Easy, Cheap, Effective Laptop Cooling? 94
cloudofstrife asks: "I happen to own a laptop that happens to have overheating problems. Frequently during games, the processor will overheat, and the frame rate will drop from over 30 frames per second to under 2 frames per second. Is there a cheap and easy way to prevent my CPU from overheating?"
Air? (Score:1)
Re:Air? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Air? (Score:2)
It has done wonders for my PowerBook. I run it with the lid closed and an external monitor sometimes and it used to get really hot when I closed the lid, but the extra fan does a great job.
Re:Air? (Score:1)
Re:Air? (Score:1)
Re:Air? (Score:2)
John.
Find an air hose (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Find an air hose (Score:2)
If the laptop is fairly old (1 year or more), there's probably a good deal of dust built up on the heat sinks, etc. So when the fans come on, theyre fairly useless because the dust is like a blanket over everything.
So yea, simple solution is to blow the dust out of there.
Grump
What if (Score:2)
Re:Once again. (Score:1)
And yeah, submitter, stop being an idiot and think for a moment. Just pointing a small fan at your laptop will make a difference, letting air flow underneath will help more.
Re:Once again. (Score:3, Interesting)
Throwing money at a problem is almost never the right solution.
If you're going to use Google, at least look for some answer to your question than some unrelated store. You're lucky that he said it was an overheating problem, or you'd've given us a nice page on buying new laptops and felt smart for it.
Actually, I have a way you could be useful. Why don't YOU pay for whatever stupid device
Re:Once again. (Score:2)
It doesn't really take more than 10 seconds to google something. I think his response was fine. If you're going to troll the poor bastard about not having a good
Re:Once again. (Score:2)
Download software that keeps your fan on constantly. (I had to do this to my mom's laptop because it was overheating badly even without processor load.)
Turn off some devices in Device Manager (or your OS's equivalent), or unplug PC cards / modular disk drives / anything else that can be unplugged.
Run the laptop in a cooler environment.
Close other programs, in case it's just overload that's slowing down the computer. (Clo
Re:Once again. (Score:2)
Once the fan is toast, so's you machine.
Great cheap solution you have there. It's better to bite the bullet and drop $33 on a Vantec Lapcool pad (including shipping) at newegg. It's a bit less expensive than a new laptop and a hell of a lot more convinient than putting the bloody thing in the freezer.
Re:Once again. (Score:2)
I can guarantee the LCD will be destroyed.
Re:Once again. (Score:2)
Re:Once again. (Score:2)
And let's not forget the condensation that will most likely form on the ice-cold computer after it's removed from the freezer and used in a normal operating environment.
Re:Once again. (Score:1)
I don't see why the submitter needs to be told to google for "cool laptop", because that's just really friggin obvious.
Re:Once again. (Score:5, Insightful)
I take the "Ask Slashdot" stories to be like starting a discussion. Yes, you can probably find the answer in a few seconds yourself, but someone else who's only somewhat bothered by it might become interested and use one of the suggestions.
In this example, perhaps some other reader is getting a little annoyed by his laptop overheating, not but only a little. He doesn't feel like spending any real money on the solution as it's not a major problem. He reads the threads out of boredom and finds some simple or cheap solutions and decides to use them.
There are other examples of a person asking something I'd never even thought of. Reading the story and a few minutes later I'm considering doing something like that myself.
Remember, we're a slashdot community :-) Sometimes asking a question isn't just for personal gain but for group info.
Re:Once again. (Score:1)
Perhaps I *did* google it, but didn't find anything helpful. Or, in a case like this, perhaps I'm looking for a more homemade solution than one of those cruddy fan-mats they sell at BestBuy. (Both the eraser and the glue-pad were novel ideas, and I might try one of those with my very-hot laptop.)
Perhaps I would just like some interactive help, just in case something pops up unexpected
Easy! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Easy! (Score:1)
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON:
HI! Y AN AC HL TROLL NIMROD!
AN OLD THIN CHILLY RAMHORN
Ok, to be fair
LAURA WELCH BUSH:
A WHALE CURB LUSH
BLEW RUSH, UCLA, HA!
pink erasers (Score:5, Interesting)
If erasers are unavailable or you want less traction, mini-post it note pads work great as well. They may be preferred if you want to be able to slide the laptop out of the way when you're not using it.
Re:pink erasers (Score:2)
VHS tapes (Score:2)
Other solutions - Make sure your heatsink and fans are clean. If your laptop used to be fine and is now overheating, it is probably because of dust accumulation. Also potentially use a software solution that increases
Re:pink erasers (Score:2)
Re:pink erasers (Score:1)
Send it back (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Send it back (Score:1)
Dell is pretty good about these kind of things.
