settled out

 

[imzjustplayin]

We found the problem, the voltages were set way too high at default.
My 1.86Ghz PM was running at 1.308volts max, his 1.73ghz PM was running at 1.356volts at max. What did those crazy guys at hp do that for?? Twits, oh well sorted now, all the voltages lowered and the comps finally cooling down to a degree, (geddit, to a degree....yeah that was pretty awful)
Thanks for all the Constructive replies

What do you mean they're running too high? If those are Pentium Ms, they're well within the voltage range they're suppose to be in. Yes I do agree with reducing the voltage of the processor since most P-M if not all tend to run at a voltage too high IMO but I wouldn't go to say that they're running at a high voltage..

 

[theonetruewill]

I know what you're saying, the chip is meant to use that voltage as the highest in its range. But thats for up to the 2.0Ghz Pentium M included, basically meaning that the laptop manufacturer chooses the voltage, and 1.7Ghz does not need that kinda voltage. In fact it can run safely at about 1.068. So there is no need for it to be set at that voltage. but I understand your point, it should be able to run at that voltage without overheating, but I think his laptop ain't great at dissipating heat, and the manufacturer should have worked that out.