Thinkpads Forum

After dealing with a T43 whose fan eventually went berserk (it went from a sound akin to making tea to a grinding rumble before I attempted to replace it and from then on couldn't even go to web sites with fancy ads lest it overpower and overheat my poor computer...), I got a T410 in the summer of 2010...

I was a bit alarmed when using it early on when it unexpectedly shut down (just blinked off) while I was doing non-taxing internet browsing. I wasn't sure if I should be worried, and it continued to shut down unexpectedly only once in a while, maybe a few times every few months.

Although this would seem concerning, I let it slide. Anyway, the frequency of these unexpected shut-downs has increased since then to maybe a couple times every few weeks. I do think it's correlated to CPU usage, and based on my previous experience with the T43, I have the feeling that the computer is overheating when it performs these shut downs.

After Googling the problem, I updated my Thinkvantage tools or whatever, as there was mention that this could be some software problem where the cooling system doesn't kick in that well with Windows 7. And then I immediately tested the computer with some stress test thing built into the Thinkvantage stuff. Of course it stressed my poor computer and shut down. At least I am more sure this is an overheating problem...

I figured I might take matters into my own hands and install TPFanControl to just manually (or "smart"fully) get the fan going even when my computer doesn't realize there's a problem. But looking at the temperatures, I'm no expert in what is normal and what is just too darn hot.

In normal internet use, the cpu is around the low 50s in temperature. If I run a computer chess engine, for example, the temperature immediately shoots up above 75 and steadily climbs if I leave the engine running (I'm talking seconds, not minutes and not hours). I figure that under BIOS or Smart (I even reset the Level=temp to lower than the default .ini settings), the computer should be able to handle a simple chess engine, but it seems unable to do so.

Any advice? Is this software? Hardware? Normal for a chess engine? The shutdowns are something else?

I'm running Windows 7 on a 2516CTO T410.

Firstly, have you cleaned out the vents with compressed air? I'd remove the keyboard and block the fan from spinning then give it a good cleaning that way to see if there might be dust or something blocking the fan vents from working like they should.

If that doesn't help it sounds like you might want to either send your machine in if it's under warranty or if it isn't a CPU repaste might help.

TPFanControl is a good idea, but I generally use it to keep an eye on temps and keep the fan under BIOS control. If your machine is heating up that quickly under load there's something that needs to be looked at.

I haven't cleaned out the vents (though they feel like they're pushing out air nice and strong) nor taken a look inside at the fan/heat sink etc. I haven't wanted to since this computer (t410) requires more work to get at that compared to my old T43...
I might go that way, though.

I have a new problem, actually much worse than the original unexpected shut down problem. And I think I somehow created it while trying to fix the former...

As for TPFanControl and the rest... so as I said, I installed TPFanControl to monitor temperatures. Around the same time, I also updated some Lenovo drivers through the ThinkVantage stuff, and as sort of detailed in this thread: http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/T400-T500-a ... d-p/275888
More specifically: the "ThinkVantage System Update 4.01"
While I was there, I think I also checked a few of the other update options.

Now, my problem is that every couple of days or so, the screen flicks off to black (computer still working and on, not a shut down). And then it sort of flickers back on every once and a while. When it does, I can see that the mouse is sometimes frozen, the computer generally unresponsive, and I basically have to force shut down. I'm linking to a quick youtube video that I took of my computer as it was doing this earlier today. Please take a look.
In addition, I have noticed that logging on/starting up the computer takes much longer since the "updates." Specifically, after I type my password, there is a black screen for maybe a full minute before the normal windows pops up. This seems like it might be related to the other black screen/freezing issue. Perhaps someone has an idea how these might be related and what's going on.

So here's the YouTube video, which gives a much clearer picture of what's actually happening to my computer than I am able to explain in words. All help is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdXT6UnXPYw