laptop running VERY hot - help?

[Menotti80]

i have had a Dell laptop for about 4 years. it has never given me any problems until earlier this year. there are 2 main issues with it:

 

1. after about 30 minutes of running, i can feel the laptop get really hot. i can't even have it on my lap anymore after that - it is too uncomfortable. i used to leave my computer on for days at a time (when i first got it), but now i never leave it on for more than an hour. any idea what the problem is? broken fan? i am clueless?

 

2. when i turn my computer on, i see my desktop in a normal about of time (< 30 seconds?), but it takes another 1-2 full minutes for my icons to appear. i know it's only a few minutes, but it feels like an eternity from the time i push "power" until the time i can begin using my computer each time i turn it on. and since i have to turn my computer off every time i am done using it, it's a big pain. especially when i only need to use my computer for a few minutes.

 

any help would be appreciated!

[jlau20]

Might be a bigger issue than this, but blowing out the fans with compressed air always did the trick for me, atleast for a few weeks. You'd be surprised how much dust can get in there, especially if you haven't blown it out in the past.

[bjkrautk]

1) Your laptop has vents on the bottom for air circulation. I'm guessing that, when you actually use the laptop on your lap, you're blocking the fan from doing its job.

 

2) I'm guessing you have a variety of programs which auto-run ever time you start Windows. While computers do get slower as time goes by, a component of that is the slow drag on system resources. Aside from removing programs you don't / won't use again, or backing up the drive and making a clean install, there are ways to remove programs from your boot list (I just don't have a good link to help with that).

[MadScientist]

Blowing out the fans may work, but depending on the model you might be better off opening it off and checking if there is significant build up of debris where the fan blows air over the heat sink. I have an old Sager (got second hand) that would overheat and shut down after 30-60 minutes. When I opened it up for cleaning, there was a mat of singed hair and dust and crud that looked like a piece of felt over the heat sink. After removing and putting on some fresh silver termopaste, it's been without heat problems for 3 years.

[DuWayne Steurer]

As others have said, clean the fan if possible, make sure you have proper airflow.

 

There's a fair number of 3rd party laptop fan/laptops out there, some fairly inexpensive that help keep your machine cool(er).

 

Barring that, you might consider working in a walk in freezer.

[whizkid]

1) Your laptop has vents on the bottom for air circulation. I'm guessing that, when you actually use the laptop on your lap, you're blocking the fan from doing its job.

 

Yeah, I have a 1/8" board I use under it when working with my laptop on my lap.

 

My desktop is 2 1/2 years old and the boot has slowed down like you're saying. As soon as school is over for the kids I'll be clean reinstalling xp. Can you hear the fan running? If it's heating up the fan should be running fast and loud.

[1992casey]

Yeah, I have a 1/8" board I use under it when working with my laptop on my lap.

 

I use a piece of 1/4" plexiglass. It slides right into the bag next to the computer. Around the house, I usually have the computer on a "breakfast in bed" tray.

 

I had it explained to me recently that "laptops" aren't meant for use on laps. That's why no manufacturer actually calls these machines "laptops."

 

Menotti80 is describing a change in behavior, though. I'd go with the dirt theory that others have mentioned.

[bullox]

Almost certainly a dust issue on the inside. Also, the vast majority of notebook pcs are designed to sit on a flat surface for maximum heat dispersion. The tips above about using flat surfaces under the notebook are highly recommended.

 

Also, you can run a program called msconfig to modify your boot programs. Go to start, run, type msconfig and hit enter. The startup tab lists the programs that are set to run at boot. Modifying this list may improve your wait time, although you should be cognizant that these programs may be something you need to run.

[mtrebs]

This doesn't appeary to be your issue, but my old Dell laptop got very hot where you rest your wrists. It ended up being the battery, which was over 4 years old and didn't hold much of a charge anymore. I took the battery out and just used the power cord and everything was fine.

[Patrick425]

I have a Dell Inspiron 600 Laptop. It's about 4 or 5 years old. Mine started getting hot as well. I did all the things mentioned here. Blew compressed are into the fan. I even purchased a new fan online for $10 and replaced the old one.

 

I'm not sure if any of that worked because my computer can't be on for more than a 40 minutes or so before the blue screen of death comes on (so I can't leave it on long enough to get really hot). I can't get the thing to hibernate or go into sleep mode. I've looked every where for solutions, but none that I have found have worked. I guess it's time to get a new laptop....but I'm putting it off as long as possible.

[MadisonBrewerBlue]

Speedfan .... I have this temperature program on my laptop. Its an interesting tool though I don't understand everything its telling me. It will tell you what's running hot/cool on your computer. Click the SMART tab and it gives you oodles of information on how things are running on your computer.

[MadScientist]

I have a Dell Inspiron 600 Laptop. It's about 4 or 5 years old. Mine started getting hot as well. I did all the things mentioned here. Blew compressed are into the fan. I even purchased a new fan online for $10 and replaced the old one.

 

I'm not sure if any of that worked because my computer can't be on for more than a 40 minutes or so before the blue screen of death comes on (so I can't leave it on long enough to get really hot). I can't get the thing to hibernate or go into sleep mode. I've looked every where for solutions, but none that I have found have worked. I guess it's time to get a new laptop....but I'm putting it off as long as possible.

That sounds like there is overheating going on, 40 minutes is plenty to overheat a chip. When you did all the cooling, did you remove the heat sink from the CPU? If so, you need to clean off the old thermopaste and put on some new stuff. You can get some at Best Buy, and probably local shops as well. As long as it says silver, it should work fine.

[Patrick425]

When you did all the cooling, did you remove the heat sink from the CPU? If so, you need to clean off the old thermopaste and put on some new stuff.

Should I replace the johnson rods as well? Sorry, I don't know what any of that means. I was only able to replace the fan because of step by step instructions I got on the Internet.

 

Actually, I had my computer on for a good 2 hours the other night and everything seemed to run fine. No overheating. No blue screen of death. It seems like I get the blue screen of death when I just leave my computer on and am not using it. Instead of going to sleep or hibernation mode it goes to the blue screen of death.

[bullox]

You need some blinker fluid.

 

But really, what it sounds like you did is akin to washing your car and getting the radiator replaced when there was a problem with the engine itself. There is probably a good layer of dust buildup on the inside of the notebook that would not be cleaned out without opening it up, all the way to the motherboard and processor/heatsink assembly. Whether you are comfortable with doing something like this is totally up to you.