At work we have many, many laptops. One in particular was for a user who wanted a desktop replacement, so we got him a laptop with a P4 in it (ouch). Well, all went well for a while, then he started complaining about the programs acting strangley, I had him bring it in. I looked at it, tried different things(reinstall programs, etc).
Eventually I called in told Dell it seemed like it was overheating, jumped through the tech support hoops (Bah), and they sent
Re:Send it back (Score:2)
Re:Send it back (Score:2)
I purchased a Latitude in, I think 2000, might have been 2001. Died after a week or so. They sent out a guy, (He knew nothing of the BIOS settings
Though as an aside, I did not
Re:Another suggestion (Score:2)
Re:Another suggestion (Score:1)
couple workarounds... (Score:2)
Turn down the CPU speed, if your laptop supports it.
Place a large flat ice-pack underneath (you can find some with a grid of square cooling units connected so as to be flexible and fit nicely along the edges of coolers).
I may not be getting it all. (Score:2)
Re:I may not be getting it all. (Score:2)
And from my experience, the GPU is placed under the keyboard (in the Dells I've seen anyway). So play some 3D game for a while the keyboard gets really hot.
Re:couple workarounds... (Score:1)
Build one (Score:3, Interesting)
Laptop != Gaming Rig (Score:1, Redundant)
Anyways, there are professional laptop coolers you can order from various computer sites. They're basically a fan that sits below the intakes underneath the laptop, which means it's just as easy to build your own.
Re:Laptop != Gaming Rig (Score:5, Insightful)
Perhaps in your use-model there is no point, but not in mine. For example, I spent over 50% of my time with customers. When I'm in the office, it wouldn't make sense for me to use a different computer. So if I need to run a simulation, offline (from our equipment) protocol decoder, or copy a file (XP jab *grin*) I want my 2GHz. I don't mind only having full power available when I'm on AC.
So just because you don't see a need for something, doesn't mean there isn't one.
Re:Laptop != Gaming Rig (Score:1)
Power usage isn't a problem if you're plugged into the mains though. A lot of people use laptops at home where the weight of the machine and a mains supply aren't a problem.
Re:Laptop != Gaming Rig (Score:2)
Re:Laptop != Gaming Rig (Score:1)
Re:Laptop != Gaming Rig (Score:2)
Sorry for being unclear, I was in a bad mood and was making a snide comment on:
A lot of people use laptops at home where the weight of the machine and a mains supply aren't a problem.
My short and rude argument was that if the weight of the machine and a mains supply aren't a problem, why not just buy an equivalent desktop system for $1000 less.
I'm not normally so Trollish, I am sorry =[. I just cannot see the benefit of wasting money on inferior systems simply for an illusion of convenience. In a job w
Re:Laptop != Gaming Rig (Score:1)
> wasting money on inferior systems simply for an illusion of convenience. In a job
> where you have to move around and take critical data with you, a laptop is
> certainly necessary, but paying $1000 more just so you can check your email while
> you watch TV? That seems needless.
You be as trollish as you like, mate - it's a free country*.
I don't understand this $1000 business. I just bought a HP laptop from PC World
Re:Laptop != Gaming Rig (Score:2)
Re:Laptop != Gaming Rig (Score:2)
Why not? If the laptop was designed to run $CPU, it should damn well take the heat that comes with running $CPU. I use my laptop for running physics simulations and music production, both of which mean "field work" with relatively high processing power.
In general, I think it's very pessimistic and anti-hack to limit the use of an appliance to only its intended purpose. If I want to use my old 486 laptop as a web server, I might damn well do so, because I can, ev
DIY Feet (Score:4, Interesting)
You need:
Take your syringe and cut it in half. My memory is a bit patchy about this bit, I did it a long time ago. 2 to 2.5 cm should be long enough (from the tip). Lubricate the inside of the tube. Again, I can't remember what I lubricated it with, but saliva works well, particularly when it comes to smoothing down imperfections in the glue while it is still hot. Fill the 2 cm of tube. Allow it to cool and pull out the glue plug. Repeat four or 5 times. Cut these cylinders down to size, 1 or 1.5 cm should do it. If for some reason they are not all the same height, instead of hacking away until there's nothing left, take a vice and place them all in it, and tighten slightly. Apply a hairdryer to the whole thing until the glue has adopted it's new shape. Allow to cool and remove the glue feet.
