Thinkpads Forum

Hi everyone,
I've been using my T60 for about 5 years now. I've been very happy with my T60 (my third thinkpad). But recently it becomes running extremely hot. It may have to do with the hot weather but it is beyond something one would expect. So I usually have to run it battery maximum mode. If I run it anything higher (I don't even dare going the maximum performance area) and run any kind of video clips, the machine shuts down in like 10 mins. The temperature easily climbs up over 90s.

My question. Is there anything I should check for this? I mean, is there a bios setting I might have mis-set?

My fan is running okay; I've been cleaning up routinely. I've put new thermal paste. Still it doesn't seem to help at all.

Right now I'm debating replacing this or simply getting a ssd. I know it will be usable for many years more with a new ssd. But if I'm limited to battery maximum mode for the rest of its life, that makes me consider getting a new one. Please let me know what you would do to get this high temperature under control again. Thanks a lot!

I think a reasonable set of temperatures is 40 to 50 for the CPU and 60 to 70 for the GPU (both in celsius). 90C is too hot.

Put C:\Windows\System32\taskmgr.exe into your startup group and set it to run minimized. Then go into Task Manager and set the option to hide when minimized. Now you have a green square in the system tray. Dull green means the CPU is idling. Bright green means it is busy and full bright green means the CPU is running full out.

Any T I have used will get hotter in hot weather, but still manageable.

See when it is getting hot if the CPU is busy?

I run my T61p on AC mostly at maximum performance and the CPU runs at <5% more than 95% of the time.

... JDH

If I run it anything higher (I don't even dare going the maximum performance area) and run any kind of video clips, the machine shuts down in like 10 mins.

What happens when the machine shuts down because of overheating? Does it turn off, or does the computer lock-up, and you have to turn it off manually?

It just turns off...

What does Task Manager say before it shuts down. ... JDH

Some T60 machines were not assembled correctly. The Thermal Device and Fan has up to two thermal pads. When delivered from the manufacturer to the notebook assembly plant, these thermal pads had thin, red, protective plastic foils. Some workers in the assembly plants were not aware, that these red foils had to be removed before mounting the Thermal Device and Fan into the notebook. These plastic foils function as an insulation and make the chips run very hot. To make things even worse, the T60 Hardware Maintenance Manual also fails to mention that these foils should be removed when installing a Thermal Device and Fan. If the red, plastic foils are still on the thermal pads, remove them. If you remove and then re-insert the Thermal Device and Fan, you need to apply new thermal paste at the processor location. The thermal pads themselves can be re-used and should not be removed.