My Thinkpad x61 is too hot ? please help

[peshinga]

hi everybody. i have just bought second hand Thinkpad x61 laptop. 2.0 Ghz CPU , 4 GB RAM, and 120 GB SSD instead of HDD. It is with installed Win 10.
10-15 minutes after turning on, the body gets hot - mainly the whole area under the keyboard ? I removed the keyboard to see if it is dirty, but it looks clean ? what to do ? may be to reinstall the software and to take Win 7 ? ( sorry for my english ) thanks. Peter.

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to the Forum.
Download the illustrated X60/X61 manual from the HMM link above.
You will need to replace the thermal paste between CPU and fan (something like Arctic Silver 5 / AS5).
Most likely that was never replaced until now, which causes the overheating.
While you are at it, clean the fan itself as well.
Make a rough diagram of the bottom and the inside, with all the screw locations.
When you take the screws out, tape them in their proper place on your drawings.
You will need to take the whole machine apart, since the fan is on the bottom of the motherboard.
Have fun!

[axur-delmeria]

You'll probably need at least one thermal pad as well. There's one sandwiched between the heatsink and the northbridge chip, and it can be damaged while removing the former. The hardware maintenance manual actually recommends replacing it every time the heatsink is removed.

[dr_st]

Before you go disassembling the entire machine, why don't you install TPFanControl to monitor things like CPU temperature and fan speed, and let us know what the actual numbers are. Also - what is the CPU usage over time? Perhaps some background processes grind it so much that it's close to 100% all the time?

[peshinga]

thanks for answers. first I decided to reinstall Windows and made it to Win 7 ultimate. now it seems that the CPU is ok. I will install now CPU monitoring program. But the heat from the area above the wireless modules (when i opened the black plastic cover i saw 2 modules) is continuing. I will disable wireless and will wait for result. Is it possible to have some problem with wireless ?

[dr_st]

This laptop has a known design fault with the location of the wireless module causing heat. If disabling wireless makes the problem go away, you may consider replacing the wireless card with a newer, cooler model (they exist).

[RealBlackStuff]

Intel 6200N or 6205N or 6300N half-size wifi cards with half-size adapter come to mind.
Don't forget to install Middleton's BIOS.
http://ali.dj/blog/sata-ii-support-for- ... 61-x61-r61

[peshinga]

thanks again. yes. the wireless card is intel 4965 AG MM2, and the heat is from there. I will try to upgrade with a newer model. So you recommend me Intel N 6300. After hardware replacement, do I need some other software ?

[peshinga]

Which of these to choose ? or no one is good for me ?

Broadcom BCM94313HMGB for HP 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card Adapter 598711-001


AzureWave AW-NE186H (AR5B125) Asus 802.11b/g/n Half PCIE Mini-Card

Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1000 IEEE 802.11b/g/n Half PCIE Mini-Card .

Atheros AR5B93 IEEE 802.11b/g/n Half PCIE Mini-Card -

Atheros AR5B95 IEEE 802.11b/g/n Half PCIE Mini-Card

Askey WLL6130-D99(RoHS) (RTL8192E) IEEE 802.11b/g/n Half PCIE Mini-Card

HP Broadcom BCM94313HMG2LP1 IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n PCIE Half Mini-Card

HP Broadcom BCM94322HM8L IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n PCIE Half Mini-Card

BCM94312HMGL 802.11a/b/g Mini-PCI-e WLAN

[RealBlackStuff]

The Intel 6x00N that I mentioned have proven to run reliable AND cool in X6x machines.
Get the 6300N if you have 3 antenna wires. If only 2 wires, get whichever is cheapest.
Stay away from Broadcom and RTLxxxx.
I have no experience with any of those small Atheros cards.

[thinkpadcollection]

Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1000 IEEE 802.11b/g/n Half PCIE Mini-Card . Not this!

Cheers, thinkpadcollection

[peshinga]

Off. Guys. I am not Thinkpad specialist . Finally What wi fi Card to buy. It will be second hand. Intel N 6205 or N 1000 ?

[E350]

I switched my three routers over to the TP Link Archer C7 with a/c, so I really like these half-cards both bought on ebay, I have installed them in at least three Thinkpads including my x61:

Intel Network 7260.HMWG WiFi Wireless-AC 7260 H/T Dual Band 2x2 AC+Bluetooth

2 x Mini PCI-E Half to Full Size Extension Card WIFI PCI Adapter Bracket

You should first install the Middleton BIOS, then download the driver from Intel, then install the card. I had to restart my computer twice before the card was recognized, then it is done and works great.

[RealBlackStuff]

As mentioned above, do NOT buy the N1000 !!

[peshinga]

i will buy intel N 6205 and will try to replace the old one. wish me luck

[Thinkpad4by3]

i will buy intel N 6205 and will try to replace the old one. wish me luck

I may have one laying around. I can check when I get Home.

[peshinga]

thanks a lot, but I am far far away from the USA.

[Thinkpad4by3]

thanks a lot, but I am far far away from the USA.

Its a wireless card, it should fit in first class mail enevelope and be cheap.

[peshinga]

it is very kind of you. i found one for 6 USD. I will take it. If there is some future problem I will post for help. Thanks Again. This Forum and people here are awesome.

[jaspen-meyer]

The half-sized 6205 is the best for low-heat. The 6300 is hotter. Also, the Atheros AR9280 is cool.

Next you will need to lower Tx power on the card, and enable powersaving mode on the wifi card.
The hotness is not entirely from the wifi card.

On my x60/x61 I also put 4 pieces of paper and a 2mm piece of leather over the right palm rest:
http://www.jesseo.com/thinkpads/x61s-leather.jpg (114 KB)

Also, you can put some extra copper, or thermal reflexive tape on the inside of the palm rest.

[peshinga]

this really is a "COOL" way. very interesting. i appreciate it. thanks a lot.

[TPFanatic]

I installed an Intel 5100 (full size) into my X60s and the palmrest still gets an amount warm, so I would not count that as a cool running card.

[peshinga]

and what is the problem with the old intel 4965 wifi card? are they just old or the new 811 n standard makes them been hot ? or they are just big and their parts comes hotter and hotter when work ?

[RealBlackStuff]

4965 is outdated, twice the size of newer cards, always ran hot and it's an awful lot slower.