The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    cpu temp

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by usmc362, Jul 1, 2011.

  1. usmc362

    usmc362 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    161
    Messages:
    162
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Would a 940xm run hotter than a 920xm? Every time I run 3DMark Vantage my pc shuts off when it gets to the cpu test( the second one where it says "warming up"). I have T.S. at 26x4 and 94/80. Only 1 time did I complete a test; I had 27x4, 103/88 and I had the back off with the pc propped against the AC vent. I know I applied the thermal compound correctly,I even used IC Diamond.
     
    usmc362, Jul 1, 2011
    #1
  2. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    It's not just you, and it's not just heat per se. I routinely get BSOD in Vantage running 26x (or any combination of multipliers that includes 26x for the "4 cores active" setting) without aux cooling or below normal ambient temperatures; 25x almost always completes on air. For me, this is almost uniquely a Vantage issue and occurs even with CPU temps at relatively low levels (80-85C +/-). 3dMark11 and 3dMark06 seldom have any issue with 26x settings (27-27-26-26 is a common setting in those apps), although neither places the same stress on the CPU that Vantage does. I've even had Vantage crash at 26x across the board when using moderate air conditioning. I think a combination of CPU stress and programming glitches of some variety which make the apps peculiarly sensitive to current resistance or power fluctuations triggers the shutdowns. The SystemInfo utility that all three benchmark apps use has been a source of instability and is revised or patched repeatedly to avoid crashing one or the other. Version 1.1.0 of Vantage seems more subject to crashes or lockups than previous versions. Some folks have found relief by returning to earlier versions, but that has not worked for me. Uninstalling and re-installing Vantage and Futuremark Systeminfo sometimes works for a time, but either causes trouble with 3dMark11 or reverts to form after the other apps are used. I've come to just accept that Vantage is finicky and unstable under high CPU stress, at least on these machines, and requires a low temp/aux cooling environment to allow maximum performance. Otherwise, rein in the CPU or crash. I'd love to be wrong or to be pointed toward a solution, but am skeptical that one exists.
     
    The Revelator, Jul 1, 2011
    #2