My ThinkPad Keeps Overheating!

[SimpleComplications]

I have a T410 that is about 15 months old, and it's hot.

Previously it only got hot to the point of overheating when I started playing StarCraft 2, but now I can't even watch fullscreen streaming video at 360p, with a Coolermaster Notebook cooler, without it overheating.

The processor is an Intel i5-520m 2.4GHz, and it idles around 60° C. Right now I have a video stream (360p) open on half-screen, and another Firefox window with a handfuls of tabs open and I'm ranging between 77° and 80° C, with the aforementioned dual fan cooler.

Since my 1 year warranty with Lenovo is over, is my best bet opening up the case and remounting the CPU with new thermal paste? Is this even an option on a laptop? Anything else I can try?

Thanks guys.

[max22]

Good luck this is the exact reason I will never buy a gaming laptop if I need one I will build it somehow. My friend had issues with two other brand gaming laptops where they overheat. The first one is now officially dead.

[Tomoko]

My first guess would be that the intake of the heat sink is clogged up. This is almost always the problem with overheating laptops; they suck up lint and it builds up a layer of "carpet" over the heat sink. The trouble is you have to take them apart to clean it.

Seems like a smart company would finally figure out that they need to make the cooling fan and heat sink user accessible.

[Arceles]

I have a T410 that is about 15 months old, and it's hot.

Previously it only got hot to the point of overheating when I started playing StarCraft 2, but now I can't even watch fullscreen streaming video at 360p, with a Coolermaster Notebook cooler, without it overheating.

The processor is an Intel i5-520m 2.4GHz, and it idles around 60° C. Right now I have a video stream (360p) open on half-screen, and another Firefox window with a handfuls of tabs open and I'm ranging between 77° and 80° C, with the aforementioned dual fan cooler.

Since my 1 year warranty with Lenovo is over, is my best bet opening up the case and remounting the CPU with new thermal paste? Is this even an option on a laptop? Anything else I can try?

Thanks guys.

No offence max222 but your advice is worth of nothing. Now about the overheating issue you know what is it now, your CPU. it may be due a lot of reasons ranging from a defective temperature sensor to the processor itself that went damaged, what I recommend you is to buy another processor and put it again with new thermal paste. As for here onwards I would suggest you to always clean the vents of your laptop since dust is very prone to be in them, causing improper air circulation.

I tell you this with my A6 3410MX amd processor, with temperatures from 35 degrees up to 89 degrees playing battlefield 3 beta. (overclocked from both cpu and gpu)

[Roger H. Veteran]

Well i have a T410s and it idles at about 33C so i'd say your vents are clogged or your fan/heatsink is screwed up. Right now Fan isn't even running at the current temps. Your CPU isn't that much faster than mine but it shouldn't be 90% hotter!

Since you don't have warranty start by removing the keyboard and just get some compressed air and blow out the fan - make sure to hold it so it doesn't spin at super high RPMs. If that doesn't work then it's time for the thermal paste.

[SimpleComplications]

Thanks guys, I'll open it up this weekend for a good cleaning and see if that changes it. However, I have a suspicion that it's worse than just a clogged heatsink... I posted a few months ago about the bad battery life I was getting on the "Battery Optimized" power setting with the 9 cell battery (about 3 hours). I think I may have been using a bad CPU this entire time. Also, thanks SHoTTa35 for the comparison, much appreciated.

If this is the case, what's the best way to proceed? Can I buy a new laptop processor? I believe there's always a way to "re-buy" a Lenovo a warranty, but I'm not sure the details.

[HyBry]

I agree with others that first thing you should do is to open it up and clean the fins and fan. Use compressed air or just blow the dust out yourself.

Make sure you clean intake and exaust - so basicly clean the whole thing.

Also open the task manager and sort the Processes by the CPU utilisation. When you idle there should be nothing above 2% if that.

If there is something then you might have something nasty running in background that eats up CPU - increased temps and power consumption. That could be the reason for low battey life.

[iKenndac]

You need to clean the fan!

Relavent video:

[mint0]

I had issues with my x100e, got some sticky pads that raise the back slightly, temps dropped by 50%, worth a try :)

[Seizure1990]

Could be dust clogging up the vents, or maybe the thermal compound between your CPU and heatsink has degraded. Or both.

Before you open up your laptop, make sure you have some replacement thermal paste (or a thermal pad, if that's what your laptop uses. You'll have to look it up). If the paste is bad after all, you'll have only made it worse by lifting up the heatsink, and then you won't be able to use your laptop at all till you do get some replacement paste.

Well, I mean, you could, but it'd probably just shut off every 5 minutes, or burn up completely.

[Open Minded]

Check and see if there's a BIOS update. Fan speed settings could have been changed for the better.

[hjf288]

Thanks guys, I'll open it up this weekend for a good cleaning and see if that changes it. However, I have a suspicion that it's worse than just a clogged heatsink... I posted a few months ago about the bad battery life I was getting on the "Battery Optimized" power setting with the 9 cell battery (about 3 hours). I think I may have been using a bad CPU this entire time. Also, thanks SHoTTa35 for the comparison, much appreciated.

If this is the case, what's the best way to proceed? Can I buy a new laptop processor? I believe there's always a way to "re-buy" a Lenovo a warranty, but I'm not sure the details.

If you had a bad CPU you would be having bigger problems than heat...

As for the guy recommending you replace your processor- All I gotta do is LOL at that..

Clean your laptop heatsink/vents - If need be, remove them, clean them with TIM Cleaner and repaste them then try it out..

[SimpleComplications]

Thanks a lot guys, this helps a lot. There are no irregular/CPU intensive tasks that could explain the low battery. I'll be ordering some Artic Silver this weekend along with some compressed air, hopefully it does the job.

[HyBry]

Thanks a lot guys, this helps a lot. There are no irregular/CPU intensive tasks that could explain the low battery. I'll be ordering some Artic Silver this weekend along with some compressed air, hopefully it does the job.

I would hold out on Artic Silver. First make sure can of air won't fix the problem as in my experience (personal and second hand) 90% of the time that will do the job.

Replacing the thermal compound will be lot messier and harder. Plus you will have to apply the right amount as too much or too little can make it worse.

[SimpleComplications]

Update: Just finished cleaning the fans with some compressed air and there is definite improvement. I went from idling from 56 - 62, to 43 on one core, 48 on the other.

How often should I do this?

Thanks a lot guys, much appreciated!

[chconline Veteran]

You should clean it anytime your system becomes clogged with dust, but personally I clean out my system thoroughly once every month as preventive maintenance :p (I have a T420)