overheating laptop: prob or not really?

pigeonpie

My Dell Inspiron 5150 from 2003 is currently running at over 50 degrees, pretty much as soon as start it up, although it is working fine and I do leave it on standby when I can. Fans aren't kicking in much (a bit) so I guess they may have packed up a bit, bit like their owner

Is this dangerous for the laptop (I am lazy at backing up) or is it ok to leave it as it is - or is there something simple I can do please?
I only have this laptop for 2 people so a long sejourn in the workshop being repaired is a tricky option.
thanks guys

Pitty_Fool

It would be a good idea to keep it cool for the processors sake. 38-42 degrees is an average laptop heat but with this heat wave we are having in the uk at the moment keeping your laptop cool is gonna be a hard job and that should explain why your laptop is running at 50 degrees

Lord_Chris

the heat wave, combined with the amount of dust thats probably built up in your fans would easily explain the heat.

If your confident enough to open your laptop and can get access to the fan, use a can of compressed air to spray the dust out of the fan. (if you do this, do it outside it can be quite messy)

its unlikely that the fan has packed up completely, its probably just the dust clogging it up a bit.

polybear

Hi,
I've been having similar concerns recently, but with a desktop pc. What I can advise is:
1. Take a look at the technical spec. for the processor fitted to your machine. For mine it said that the processor was ok up to 60 degrees.
2. Also bear in mind the hard drive - i downloaded some free software that displays the HD Temp and also warns if it's getting too hot - brilliant software.
3. I fitted extra fans to my pc (a PCI slot fan plus a hard drive cooler). Makes a big difference, though not practical for laptops.
4. Consider a laptop cooler - pcworld do them. They're simply a tray with fans built in that attaches to the underside of the laptop.

Polybear

Kilty_2

My Dell Inspiron 1300's Celeron-M CPU runs at 46-54 degrees, the fan comes on once it gets past 52, taking it back to 46/7 and turns off again.

Seems pretty normal.

Minerva69

polybear wrote:

2. Also bear in mind the hard drive - i downloaded some free software that displays the HD Temp and also warns if it's getting too hot - brilliant software.

Could you tell us what this software is called please and/or where to download it from? Thanks!

Toxteth_OGrady

I use Speedfan.

:cool:

TOG

leesmithg

Toxteth_OGrady wrote:

I use Speedfan.

:cool:

TOG

How many marshmellows did you actually stuff up your nose?

Toxteth_OGrady

leesmithg wrote:

How many boggies did you actually stuff up your nose?

see if you can figure it out from the really cryptic clue in my signature. :rolleyes:

:rotfl:

:cool:

TOG

garcia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxteth_O'Grady

leesmithg

Toxteth_OGrady wrote:

see if you can figure it out from the really cryptic clue in my signature. :rolleyes:

:rotfl:

:cool:

TOG

Well it's marshmellows, I am sure it's 49.

I didn't realise they sent over 80's satire to the USA.

Young Ones the sign of a wasted teenage period.