Laptop strangely overheating?

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Sorry for lack of precise config/manufacturer etc. But basically nothing changed unless perhaps a Windows update messed something up. Basically, my brother's laptop has started overheating, which leads to freezing, hanging etc. This doesn't happen in idle but in normal stress. Two other family members have the exact same laptop from the exact same source (three were bought at the same time) don't have the same problem. With this one, the problem existed before but occurred less frequently. So basically nothing has changed but the laptop has started overheating (the temps are totally off) and hanging up anyway. What can be the cause? (Normal usage, no overstressing, laptop placed on the desk, not on a bed etc. Memtest okay. Not battery because it's the same with battery removed.)

[alaricljs]

Poor tolerances on the assembled heatsink exacerbated by time and heating/cooling cycles, or by dust in the fins... maybe both?  Start with a good suck'n'blow of all vents.  Presuming it's out of warranty, if you're handy you can disassemble it and apply new thermal compound to the heatsink.

[litster]

I have a few Dell laptops that did/do this.  Sometimes a BIOS update with a better thermal table would make it better.  Other times you are just SOL.

 Alaricljs' suggestion is right on the money.

[DanGWanG]

Poor tolerances on the assembled heatsink exacerbated by time and heating/cooling cycles, or by dust in the fins... maybe both?  Start with a good suck'n'blow of all vents.  Presuming it's out of warranty, if you're handy you can disassemble it and apply new thermal compound to the heatsink.

To add to this, you can also dust out all chambers of the laptop but especially around CPU/heatsink. (Ie. Around all the vents, around the keyboard)

[quickcrx702]

Dust it out as others have suggested.  If you know anyone with an air compressor, those work best.  There are some that say you shouldn't use compressors due to condensation issues, but I live in the desert where there is almost no humidity, and have had no issues.  I would suggest getting a GOOD cooling pad, especially if the fans are not doing the job they once did which is pretty likely.

[hazeluff]

Yeah. If you are ok with opening it up, open it up and blow it out with compressed air and brush it off. Otherwise blow air through the vents and hope you get some out.

A cooling pad can help. But you can start off ghetto and use something like a book to tilt up your laptop to keep the bottom side ventilated.

[godly_music]

You may squeeze out a little more cooling efficiency than stock by using good thermal paste, like silver-based.

[J888www]

You should NOT need a cooling pad if the Laptop is performing as expected.
Maybe the the Thermal component is clogged with dust as suggested, then again it maybe that it was due to TIM not applied correctly during the initial build or it had degraded.
Most laptops use Thermal pads and they do become flaky over time. I always find this type of heat exchange to be inefficient. With all my laptops, I replaced these thermal pads with copper shims & thermal paste.

Maybe try this TIM  Shin Etsu X23-7921-5 if you manage to purchase it.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1098759/x23-7921-5/40#post_17244030

[Internetlad]

Firstly is this an HP? Specifically a DV6~ series?

Either way, stick your hand over the fan exhaust, if it's not pushing out air, there is a good chance that the head spreaders have become filled with crap. If your laptop has an easy access bottom bay to the entire heatsink assembly, open it up, take the heatsink assembly off, apply new thermal paste after removing the old, and remove the layer of dust that has built up on the heat spreaders (at times i've literally been able to peel it off like a piece of tape, gross.)

Alternatively, I'd consider reapplying thermal paste if it is used. If a thermal pad is used it's often less of an issue but paste can dry out and crumble within a year or two's timespan unless it's quality stuff. Clean it off with either lighter fluid with napatha(while the laptop is off, battery out, duh.) or the highest % isopropyl alcohol you can find, both will break up the paste and leave a shiny clean surface for you to reapply, and evaporate cleanly if you accidentally dab a bit on the board.

Of course, this is just a guess, without knowing the specifics of your computer and being able to see it in action a diagnosis is much more difficult.

[TexasFlood]

The fans can fail and can heat up quick in that case. Check for airflow from the fan, might need to be replaced. Overheated laptops can cause problems, see below article. Makes me think of those DirecTV commercials, "Don't Sell Your Hair to a Wig Shop", "Don't Have a Grandson with a Dog Collar", "Don't Wake Up in a Roadside Ditch". You can guess what this on might be called, :wink:
BBC News - Burned groin blamed on laptop, or "Don't end up in the hospital with a burned ****"

[TexasFlood]

The fans can fail and can heat up quick in that case. Check for airflow from the fan, might need to be replaced. Overheated laptops can cause problems, see below article. Makes me think of those DirecTV commercials, "Don't Sell Your Hair to a Wig Shop", "Don't Have a Grandson with a Dog Collar", "Don't Wake Up in a Roadside Ditch". You can guess what this on might be called, :wink:
BBC News - Burned groin blamed on laptop, or "Don't end up in the hospital with a burned ****"

[Lorem-Ipsum]

I open my laptop up every couple of months for a dusting. Every six months or so I replace the thermal paste to keep it going.

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

I own a 2008 Macbook Pro which has had heat issues in the past. Opening the case and dusting is a good idea, as is replacing the thermal paste. If you're using the computer primarily at a desk, removing the battery can also make a big difference in internal temperature; for some reason, lithium-ion batteries seem to generate a lot of heat. Investing in a good notebook stand with a built-in fan is also a sound idea – a stand will improve air flow if you have vents on the bottom of your case. I ended up buying a Cooler Master Ergostand, which is inexpensive, built like a tank, and has a giant but surprisingly quiet fan.