User:Neil: Difference between revisions
(Some notes on overheating laptops) |
|||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
==== Where is the person using the laptop? ==== | ==== Where is the person using the laptop? ==== | ||
If they're using it on a bed or similar, and the vents are being blocked, then that might be the cause of the overheating. Recommend using it on a hard surface and ensuring the vents are not blocked. | If they're using it on a bed or similar, and the vents are being blocked, then that might be the cause of the overheating and / or busy fan. Recommend using it on a hard surface and ensuring the vents are not blocked. | ||
=== Possible causes === | === Possible causes === | ||
If it's definitely overheating, and not because the vents are blocked when in use, it's going to need a further look. It could be dusty vents, dusty fan, dust cooling fins. It may be an issue with thermal paste. Check [https://wiki.restarters.net/Clean_up!_Cool_down!] for more info. | If it's definitely overheating, and not because the vents are blocked when in use, it's going to need a further look. It could be dusty vents, dusty fan, dust cooling fins. It may be an issue with thermal paste. Check [https://wiki.restarters.net/Clean_up!_Cool_down!] for more info. | ||
Revision as of 15:45, 7 February 2020
Go slow and fix things.
Laptops
Overheating / noisy fan
Things to check
Is it actually overheating?
It may seem like it, but it might actually be operating within the acceptable range. If something taxing is being run, then the CPU will heat up, and the fan will go. If the temperature is above normal and the fan is going constantly, even when not much is being done, then there may be a problem.
Monitor the CPU temperatures with your tool of choice. (On Windows, e.g. Open Hardware Monitor. On Linux, e.g. psensor). Run whatever it is that the user says they are usually doing when it says it overheats. See what the temperatures get up to. When you start getting about 70/75 degrees C, that's starting to get high. The critical temperature of a CPU is around 100C, at which point there would likely be a shutdown. For a given CPU these values might vary - you can find the CPU with e.g. hardinfo on Linux and then search for the specs, or use a command such as sensors.
"At idle, you should expect to see temperatures between 35 and 50°C (95-122F), and when playing games or running any apps which put a high load on the CPU, you should expect them to rise to 60-85°C (140-185F)." -- https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/desktop-pc/best-cpu-temperature-3498564/
If it's consistently above 50C when running fairly idle, or consistently above 85C and close to the max temp when doing something heavy, it's worth then looking for a clogged fan or other problem. If it's within the normal ranges when you'd expect it to be, then it's probably fine and worth just telling the user that.
Where is the person using the laptop?
If they're using it on a bed or similar, and the vents are being blocked, then that might be the cause of the overheating and / or busy fan. Recommend using it on a hard surface and ensuring the vents are not blocked.
Possible causes
If it's definitely overheating, and not because the vents are blocked when in use, it's going to need a further look. It could be dusty vents, dusty fan, dust cooling fins. It may be an issue with thermal paste. Check [1] for more info.