Thermal Shutdown?

Hey all,
well... I think I am having thermal shutdown. Never had it before 1) 2.11 firmware update, 2) vBios update and 3) Mobility 10.8 drivers After these updates, it seems that my fan ramps up right away at startup where before it would not start ramping up speed until into a game session. Plus, it seems the desktop widget for the I7 bounces around more, even at idle. I rarely see it on 1.6 whereas before the updates it sat on 1.6 almost the entire time at idle.

I've had the laptop since the 2nd delivery way back when, and it's been awesome. I've run Borderlands on MAX everything from day one. Now, after the updates, it shuts down totally about a half hour into the game. No warning, no nothing. Even the battery charging light does not illuminate with it plugged in. Takes about 15 minutes or so until it restarts. That's thermal shutdown, right?

I had run furmark when it first arrived and I was not getting as high as others were (but not as low as some)... is the thermal tolerance lower with the 2.11 firmware and the vBios updates? Or do I need to run furmark again and see if my temps are going higher? I did order some IC7 just in case, altho I really don't want to crack the case if I can help it.

 

change your power plan, and then put it back into High Performance mode, or whichever one you were using. If it's bouncing around alot, you are probably in High Performance mode.

 

What temps are u getting? It has to be so something with driver, temp or windows issue.

 

um... wow. Just ran Furmark and watched as the temp hit 111c and BAM - power off it NEVER got that high before - I think my max when I got it was 94c after 20 minute of Furmark running? This time it hit 111c in a matter of a few minutes.

I'm going to see if I can put the stock vid drivers back on and see if there is a diff. Ambient room temp is MAYBE 20c (68f)?

I reeeeeally don't wanna repaste - but if I gotta then I gotta

 

I think you have to

 

Bummer.
So why did this get to this point? I never had these high temps before... vBios? Drivers? (Stock Asus drivers seem to run cooler- I got no higher than 103 in game tonite but still too high)

Or really crappy paste used in construction?

I guess I'll have to tackle this - I've seen the disassembly video, and built a number of computer thingys, but these laptops are not full size easy access parts. But I'll have no other option than to RMA it and hope for the best with no kind of a service center locally. So... better find a day of no interruptions to sweat it out...

 

The stock paste in the G73 seems to degrade on people over a random amount of time from a few weeks to a few months...its weird and one reason i repasted as soon as I could.

 

so here's the killer question - does a repaste do anything to a warranty (can they tell I did it?) or is it an RMA thing. I'll ask the guys at XoticPC as well...

 

I can confirm that the stock paste job degrades. My temps started to rise quite a bit last month and I bit the bullet and repasted. Honestly, the repaste experience was much easier for me than I had imagined it. Take your time with the video and use some caution and it's actually pretty simple.

 

You won't void your warranty as long as you don't break the CPU warranty sticker or anything inside the laptop..

 

Ok thanks guys... guess I'll find a day when the wife is at work (she'll freak if she sees it torn apart! ) and tackle it. The video will be on the other computer as well as the Spanish directions translated (pics and notes are pretty good!)

Wish me luck...

 

Good luck, think I am going to give it a try soon . - I am afraid of it xD

 

soooooooooo....
Talked with my reseller (XoticPC) and asked about the themal shutdown and repaste. I was told that repasting would interfere with the warranty as there is a small 'void if removed' sticker on the heatsink. Last thing i want to do is fart around with a warranty...

I may send it to them regardless as I'm just not really comfy with tearing this beast apart for some reason. I've done a dozen or so desktops (have a wicked HTPC in stages of build right now!) but just not cozy with the laptop idea. Dunno why... but it ain't gonna be cheap to mail out from AK

I was under the impression that the only 'void' sticker was on the CPU and would only be affected if you swapped CPU's, nothing to do with heatsinks.

Now I'm really unsure...

(here's part of the email I got... If you do it yourself you will have to break the little warranty sticker on the heatsink thus voiding your warranty. So it isn’t generally advised to do it yourself unless you don’t care about voiding the warranty.(which it sounds like you do) To keep it in place it would have to be sent to Xoticpc.)

 

Repasting the CPU yes, the GPU, no.

 

Yes i meant that.. sorry for ot being clear.

 

No worries, I guess I was thinking everything needed it. I assume then that XoticPC will repaste both, whereas only the GPU really needs it. But, if the paste is getting bad after a period of time, does in not mean that the same thing is happening to the CPU paste? should it not be repasted as well?

not trying to get out of doing it, I just want to make sure this is a one time thing.

 

Just so you know I had XoticPC repaste my GPU and the temps were not very good. I sent it to Gary Key and freinds and they lowered them by 20C at full load.

 

Aw great... now you're just trying to confuse me more!

 

I was wondering this...I mean I'm kind of parinoid and don't really want people tearing apart my notebook before I even get it. Would Asus really screw up the thermal paste that you'd need it specially done if you never overclock it or do anything weird (aside from just pushing it hard with Folding and games).

 

In a nutshell: yes. Whatever paste they use dries up and starts to get air gaps, leading to increased temps.

 

Is that true of all notebooks, or only Asus?

 

It depends on what TIM the manufacturer uses, and their Quality Control.

 

interesting.... now I have a message from Gary Key about getting this fixed. I'll ask what they use...

 

Any idea how Dell is? (Especially with their Alienware line?)

