T61 Overheating under load?

I have a T61 15.4" wide screen that is approximately one year old. For the last couple of months it has suspending randomally, without notice.

I believe this is due to heat since the CPU core temperatures are around 95C when under ANY reasonable load. They idle around 75C. Are these standard operating ranges? I read that the safe temperature is 100C.

What could be the issue? Bad fan? What is the estimated repair time?

Any insight is appreciated.

 

idle should be about 50 load about 80

there are oh so many reasons why your computer is overheating

ie.maybe there is dust blocking the vents

I'd say visit NBR Cooling Central for advice

100C is probably 'the limit' and within specifications, but not good.. you want to keep those temperatures lower than 85-90

also, what is your GPU model and it's temperatures?

 

That is a good consideration. I will purchase some compressed air.

Normally this happens when sitting on a docking station (I have two).

It generally will go right back to sleep if I turn it back on for the first 10 minutes.

 

Are you sure that your computer is not set to go into a power saving mode after a period of inactivity? Maybe it is sleeping because it is set to. (though those temperatures are still quite high!!!)

 

It is not due to power saving. I am normally actively using it while it goes to sleep. It also is generally extremely warm to the touch.

 

That is way too hot. The heatsink is most likely not making good enough contact with the cores to keep them reasonable cool. If you can, don't use the machine, and contact Lenovo. You can try reseating the CPU if you know how, but it will probably void your warranty.

 

re: bad fan

does the fan turn on (and stay on esp. at those temperatures) ?
you can probably hear it and there should be an amount of heat coming out of the vent(s)

also, i'd recommend you leave your computer on the 'power saver' or balanced power profile till you get your temperatures fixed.

 

The fan is running and I can feel warm air coming out.

The power saver mode is a good idea.

Unfortanetly I am very dependent on this laptop, hopefully I can find a week where I can be without it. I am hoping this is a 1day repair for Lenovo? In the past IBM was very prompt with repairs.

Experience?

 

Temperature too high for sure...

Do these tests as others also suggested, maybe more than one thing is wrong

1. Test fan work or not - download Tpfancontrol to view fan speed, given your temperature, if fan speed under BIOS mode does not exceed 3000RPM, then something is wrong with fan.

Or another simple way, put your ear next to the vent exit and you should hear wind and feel hot air coming out.

2. Not sure how likely this is, but download CPU-Z and see what the voltage on your CPU is. I find only version 1.41 gives accurate rating.

For benchmark, I undervolted my GF's T61 T8300, and the CPU idles at around 30~32 degree C and does not exceed 43 degree C at 100% load. It was probably 10 degrees hotter without the undervolting

The stable voltage for her CPU is 0.09875V at maximum CPU multiplier. Go to the undervolting guide in the hardware subforum for more details.

 

This is not normal. http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=311629

 

I downloaded TPfancontrol. In bios mode the fan speed is ~ 3080RPM.

The temperature read by thinkpad fan contorl is approximately 6C lower than Real Temp. However, under 50% load I am watching it climb upto 84C (and counting). The CPU temp appears to be the critical factor.

I will grab CPU-Z and determine what voltage my CPU is at.

 

CPU-Z reports:

Core VID: 1.238V
Core Speed: 1995.3 MHz (From 2600 MHz, did it throttle itself?)
Multiplier: x10 (from x13)
Bus Speed: 1995.3 MHz
Rated FSB: 798 MHz

Regarding the two sets of numbers. It appears to be 2.6GHz mode up until Fan Control reads 87C and then drops down to 2GHz until around 81C, then repeats.

BTW, I have a Nvidia Quadro NVS 140m. According to Thinkpad Fan Control it is currently at 81C.

 

See attached.

 

1. That voltage seems high to me. I recall my GF's T61 (also with nvs140m) has CPU voltage in the neighborhood of <1.2V without any setting

Do you know how to use RMClock to undervolt your CPU? Can you try to undervolt it to roughly 1.1V at all multipliers. 1.1V is a ABOSOLUTELY SAFE voltage for T61. I just want to see does the situation get better?

2. That fan speed looks right. However do you have a way to measure the temperature of that hot air rushing out? If the air temperature is close to your CPU temperature, it probably means
a. the fan is doing the job
b. the problem is more inside the chips

However, if the hot air is not "hot enough" compared with the CPU, GPU, then you probably have a bad head conduction somewhere between the headsink and the chips...

Let me know how it goes and I will reply as soon as I can

 

I downloaded RightMark CPU Clock Utility. It appears to be completely read only.

I did not modfiy any CPU voltage settings in the past.

I could put some water next to my fan and see if it boils to determine the temperature.

 

it probably wont boil any water. Cuz if it would, it would have boiled your ear when you did my previous test.

What do you mean read only? Can you screen print the following tabs of Rightmark CPU Clock?
1. CPU info
2. Profiles
3. Advanced CPU settings - Processor subtab (No need for Chipset or Throttling subtabs)

 

Should I change the voltage under profiles?

 

See attached.

 

Yes change voltage under "Profiles" bottom half of the page

But you also need to do "Profile Selection" on top half of the "Profile".

For me,
1. I choose "Performance On Demand" for 4 dropdown menus
2. I go to sub-tab of "Performance on Demand", and
a. click the 2 "Use P-state transition" checkboxes
b. for AC power, I check only the highest 2 multipliers
c. for Battery, I check the 3 lowest multipliers
d. Hit apply

See attachment here

 

Setting those to 1.1V cause my system to immediately lock up.

What is to be accomplished by changing the voltage? This is running stock, shouldn't it be fine as is? Perhaps my voltage is higher than your GFs since I have a 2.6GHz processor?

I am starting to think that I have a heat sink issue.

 

You are right, it should run stock perfectly fine. But I was just trying to see if the undervolting can directionally reduce your temperature. If it even locks up at 1.1V, it is not a good sign. Of course I assumed you did step 1, and then 2...


In this case, definitely call Lenovo. Meanwhile, if you have any way to measure the outflow air temperature, still do it. I think it can confirm the "heatsink issue" hypothesis.

 

I tried to measure the air temperature using an instant heat thermometer without much success. It was reading ~ 40C while the CPU was reporting 80C.

 

Great. Given the drastic temperature difference, I think we can conclude that it is either
1. Heatsink failure or
2. Bad conduction between chips and headsink (i.e. failing thermal grease)

Don't think anything is permanently damaged but don't use your computer if you can.

 

Wish I can be more helpful in solving the problem but probably I can only help you diagnose

 

Call Lenovo and see if there is a local service center you can take the machine. If there is an authorized service center in your area, you may be able to get the machine repaired more quickly.

 

I called Lenovo, they are sending me a laptop box to send it to them. Hopefully I can find a time to send it to them.

Does anybody know where I can locate local Lenovo service centers?

 

be a geek, buy some heat paste, open the laptop, apply to the CPU and GPU, and put it back together and test again ...


probably your heatsink doesn't touch the chips in a good way, lol

for comparision, mine idles at about 45 deg C (CPU) and about 50 deg C (GPU), and both of those would get as high as 85 deg C (GPU overclocked and CPU stressed on 100% work load for 5 min)

 

Yes I'd rather just buy some paste. As a matter of fact just opening the machine and spraying compressed-air on the heatsink fins would get rid of all the dust that were clogging the air flowing freely.

But it's a wise choice doing the thermal compound change. I recommend getting AS5 or other high-end thermal paste. I recommend using Articlean 1 and 2 to remove the old paste.

FYI, my T61 barely hits the 56C mark at full load undervolted at 0.95V.

 

might void the warranty.