You're done. You now have small, rubbery, cheap feet for your laptop. They will even stick ever so slightly to case if it's warm, convenient if you want to pick it up briefly.
I carry these little feet in my laptop bag, and they help reduce the procesor temp. You don't have to use all four, you can just prop up the back and it will help.
Hope someone finds this useful.
Paul
Re:DIY Feet (Score:1)
Hot glue doesn't like to stick to things once it isn't so hot, so your idea works pretty well for temporary boosters
Re:DIY Feet (Score:2)
Re:DIY Feet (Score:1)
Re:DIY Feet (Score:2)
Re:DIY Feet (Score:1)
Re:DIY Feet (Score:1)
Re:DIY Feet (Score:1)
SMALL? (semi-OT) (Score:2)
I use 3/10cc on a regular basis.
Finding a 5cc syringe legally is going to be tough. Well, finding ANY syring 100% legally will be tough, but at least the sub-CC ones can usually be obtained from one of your diabetic friends.
Re:SMALL? (semi-OT) (Score:2)
Yes, it will be tough if you go to the neighborhood drug store. You'll have to ask the pharmacist. You see, they've had so many heroin addicts shoplifting them, they've had to put them under lock and key.
Thankfully, the heroin addicts aren't smart enough to figure out that the local farm supply store has them on the shelf, out in the open, any size you want. Needles, too. No questions asked.
Re:SMALL? (semi-OT) (Score:2)
Defective? (Score:5, Insightful)
Antec's Notebook Cooler (Score:1)
It's definitely not as portable as the hot glue pads above, but it does its job well on my desk and keeps the heat away from my legs on the couch.
If you want more info, there's Antec's Website [antec.com], a quick Google search [google.com] turned up a good review [pcabusers.com], and they're all over eBay [ebay.com] and Froogle [google.com].
Two words: (Score:3, Funny)
Get a fan (Score:2)
If you have a standard workspace, build a cool stand. Take an old monitor stand, mount some fans underneath pointing upwards, and drill a heck of a
Re:Get a fan (Score:1)
cooling... and advice (Score:3, Interesting)
You asked how to cool your laptop. There are any number of laptop stands with fans built in. The ones I've seen run off of USB power. I just bought my wife one from Fry's which was $25. Amazon has one here [amazon.com]. Just do a simple search for "latop stand fan" or something.
If your brand new PC overheats and causes problems, maybe you should be returning it or getting some warranty service performed.
How about Iraq? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:How about Iraq? (Score:2)
Run headlong at a US checkpoint, shouting "American pig dogs" (optional)
viola, the laptop now has ventilation holes
Re:How about Iraq? (Score:1, Insightful)
Iraq is not your friend!
Re:How about Iraq? (Score:2)
Compressed Air! (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Compressed Air! (Score:1)
Re:Compressed Air! (Score:1)
lego (Score:2, Interesting)
I was using my laptop to transfer old CDROMs onto an USB hardisk and the unit was getting so hot the disk when ejected almost burned the skin.
I created a lego four sided wall (four blocks high) just smaller than the base of the laptop and added lots of holes, the heat was reduced tremndously.
I used only classic 2x4s.
Remove the battery! (Score:3, Interesting)
Linux and Windows (Score:1)
Re:Linux and Windows (Score:3, Informative)
http://pbus-167.com/ [pbus-167.com] has Notebook Hardware Control, which can control SpeedStep, undervolt the processor (be careful with that one - it can kill stability), allow you to change the multiplier to any multiplier in a 1x increment from 6 to the max stock multiplier for your CPU (in your case, 16).
All SpeedStep does is lower and raise the multiplier as needed...
Fan settings (Score:2)
It's the VIDEO card... (Score:1)
We would get a slow down after 5-15 minutes of game play, exit the game and everything was normal in maybe 30 seconds. During this time the CPU fan was running like a banshee. We figured it was the CPU overheating so we ran prime95 on it for 2 hours with no trouble. We ran Cinibench and had no problem. We ran tests on the memory and hard
Something Wrong... (Score:1)
I own an Apple iBook G4 (1 GHz model). The first thing I bought for it was a copy of Halo. Yes, I know laptops are not meant for gaming, but I couldn't resist. My laptop, on battery power, pulling a light load (e-mail, IM, web browsing) it runs around 90F. Pulling a heavier load, on battery, the system runs more like 110F. Pulling a heavy load on AC power, the machine maxes out at 150F, and the (remarkably small) fan (singular) manages to keep the laptop from getting
Re:Something Wrong... (Score:1)