Gaming Uh-oh

[Pyrmon]

I was playing some Spore after downloading it illegally installing it and my computer just randomly shut off. There was no warning, no message, no nothing. So I checked to see if the power cord was OK and literally burned my hand when I touched the fan holes. From what I know, that's a pretty bad sign. And I only played for tree hours too. So I think it's time to get myself a new machine. Any advice on either how to repair it or what laptop would be good for college?

 

[CrimzonEyed]

Try use a vacuum cleaner at the fan holes to get rid of dust inside the laptop. if there are any more ventilation holes anywere on the computer, give them a round with the vacuum cleaner.

Worked for my brother that had a new computer that had problems with his harddrive overheating after some week of use. Before he cleaned it, the temp on his hard drive was around 70° celsius with no programs/games running.
After 1 min with the vacuum cleaner and after the computer had been shut down for an we booted up his laptop, played Battle field 2 bad company for 1 hour, web browser 40 min.
Then we let the computer just stand running for 10 min, then we checked the temperature again.
38° Celsius! Huge improvement (we already knew that ofc since we didn't burn our hand while playing BF:BC2, since the hard drive is right were you have your right hand(lower left corner of the laptop))

Program you can use to check your computers CPU and HDD temperature:
http://www.piriform.com/speccy

 

[Pyrmon]

Thanks for the fast reply.
Just checked my temperatures. 52° C for the CPU and 57° C for the GPU with noting running except Windows and Firefox. I guess it's time to get the the vacuum out of the closet.

 

[Pyrmon]

Cleaned with the vacuum and shot some compressed air into the fan holes for good mesure. CPU is 51°C and GPU is 52°C. Got any more advice?

 

[Jugarina]

If It's a laptop I would open the bottom of It so you can get to the fan and exhaust port. Get some q-tips and some rubbing alcohol and clean the fan blades and around inside there in the fan casing.

Look where the exhaust port is on the inside and you will probably notice that It's partly to almost fully blocked with dust, hair, and other weird stuff and when you use the q-tip with alcohol on It you will notice It will turn the cotton black.

Take your time and do a good detailed job and you will notice a major heat decrease.

Using the vacuum cleaner is not very good advice as you will just end up pulling more dust to the inside of the exhaust casing and clogging It more and you might even ruin your fan causing It to wobble and make strange noises from throwing It off balance. If you want to use compressed air that's fine but secure a fan blade so It doesn't spin, (stick a tooth pick or something between two blades or similar).

Leave the vacuum cleaner for what It was designed to be used for, the floor.

 

[twiztidsinz]

CPU/GPU temperatures =/= PSU temperature

I recently blew my PSU when playing Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II demo. CPU/GPU didn't get too high while playing, but the PSU was VERY hot. Had a cleaned it I probably could have avoided the problem.
Also, when PSUs go, they tend to take other things with them.

Also, a vacuum cleaner works just fine for cleaning it... but it's not enough on it's own.
Vacuum it first and get what you can, then blow the dust out and vacuum it again to get any particles that got loosened but not blown out.

 

[Deleted User]

It depends how powerful your laptop hardware is as well. My i7-720QM and GTX 460M idle at around 50/40 Celsius respectively.

 

[Pyrmon]

I have a Mobile Core 2 Duo P7350 and a 512mb GeForce 9700M GTS. Four or five year old hardware.

 

[Zetta_x]

Make sure your fan is still running, I had an old HP laptop that would turn off when it overheats. It is possible the heatsink is broken.

 

[Deleted User]

That processors thermal threshold is 90 Celsius (Before it starts throttling (etc)). So you're still well-within safe-limits. Keeping it under 70 (intensive tasks) is where you need to really think things through.

I'd recommend re-pasting the thermal paste if you're not afraid to take your laptop apart because after 4-5 years the paste has most definitely probably degraded.

 

[Pyrmon]

Fans are still running and it doesn't seem too hot. But the GPU's temp is 73°C after two hours of Spore. CPU is at 60°C and HDD is 40°C. Those seem like pretty high temperatures. How can a heatsink break?

 

[Originality]

73C is roughly what I'd expect from that GPU when under load. Reapplying the thermal paste (if there is even any to begin with) may cut temperatures by up to 8C, but you should also check for compacted dust in the heatsink and on the fan(s). Clean everything out thoroughly, and it should start behaving again.

 

[Deleted User]

What I meant was that the thermal paste (think goo) that helps with direct-heat dissipation (directly on the processor or GPU) may have degraded in the last 4-5 years. Laptop enthusiasts with more powerful hardware who aren't afraid to take apart their machines tend to "re-paste" the thermal paste every 6-8 months.

I wasn't really referring to your heatsink. Underneath the heat-sink, but above the processor lies the thermal paste. ---http://www.insidemylaptop.com/apply-thermal-grease-laptop-processor/
Perhaps that will help you realise what I'm talking about.

Considering how long you were running Spore, (and that spore is a more modern game). Those temperatures seem fine. Your CPU won't throttle until 90 Celsius and most enthusiasts tend to prefer that they keep it under 70, so at 60 you're actually pretty well within acceptable limits.

As far as your GPU goes, I think it's actually fine as well, though you could probably get the temperature down several degrees if you re-pasted. Just did some minor research, the GPU is manufactured in a 65nm process which explains some of the heat generation.

Dust actually does build-up inside the computer/heatsinks, so if you aren't afraid to take your machine apart that's also another way to reduce the heat some. (cleaning the inside components). If you're still worried after this response and unwilling to take apart your machine then you should probably invest in a laptop cooling pad.

 

[alex_0706]

I have a Mobile Core 2 Duo P7350 and a 512mb GeForce 9700M GTS. Four or five year old hardware.

i have a 5 year old laptop and have a stimulair problem
the heat detection is broke the fan works fine but i claped it close 2 hours later at home the fan was hot like 40-50 degrees
and for spore you need to have a good grafhic card
i think the card overheated and the pc used the shut down option (this hapenss when the pc/laptop is over heated)
and for your pc try some more fancoolers i sugesst 2-5 this wil lower your pc's themperature
or try watercooling

 

[Originality]

Water-cooling a laptop? Now this I gotta see!