XPS m1530 running WAY too hot

Specs are in my sig.

I'm using standard nvidia drivers and my laptop isn't overclocked. In fact, I underclocked it to 375/510 out of desperation. My laptop never used to run so hot. Just idling or browsing the web, the GPU is at 66 C. When I played Unreal Tournament 2004, a relatively old game, it spiked to 92 C.

I don't have any settings turned up high in nvidia control panel. My fan works okay. I've even got a desk fan blowing directly on my laptop. The laptop is proped up a few inches from the surface of the desk and gets good airflow. I've even stuck a pack of ice underneath it at one point.

So what can I do? I need this laptop for the next 4 years. I can't risk it burning out. Just weeks ago it idled at 50-55 C and got up to 75 while gaming. Now it gets to 75 while watching a video. Help please!!

 

Well, your thermal paste got old by now...

I recommend arctic silver 5 for ours laptops and the temps will be back to normal in no time...

Also, if you want to run your laptop even cooler you must to undervolt the T8300, believe me!!! it really works!!!

And I think you don't need to underclock your 8600GT.. (I actually have it overclocked XD )
(sorry for my bad english )

 

You could also try blowing out the vents and fan.. apply new thermal paste like MX-2 or AS-5 as said above..

 

I could try, but I'd really rather not mess with thermal paste. I don't have any compressed air on hand either.

The thing is, my laptop is only 4 months old. I just got it last Christmas. So I don't see how it could be just worn out.

 

Hopefully it's not the faulty 8600M GT that's to blame >.> Those things had a few bad batches a year back that caused big overheating issues.

Anyways, not much to do except conventional laptop cooling methods such as undervolting and purchasing, clearing out the vents, and a cooling pad.

 

Dude, you should try to at least change the termal paste (cost 10 bucks on ebay!)
Four months old??.. it's the right time for do it.. since dell don't use a high quality thermal in our laptops, in fact looks like gum!. Well you'll see that when you take the heatsink apart.

Here ---> http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=60914

take a time and read this guide is very helpfull, and you are lucky because the XPS 1530 is very very very esay to take the heatsink and apply thermal paste.

also.. I recommend to overclock your video card here is a good guide too

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=250226

but first you have to resolve the heat issue

 

If you have tried the remedies as described from the first several posts above, take advantage of your warranty, and contact Dell..and have them fix.

If, indeed it is the GPU issue...The warranty that is extended on the GPU..would cover that, also.

I would hope, that would not be the issue, though.

Cin

 

Okay. Thanks for the tips, guys. I undervolted my CPU and temps went from nearly approaching 90 C to about 72 C while gaming. That's really good. I hope everything remains stable. I undervolted pretty liberally.

Tomorrow I'll clean out my fan.

 

Cool..

 

That's great. You should get even better temps after you blow out the vents, etc. They get a lot more dirt they people believe.

I don't blame you, don't mess w/ the thermal paste, esp if it is just 4 months old. As "Cin" suggested, if the temps don't become acceptable, contact Dell XPS support- they will work with you to make you happy!!

 

Eyup! Dell support has always been a FTW for me! Especially at something only 4 months new....that should be something for a warranty fix, if not easy remedied.

Cin

 

Well my GPU temp is still pretty high, idling at 66 C. I haven't cleaned the fans out yet though. So we'll see. It could just be the fact that it's 80 degrees outside and I have no AC in my house...

 

Clean those fans out and see what happens....Temp factors outside...and no AC...yes...but still..If you are continuing to have problems ~ I would not try and continue to home remedy. (My GPU temp will run high at times..but will cool down on my 1530 ~ same 8600 GPU as you). You have a good XPS Warranty Support..Take advantage of that.

Cin

 

What should the temps be? Im using hardware monitor to see the temps but not sure what the norm or rather the 'good' temps are.

Is GPU at 66 too high for idle? What about CPU and mobo?

 

66c idle is normal for an XPS i think, you should be more worried about the max temps.

Good temps ranges:
CPU 40-80c
GPU 50-85c
HDD 35-55c

The cooler the better.

 

65-69C was my regular temps before I replace the thermal paste and did the undervolting (thanks flip for that guide )

Now I'm Running 48C when idle and check my signature, I have a T9300!

also.. this is the right way to monitor the temps of an XPS ----> http://en.community.dell.com/wikis/tutorials/howto-temperature-monitoring-on-xps-m1330-m1530.aspx

Some people will think they have 65C when they actually have 70C beware.. 5 Celsius is a significant difference in temps for a laptop.

 

Here's something that hasn't been mentioned yet. Make sure your bios are at a11 or newer. They changed the fan settings in a11 to make the gpu run cooler.

 

hey,

I stumbled upon this thread after getting a bit panicked when playing a couple of 3d intensive games my M1530 shut down a few times from overheating. I found this thread and a couple of others about M1530s running hot.

I installed speedfan and CPUID which both gave readings of 70-85 degrees for the processor and between 82-97 degrees for the GPU (right now it's at 85 running windows, Firefox + Live Messenger only )

The machine is 5 months past warranty, although I had mentioned its hotness in previous interactions with Dell and they had it on their records, so when I called XPS service they were able to check this which added credibility to my case. I was able to refer them to this thread plus a number of others, and although the representitive initially tried to upsell me to an extended warranty, after some stubborn negotiation they have arranged for an engineer to visit me onsite within 48 hours, who will replace the mobo, GPU and as a bonus, the wireless card which is very slow, despite having latest drivers etc etc.

However, I have to say in favour of the XPS support rep I dealt with, it's nice being able to come to someone with a problem that you already have plenty of technical knowledge about and be able to explain it to them and not to have to go through a series of tedious scripted calls first. I've had so many negative service experiences recently with the simplest of IT issues, kudos to Dell for keeping the service levels good with XPS.

 

Ya, my M1530 has been acting up lately too.. i have monitored the temps and they are hovering around 85-90 while playing games like Heroes of Newerth which arent even as graphic demanding as Crysis. Not to mention, after starting HoN for a brief moment, my screen starts to flicker a bit... its pretty hard to explain it but its sorta like white lines and distort the image from time to time. I'm assuming that the 8600 on my laptop is showing signs of dying.

I checked the site to see if i was still on warranty and i see that i have the Rapid Response Depot under there.. is that the warranty so that i can have someone come in or for me to send it back for repairs? I've checked around the forums and found the response of:

"You get a courier overnight (or 1-day) service that comes to your door and the machine is sent back overnight (again 1-day) when the repairs are finished at dell's repair shop. Basically it's instant turnaround."

But does that cover the costs it'll take to replace the 8600? i remember reading a while back that they extended the warranty for the 8600 for an extra year after they found out they were faulty...

I mean, it doesnt really bother me TOO much, but i can't afford to have the gpu die on me and not be able to use my comp.

 

from what I have read though, the overheating GPU basically cocks up the rest of the laptop as well, so it's good to get it sorted if you can!

 

the lines might be due to a defective screen, I had to get an engineer out to replace the panel about three months into the machine's life, pixel wide vertical lines on the screen.

 

so the Dell dude showed bright and early, fixed it all up, GPU now idling at ~60 degrees, cores at ~55. I'd forgotten that the fan actually switched off, it was amazing booting up quietly! If anyone else is worried about overheating on their 1530 they should give Dell a buzz.