EDIT: My only Asus so far is a nearly two year old N80nv. I have noticed the temps creep up from where they started, though I don't think they've gotten worse since possibly last year. It's really been flawless-completely rock solid, and I Fold on both the CPU and GPU quite a bit, so it couldn't possibly be hit any harder than it is.

 

I'm having the same problems.
Before my G73 could run games in high. From about 3 weeks now, the temperature hits 109 and it shuts down ...

 

And can you guess what the solution is?

 

Yep! Repaste

(i already update the bios and vbios)

 

What about Dell! Do the M15/17x systems have this issue? This is scaring me considering my G73jw already shipped...

 

Got an email from Gary, and a phone call from Mason. Seems they use AS5, altho Mason said they are looking at trying another but did not mention what. He also said they change out the heatsink as well, I assume for a newer better one?

 

AS5? Not as stock paste I can tell you. I have no idea what that stuff was, but it was meh. Maybe the new heatsinks are less chiseled as compared to the one I got.

 

Just an update for anyone that cares.... I decided to send my baby back to ASUS (Freemont), for the simple reason that they said they would put a newer, supposedly better heatsink on. If my temps still are not perfect, I have IC7 waiting in the wings and I'll do it myself. And, I'll have the new heatsink. But I couldn't pass up on a newer better component on their dime! Plus Mason confirmed Arctic Silver 5 was to be used, not the stock one that is failing.

Mason checked it yesterday, confirmed the overheat, repaste was done with new heatsink today, new vBios being installed (altho I already did that) and after testing tomorrow he said it would be on the way back as long as all went well. I've asked to confirm the new heatsink and exactly what thermal paste was used - on the phone he did mention previously they were looking into some others to test.

Overall I'm really pleased with their assistance - until I get the laptop back in hand and test it myself, I can't speak for their work. But Mason has been communicative and helpful with questions... hope that echos their work too.

Once I have her back in hand, I'll report back on my findings - answers to the new heatsink, type of thermal paste used, and my temps while gaming and furmark.

 

Mason is very helpful, I'd be curious to see what your new temps are.

 

WOOHOO!!! My baby has returned home!!! Sent off last tuesday to Asus Freemont, and returned this afternoon. The results are in... repaste was a success!



Sorry the pic scaled - photobucket does that I guess if you are not a 'PRO' member. Anyways, idle temp really did not change, but it was never bad before. Idles around 52c. But before, within 2 minutes I would hit thermal shutdown 111c. Now, it hit 86 after 30 minutes! I'm sure it may climb slightly higher after a few hours, but to me that is HUGE. I mean, within 2 minutes I had shutdown!

I checked it out a little after I unboxed it, and there were no loose screws in the box, all the bottom case screws were tight, the GPU screws you can see (I think that's it?) in the underside access hatch were tight. I queried Mason on work, and they did in fact replace the heatsink, but not with a new design. A replacement of the same type - his answer to the reason was that in case it was improperly screwed down before and therefore bent, and it's easier than cleaning it (LOL)

As far as the type of paste, he actually could not answer it. It was NOT AS5, as they got new stuff from Asus Taiwan that was unlabeled. He's trying to find out for me. But he did say they were having good success with it - but I'll be watching my temps closer now, and I do have a tube of IC7 on standby. I was hoping for a better heatsink, and was really the reason I sent it in to Asus as opposed to doing it myself, but oh well. I still am REALLY happy so far with the service I got... Mason and Gary were great to deal with and I could not be happier.

He also said they flashed the new vBios, which I had done before it was sent off. I have no idea of the numbering of these things, so here's my GPU-Z screenie. If it's new to anyone, let me know.I have noticed that the core clock is showing 405 instead of the 500 it was before. Not sure if that's the new 10.10 drivers or not?


Anyways, totally happy at this point. Going to watch my temps closer from now on, and as I said I have IC7 on standby... hope I don't have to use it.

UPDATE: gamed for a couple of hours, and never got over 82c in Borderlands fulled max on everything. That was the game I had thermal shutdown in so it's happy happy joy joy around my house tonight!

 

The bugbears again flashed your vBIOS with the older SAM vBIOS. You need to update it to the latest one.

 

HAHAHA! I find that humorous... sheesh. You'd think they would seethat the version they are doing is older? Oh well... did it once, I can do it again. Thanks for the info

 

@SwissyJim,
Did you find any information out about the "NEW" heatsink? Do you have any details regarding it, especially, what is the different between the OLD and the NEW?

Would be interested to figure out what design change was made that may also be helping in the heat removal.

Thanks,
In Agape and Peace,
Trav...

 

it's posted in my details posting - it is not a new design. They just put a new version of the same thing on, in case it was bent from an incorrect screw down. That was my fault, as when I talked with Mason on the phone and he said a new heatsink I assumed (you know what they saw about assuming...) it was a NEW, fancier, better designed heatsink. So it is, in fact, the exact same design as what I had originally. My bad - and was the whole reason I chose to send it back instead of doing the repaste myself

 

Aaaaand it starts again. Sorry to necro an old thread, but I've been noticing more heat from the fans and ran GPU-Z and found my gaming temp was 100c while playing BRINK.

Looks like whatever new paste they used in my RMA is the same stuff that degrades, like the OEM stuff. Looks like I'll be doing the Diamond repaste soon. Coulda shoulda woulda... oh well. live and learn.