CPU Temperature for a laptop

[amanoffewwords]

My beloved Toshiba 6100SP (P4, 1.7, 256mb, xp pro) is suffering from intermittent spotaneous shutdowns - not a virus (hardware firewall in place), no malware, spyware, trojans - reasonable fresh install of OS - with new HDD so no trailing gremlins left lurking. All Windows updates up to scratch.

I suspect a possible hardware fault such as fan/component overheating.

However, the internal fan appears to be working ok. I checked all connections inside.

I downloaded a shareware monitor that tells me that the CPU - as I type - is running at 64C - peaking at 68/70c when fan kicks in with corresponding reduction in temp. When I'm not using the laptop temp drops to 55C.

HDD almost always runs at 50 to 55C.

Question is, is 68C too hot for a laptop - and is there a way to reduce that - by "asking" the fan to kick in sooner - couldn't see a setting in BIOS?

Thanks in antic.

Charles

[amanoffewwords]

Thanks for that - though I notice it shutdown even when the CPU/system is cool so it must be something else.

Back to the drawing board..

Cheers
Charles

[flyingwysiwyg]

Or it could perhaps be a knackered battery.

Do you always run your laptop on the mains?

I had an old gateway Solo 9300 that kept shutting down intermittently. The battery was the culprit!

F-Wyg

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Charles,

Old notebooks came have hardware problems. There is always the chance something damaged itself, especially since most notebooks run at high heat temperatures their whole lives, and get knocked around since they are designed to be "mobile".

Take Care,

Richard

[OzPax1]

amanoffewwords, I use your model of laptop at work. I have had to have the motherboard and power supply changed 4 times in 18 months. The reason is a known problem with the power supply (the one inside the case). Unfourtuatly to fix the issue means both it and the motherboard need replacing. :mad: :*

PM me if you want more info.:ok:

[mini]

Slight tangent,

I heard several times that the P4 ran too hot for laptops, hence the P Mobile.

Can someone shed light on this? is there a semblence of truth or is it another bull story.

I'm interested because I'm buying machines for the Co. in the near future and the IT guys have specced P4 2.4 Ghz

[stagger]

mini,

I remember some laptops were built with standard P4 processors before the P4M came out. A friend bought one, it was a Toshiba actually (not a 6100 though). It was built like a paving slab and seemed to have more powerful fans and more elaborate vents than a normal laptop. And boy did it generate a lot of heat when it got going. It made a good fan heater!

[amanoffewwords]

Thanks for your suggestions:

To answer your questions:

The laptop is reasonably new (14 months), is connected to the mains 95% of the time (but the problem occurs with or witout the battery in) and I haven't installed any dodgy freeware etc. but I have updated Windows.

I am discounting the theory I had about temperature because i can see the fan kicks in when required and the temp never goes above 68/70C.

I have maintained a log of the shutdowns - it is completely erratic so unlikely to be a worm or other type of malicious software. I did notice that it seemed to be occuring more frequently when using IE, but then I'm almost always using IE.

It also goes off while I'm typing something lengthy or using the PC "intensenly".

So I've narrowed it down to 3 possibilities:

1. Windows s/w problem - 'cause it's telling me on occasions that some files are corrupt

2. RAM problem because I sometimes see a quick flash of a memory dump just before power goes off

3. The problem as mentioned by OzPax1 which, if you do a Google, seems to have affected many a 6100SP owner in the past - and that's the last thing I want to deal with.. :uhoh:

So at the moment it is sat on my desk gavering dust, the hard-disk is in my desktop and I will leave to another day when I have more time to look into it further.

Cheers
Charles

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Charles,

I would Flash the BIOS is they have a newer version out and then I would do a fresh install of the OS, since you are getting corrupted files.

Take Care,

Richard

[amanoffewwords]

Ah speaking about the BIOS Richard - I'm also getting repeated CMOS battery failures - which I understand is another component which has been conveniently embeded onto the motherboard, or so has my cursery look around the Net revealed.

Will get back to you when I more about this intriguing...nay, bl**dy irritating problem!

Cheers
Charles

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Charles,

The battery on a notebook's mobo is usually in the most inaccessible location the designers could think of. :(

Take Care,

Richard

[OzPax1]

Yup, The CMOS battery on this model is on the power supply board. And the only way to fix it is to replace BOTH the M/B and the power supply board. I know this from sad experience.!
Luckily for me, my employer has service agreements with our suppliers, so they have had to bear the cost of the 4 x M/B & PSB replacements I have had to endure so far.

Apparently this modelwas not desgined or engineered by Toshiba themselves, but by an external supplier. I hear that this company no longer has any contracts with Toshiba anymore! :suspect: