Secondary GPU overheating on DV7

I have the dv7-7212nr model and last night I did the thermal paste maintenance "ritual". Everything went smoothly, thermal paste is good, NVidia 650GT gpu and Intel processor are working ok, the exact tricky amount of paste was applied perfectly. Used Arctic Silver 5 by the way. Did a good cleaning too, the fan was getting hella dusty.

However, for some unknown reason, my integrated GPU (Intel HD Graphics 4000) keeps overheating like crazy. If you know the model then you'll know there is no thermal paste to be applied in that GPU. It's just sitting there alone. The integrated GPU worked just fine before I opened the computer, and stayed in the down-low, and even as I played heavy games (and the dedicated NVidia GPU got to around 60C~70C) it stayed cool. Now, as soon as I turn on the computer, the Intel GPU goes to around 75C or so. This is causing the dedicated NVidia GPU to heat unnecessary as well of course. Even tho it won't go much over 60C, the normal temperatures for browsing and idle were around 40C~50C at most. And the Intel one didn't even go over 38C, sometimes it felt like it was permanently locked on this number hehe.

Right now as I type this the NVidia one is at a steady 60C, and the Intel one is at 77C! I have literally nothing open except for Chrome, closed all the background applications on Task Manager.

This problem showed up out of nowhere when I was testing the temps. I left it idle for a bit and everything was fine. NVidia at 40C~43C, Intel at the ominous 38C. Then I fired up Tomb Raider (because it's the heaviest game I own currently) and played for a bit and the NVidia never went over 60C, which was wonderful. Just like the right-out-of-the-box temperatures! And Intel was at 45C, which was also normal. And then I closed up the game (had to go to Task Manager because I couldn't click the "Quit" button for some reason). And that's when the craziness started! The Intel temperature immediately jumped to over 70C, and the Nvidia stayed steady at the 60C.

I will say it again: the integrated GPU for this model DOES NOT have a thermal paste and heatsink compound. And it has never been a problem. That's how it was designed, and that's how it ran for over 1 year and a half, until last night. So no, I didn't even touch the thing. If any comment in here says "you put too much thermal paaaaste!!!1!1!!!!1111!" I'm going to be very mad D:

 

You are confusing me. The "2nd" GPU is really your primary GPU and it is really your CPU (not a seperate chip)

 

Oh well, I apologize for the confusion then, but that's how they are calling it in the HP product description so I went with it D: Also, I am pretty sure the one with thermal paste is the Nvidia one because there was a nice Nvidia logo on it. But for reference:

Secondary GPU = Intel HD Graphics 4000
Primary GPU = Nvidia 650GT

Ok?

 

I know how confusing this might be. However I didn't think that HP would get to a level where they cannot describe the GPUs properly in their own technical manuals : S.

The way it should work is as follows ..assuming you have Nvidia Optimus technology.

Your CPU also houses your Intel HD whilst the Nvidia GPU is the dedicated chip (the one with the heatsink and the Nvidia logo).

Intel is your main card. When a game needs Nvidia power (such as Tomb Raider) Intel allows Nvidia to turn on whilst acting in "passthrough" mode.

So imagine it like this:

Intel renders your desktop whilst a "window/overlay" opens up which is pure Nvidia.

So I "assume" when you went from fullscreen Nvidia to "Intel" desktop whilst also rendering with Nvidia, it caused the temperature to shoot up on Intel.

Simply because it suddenly had to start rendering the desktop whilst at the same time allowing the Nvidia passthrough.

Did you apply the paste to the CPU properly?

 

I'm pretty sure I've already covered everything you've said in the OP tho.

And this is not the first time I've minimized a game while playing?? Basically the Intel won't stop running when it used to be the Nvidia to deal with everything before. I fully understand the passthroughs you are talking about. This is one of the reasons I bought the computer. But for some reason the passthrough is not happening anymore. Even when I use the "run with Nvidia graphics" it seems like it's still the Intel one rendering. I've already talked to HP support and they have escalated my case to a case manager that should call me in 48 hours. But I was hoping to solve this without having to send my computer back to repair.

Also, I will say this one more time: the GPU giving my problem is NOT the one you apply thermal paste to. Never had, never will, was never a problem. But now it seems it is taking the full load without doing the switch and I believe this is causing the overheating.

Already updated drives, already updates BIOS, already tried disabling the GPUs one at a time. Nothing worked.

Please please please don't assume I don't know what I'm talking about and what I am doing just because I made a terminology mistake in the OP.

 

Yeah that makes much more sense. I assumed you alt tabbed and the switching broke something and forced it to the Intel ... I didn't think that you never switched before ; ).

Any chance that the Nvidia drivers updated and somehow broke optimus?

Only other thing I can think off is to try out if your Nvidia might be breaking ..

However I cannot think of a good test for this. Maybe running something graphics intensive like a benchmark tool.


Another thing that comes to mind if this is indeed not a physical issue:

If that one time alt-tabbing "broke" something maybe it is simply down to the Windows copy being bad. I have seen this happening a few times where the interruption of an AMD "switchable" system caused the Windows copy to permanently break.

No clean up was possible.

Try loading an external windows copy or maybe linux?

 

Hahaha yes, I did think this might all be caused by Nvidia itself. It updates automatically, and usually I don't even pay attention to it, so YES there is a possibility that while I was running the game it updated and then I closed the game and the driver glitched. Before opening up again I'm gonna try to roll back the driver.

Any chance this particular integrated GPU is actually "inside" the CPU like some models? Cause I am 99% sure I saw the integrated GPU on the motherboard, but ya never know when it comes to technology.

Either way, I'm gonna open it AGAIN right now (last time I am doing that EVER, I can't take this anymore D: ) and check the paste on the CPU.

Last night I spent like 2 hours with HP support (the girl was actually pretty amazing) and they said they have escalated the case to a case manager that should call me in two days or so. Honestly if I check the CPU paste and it's all ok I'm just gonna perform an exorcism, jfc.

EDIT: Just did everything I mentioned in this post, save from calling a freaking priest to bless this thing. Didn't work. Put a little more paste on the dedicated Nvidia tho, and it seems to be sliiiiiightly cooler. But that wasn't the main problem, so....

I also put a bit more paste on the CPU of course, but no luck.

 

If you have a Linux live cd try and run something with it that uses nvidia.

Or install the original HP driver.
Clean with Wagnards DDU tool before hand in safe mode to remove the current drivers. (Important)

Alternatively to Linux you might want to consider reinstalling or installing a new windows copy to test nvidia.

Win 10 shouldn't be a problem if you have a spare partition or if you know how to boot of a VHD

This is better than sending it to HP straight away there is only so much the nice girl on the other side knows

 

Unfortunately I don't have the possibility to do all of this OS stuff right now D:
But thank you for your support anyway ^_^