Toshiba P100-ST9012 Issues!!!

I loved this laptop when I first got it, and its gaming capability is second to none that I have ever used. I opened it up and instantly loaded all of my old games... after the initial fun wore off, I have noticed two problems that are intensely bugging me and I want to know what I should do...

1) The wireless card. It has a good one, but the **** that the computer came with to control the wireless card was horrible! Zero wireless capability (or whatever its called) Was disabled, disallowing me to let windows control the network. It took 30 minutes to figure out how to bypass the TWO programs that both attempted to control my wireless network (two at the same time that would randomly switch authority over the connection) and finally, I have allowed windows to configure my wireless reception so I can connect the good old fashion way. It is the only computer in the house that randomly just disconnects from the internet, screwing up gaming and downloading.

2) Sometimes when playing intensive games, the screen just goes blank and the computer reboots. This is usually when it gets hot. It has happened only twice in the last 4 days, but that is twice too many.

What should I do?

What should I do?

 

What I would do is load up some utilities that can measure heat on the CPU like;

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

and on the nVidia GPU, either with the Everest utility, or with nVidia's Forceware control panel, and see what temperatures you are running at. The thermal specification for your CPU is 100 degrees centigrade. From the Intel website.

"The Thermal Specification is the temperature at the critical point on the die and usually represents the hottest point on the processor. Therefore, the Thermal Specification represents the maximum temperature for reliable operation of the processor."

So if you're getting high CPU/GPU temp readings you've got a heat problem. (You may also want to look at your HDD temp too). You might want to look at getting a lapdesk, which can help to cool the laptop. Cnet did a review here;

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6459_7-5583251-11.html?tag=icon

Lastly if you do find that the laptop is rebooting like this, and it is a heat issue, I'd be tempted to return it and ask for another. The design should be able to support your gaming with that configuration, as long as the laptop is properly vented. Are the fans loud when you are doing heavy gaming? And is the laptop noticeably hot anywhere?? Good luck..

 

the fans are not very loud at all, but the laptop gets hot enough to burn whenever I use it on my lap.

 

Well that sounds like it's definitely getting too hot. I'm not real familiar with the Windows power management/controls, since I spend most of my time in Linux, but if you have some software that can control fan speed (I think that the Toshiba Powersaver module can do this), why don't you try manually forcing the fans on at high speed, and see if the laptop gets too hot when you play your games then. If the laptop is noticeably cooler when you run it under load, maybe the problem is that the fan control on the laptop is not working right. It may mean some configuration changes, (some kind of Auto setting maybe?), or it may mean that the laptop's temp control circuitry is defective, and you need to return for another, or return for warranty service. (I can't believe that the Toshiba engineers designed it to run so hot that under big loads, the laptop will reboot...)

Lastly you're not overclocking anything right? Overclocking can definitely push the temp past the design limits. And you're not putting the laptop on any cloth thing, like carpet, pillow, or blanket, when you play these games? Covering up the intake vents on the bottom of the laptop will definitely get it to build up heat..

 

Temperatures:
CPU 52 °C (126 °F)
GPU 84 °C (183 °F)
GPU Ambient 82 °C (180 °F)
Hitachi HTS541080G9SA00 34 °C (93 °F)


That's what I've got right now after playing a game for 10 or 20 minutes.

And no, I'm not overclocking, but I do use it on a blanket when I use it in bed, else the laptop gets to hot and burns me

 

How can I change my fan speed? I have no clue

 

Well it's not your CPU or HDD temps. Those look fine to me. I'm idling right now with a CPU temp of 58 C, and a HDD temp of 38 C. (Toshiba Tecra S3) Your GPU sounds like it's running too hot. A couple of things to try.

1) Try Speedfan and see if it works on your Toshiba to adjust your fan speeds to a higher setting. You can download and read about it at;

http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

2) Try changing some settings on your 7900GTX. I don't know if in the nVidia software there is an option to make it use less power (power saving mode), or something like that. Chances are it will run cooler then. (But you lose power for gaming...)

Lastly you are probably going to definitely need a lapdesk if you want to use it on your lap. I read the Cnet review and I liked the Lapinator at http://www.lapinator.com and it looks like the easiest one to carry around too. Using it on a blanket will only make it more hot.. Good luck..

 

get a laptop cooler....15 dollars or so. Well worth it, sounds like heat issues esp since you put your laptop on your blanket which is a NO NO NO! That cuts off ventilation and probably will raise your temps to the point of shut down.
Second fo all I dont have a clue of the zero configurator. I have the p100 st9212 and I dont use the configurator on there, I use the windows wizard seriously it sounds like all your problems are from heat.
And yes the gtx will run hot, but not sure how much hotter then the gs i have, and 1 month service and no problems at all.....just awe from me and friends.