Laptop heating up

HJL

Hi guys, searched around but havent found an answer/solution to my problem.
I have an Iqon 8050 [first problem LOL!] its over 3 years old i think. And it runs very hot, the bottom of it sometimes get very very warm. Now admittly i dont use it on a flat surface but the vent is never blocked.
Ive downloaded a CPU temp thing, and it usually reads at 39C-42C which it think is normal enough, but im not sure(?)

The fan is really annoying, it comes on as soon as i open anything i.e usually Internet Explorer and remains on contant and its very loud[if i logged on and just left it' the fan would still come on in a min or so].
Originally it had 256MB of RAM, i have recently upgraded this to 1GB as i thought maybe if the laptop didnt have to 'think' so hard opening an application then this would make it run cooler. It helped a bit, as like i say now it wais till an application is opened. Before the upgrade the fan would come on once i logged on.

Is there any advise or suggestions anyone could offer?
With the RAM up to speed now the laptop does everything i need it to do, so i dont have any plans to buy a new one just yet, but if i leave the room i can still hear the fan!

AlmightyCushion

Open up task manager and tell me how much of the cpu is running.

HJL

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Open up task manager and tell me how much of the cpu is running.

With just IE and the temp checker running it jums between 1%-5%, if i open VLC it goes to 70% briefly while it opens but back down and stays at 15%-25% whilst running a video clip.

Is thi info any good, do you need me to check it doing any task in particular?


EDIT: Just noticed actually when i sent this first it shot way up to 100%, and same for refreshing a webpage, it goes back down again though, is this normal?

dr.bollocko

If it is over heating, it should turn itself off after about a half hour max from a cold boot.
Are you noticing a slow down in response?

HJL

dr.bollocko wrote: »

If it is over heating, it should turn itself off after about a half hour max from a cold boot.
Are you noticing a slow down in response?

its never closed down on me, and as for response it goes fine, bit choppy with 256MB at times, but since i upgraded its been great.

Fan been noisy for a bout a year now i think, it must of happened gradually because i dont remember it being like this a the start.

if i put my hand near the vent i can feel the hot air coming from it, so i assume the fan is doing its job. [currently at 44C]

a friend suggested that maybe a formatt/reinstall might help, and seen as the laptop is so old now it probably wouldnt hurt, but the thought of reinstalling everything is very off putting as it takes ages to get everything back to the way it was. but i would consider it if it would help, any thoughts on that maybe?

TestTransmission

dr.bollocko wrote: »

If it is over heating, it should turn itself off after about a half hour max from a cold boot.
Are you noticing a slow down in response?

yeah,if it was overheating it would shut down.
What are the conditions like you are using the laptop in?Is it a well heated room?
Get a can of compressed air and clean out the vents.

dr.bollocko

well, if, as almighty cushion said, your idling CPU was running at a high rate, it could point to a need to clear out the clutter, but from what you have described, it isnt, so I wouldnt necessarily imagine that it is a software issue you are having. Maybe try something like reseating the CPU? Its generally good practice to delete and re-install periodically in any case you know, to keep things ticking over. I would re-install, but think that it wouldnt have much of an effect.

AlmightyCushion

HJL wrote: »

With just IE and the temp checker running it jums between 1%-5%, if i open VLC it goes to 70% briefly while it opens but back down and stays at 15%-25% whilst running a video clip.

Is thi info any good, do you need me to check it doing any task in particular?


EDIT: Just noticed actually when i sent this first it shot way up to 100%, and same for refreshing a webpage, it goes back down again though, is this normal?

That's more or less all normal. I thought you may have had some virus/spyware/other crap running constantly that would be maxxing out your cpu. Sounds like the fan is either clogged with dust or the bearings on the fan are going. A blast of compressed air will get rid of any dust on the fan. If it's the fan bearings the only way would be to replace the fan which probably isn't worth the hassle.

HJL

jackandcoke: where would i get a can of compressed air, any computer shop stock it? and do i just point it at the vent, or do i open it up and do it from the inside out? the room its in is warm i guess, but nothing overly warm, i dont think the room temp is a problem.

dr.bollocko: your right about the re-install, i should have done it ages ago and i should just get my finger out and do it even if it doesnt resolve this particular issue. By reseating the CPU do u mean actually lifting it out and back in again? Ive never attempted such a task, is it a simple enough job? does it lift off easily? and on the subject of CPU, ive noticed on eBay other Celeron M processors better than mine (Celeron M 360) and they were pretty cheap, would it be worth getting one to replace my own. Or is it a bit of a hassle going from 1.4GHz to maybe only 1.6GHz? Even if it didnt speed it up by anything noticable i wouldnt mine doing it just to learn how to do it, thats the reason i bought the RAM myself instead of leaving it in somewhere.

dr.bollocko

Well if you arent sure about reseating the CPU I wouldnt bother. I mean nothing has failed yet, but yeah it is pretty much jsut taking it out and shoving it back in. Though thats kind of a "Crap I dont know whats wrong lets fiddle" sort of troubleshooting and I really wouldnt think you should necessarily bother. The CPU you can buy depends on what your mobo can take.Personally I wouldnt bother if I were you, I would think the gig of ram should have you in good shape. Re-install and it should get noticeably quicker.
Just make sure you can find the resource page for drivers and download them (if you have lost the recovery CD or system disc)

HJL

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

If it's the fan bearings the only way would be to replace the fan which probably isn't worth the hassle.

Its funny you should metion bearings, as two days ago i heard a noise from the laptop, just lasted a moment, like a CD skpping or to be more accurate it was like a fly buzzing against a window. Done it twice two days ago and once today, only lasting a second.

Do you think this is related, its never done it before now and its been warm for nearly a year now so i didnt think it was connected, but maybe its the fan packing in and the noise now is a sign it doesnt have long left!!

dr.bollocko

I am pretty sure fan replacement is one of the cheapest parts to replace even on a laptop. If you are bothered you know? I have also heard of people who oil their fans. I have never done this before though.

HJL

dr.bollocko wrote: »

I am pretty sure fan replacement is one of the cheapest parts to replace even on a laptop. If you are bothered you know? I have also heard of people who oil their fans. I have never done this before though.

Might check out fans then, even if they still ran constant they might not be as loud as my current one. Are fans generic, in that similar fans are in a few different makes of machines? As ive noticed that Philips/Iqon have a lot less parts available than say Dell or HP etc. Is a fan replacement a difficult job? I have friends who work with electronics so i could get them to do it, but if it was managable id like to tackle it myself.

TestTransmission

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=303980

try the air first...

Stokolan

I had a similar problem with mine. After a bit of investigation it seemd that the vents and the heat sink were after getting clogged with dust and dog hair!! So I stripped it down, cleand it out and it was grand after that.

Just make sure you know what your doing if you plan to strip out the heatsink.

Capt'n Midnight

256MB ?
If you can get some cheap RAM you could set the hard drive to power down more in power management.

You can get gel cooling mats, not sure how good they are.
I must get a sheet of aluminium sometime to try as a tray

Air flow is what you need. I like to raise the laptop up a few extra mm, this also helps a little if there are liquid spills too.

Maybe a USB fan. with fans big and slow is better than small and fast , better cooling and less noise.

HJL

Hi guys, just a quick follow up, got a can of compressed air (€19.99 for 400ml which is a total rip off i think) and it has lowered the temp. and fan doesnt come on as early but it still does sound like a train once its on.
My quest continues!