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    M15x overheating (Maybe??)

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by iGrendei, Jun 20, 2012.

  1. iGrendei

    iGrendei Notebook Geek

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    My M15x has always been plagued with issues, but this current one is by far the mos infuriating. Ever since I modified the card the keyboard lights haven't worked at all (dealt with it), it will randomly just go into hibernation mode where as if the power button was just pressed, the power button itself is difficult to press and often requires pressing down on the entire surrounding area of the button, the fans are nearly always on.

    THE LATEST PROBLEM: I think my M15x is overheating during gameplay of Trine 2. I have a 5850 mobile card, and a i7 @ 720. I'm only on the internet right now with a few tabs and my CPU temperatures fluctuate from 51-70. During gameplay I saw CPU temps of up to 72 or 73. My GPU temps is averaging at 55 during internet browsing, and even that seems pretty high. The problem is that my M15x did a TOTAL shutdown TWICE yesterday playing Trine 2. I even left the laptop off for an hour before starting it up again, and about 30 minutes into it it just shut down :( .

    Does this sound overheated? Am I going to have to open it up and replace thermal paste? I am not at all experienced in this.
     
  2. KurtH

    KurtH Notebook Evangelist

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    These temps are fine. They are nowhere near dangerous. My M15x in my sig when gaming gets around 80c max unless I overclock it.
     
  3. King of Interns

    King of Interns Simply a laptop enthusiast

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    Please share your secrets? My 6990M gets into the 80sC fast! Then again ambient temps are now pretty high here in Japan as well as humidity...
     
  4. KurtH

    KurtH Notebook Evangelist

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    No secrets at all. Ok I lied memio gets to 82c but everything else not overclocked it stays at 80c. Also my whole underside of the card has 1 big sheet of thermal pad too.
     
  5. Asim_j1

    Asim_j1 Notebook Consultant

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    Temps that should worry you are above 90C which probably means you need to repaste. The keyboard probably means you installed the old version of command center and could have gotten your laptop replaced, not sure if they do it now. I think you can disable hibernation.
     
  6. neoborn

    neoborn Newbie

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    i got 51c in idle underclocked since not playing games (too high?)..
    but i get around 82c n sometime 88c depending on weather when gaming (stock).. :(
    is it time to repaste??

    btw. m15x i7 740 460m 8gb
     
  7. Alienware-L_Porras

    Alienware-L_Porras Company Representative

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    With this link you can confirm if it is overheating or not. Those temps seem totally fine for me.
     
  8. iGrendei

    iGrendei Notebook Geek

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    I don't understand then. If it's not overheating, why does it complete shut down if I play a taxing game? The way I explain away the 'hibernation shut downs' (that btw happen like 8 times a day, but are easily fixed so..) is that there was some cord that was very, very loosely connected and came loose if anything moved. But that theory doesn't make sense when it totally shuts down ONLY when I'm playing a taxing game :( .
     
  9. Alienware-L_Porras

    Alienware-L_Porras Company Representative

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    Do you have the computer connected straight to the wall when playing games?
     
  10. iGrendei

    iGrendei Notebook Geek

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    Yes. I always do.
     
  11. Mexic00ls

    Mexic00ls Notebook Deity

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    sounds like symptoms of overheating, download gpu-z and make a log of your activity while playing and after you shutdown go back and look at your temp log to make a final decision
     
  12. khetik

    khetik Notebook Deity

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    Have you opened up your laptop and cleaned it out for any dust and done a repaste of the gpu/cpu?
     
  13. iGrendei

    iGrendei Notebook Geek

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    I have cleaned the fans once, recently. Probably two months ago?

    I have never done a repaste of the GPU/CPU, as I have never had any confidence in myself with such things. Could Best Buy or any similar 'Geek Squad' type of deal do that for me? If not, is there some sort of comprehensive guide that details step by step what to do, what brand of paste to buy?

    I mean it's crashing even on little games like Dungeon Defenders and Trine. Where there's a game, there's a shutdown :( . I am scared that I am irreversibly damaging my parts; I can just imagine them melting together inside!
     
  14. CluckyTaco

    CluckyTaco Notebook Geek

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    I don't think parts are melting by the symptoms you mentioned. A good overhaul of the pads and paste should set it right as the card is a stable one. The worst case scenario would be to replace your card but I do not think so as the m15x is pretty robust and run days on end without hiccups. I rarely turn mine off. Also attach your gpuz log file as well. Can't hurt for another opinion.
     
  15. iGrendei

    iGrendei Notebook Geek

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    How do you attach a GPUZ log file? How do I get it to record the temperatures everything reaches until it shuts down? I'm sorry, I'm bad with this stuff.
     
  16. CluckyTaco

    CluckyTaco Notebook Geek

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    There seems to be bugs in the site as far uploading attachments is concerned, just pm me. And when you install gpuz there is a check box in sensors tab called log to file. Once you check that it will prompt to you specify the directory to save the file. Now just stress your system till it crashes, reboot it.
     
  17. iGrendei

    iGrendei Notebook Geek

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    I can not attach the file, as it exceeds the upload limit... D:
     
  18. iGrendei

    iGrendei Notebook Geek

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    Does anyone know how I can show my log so I can get some help? My GPU Core reached a temperature of 96 degrees playing Dungeon Defenders. Where do I go from here?!
     
  19. Alienware-Luis_Pardo

    Alienware-Luis_Pardo Guest

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    I don't think the log will be necessary, it's clearly overheating. Try dusting off your vents, and if you feel comfortable, re-pasting would be great too.

    Alienware Laptop Overheating manual
     
  20. gta0004

    gta0004 Notebook Enthusiast

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    go to pastebin and paste the file contents there and paste the view link here.
     
  21. iGrendei

    iGrendei Notebook Geek

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    Well, I just cleaned out the vents and it still shut down within 25 minutes of playing Dungeon Defenders at a whopping 99 degrees GPU temperature. I need assistance guys, what is the BEST complete-amateur-friendly step-by-step noobs' guide for repasting my card?

    Any other suggestions?
     
  22. Alienware-Luis_Pardo

    Alienware-Luis_Pardo Guest

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