T43p: GPU temperature over 100 degrees. Is it acceptable?

[BigCatAndy]

Hello everyone,

some months ago I changed fan in my T43p. The old one was really loud. Whiel changing, I placed some heat grease on GPU (FireGL V3200), and it worked properly. Yesterday I was watching DVD, and noticed, that my palm rest was really-really warm. I started "ThinkFan" software (which some people use to contol the fan on T43p) and saw there, that GPU had a tenmperature of 92 to 102 degrees Celsius. Rotation speed was something like 4500 rpm. Here is my question: can it be? Is it acceptable for the GPU? If not, should I put more grease? Actually, I watched DVDs also earlier, and could not remember, that it became so hot. So, I suspect, that I did something wrong while changing the fan.

I will appreciate any help.

Greetings from Hamburg,
Andrey

[Raceboy]

No, it is not acceptable! There is something wrong with the heatsink mounting between GPU or CPU.

[RealBlackStuff]

The GPU part normally comes with a thermal pad, that does not require thermal paste (but you could put some on if you like).
If you remove that thermal pad and just use the copper-on GPU, then you definitely need thermal paste on the GPU, but you also have to VERY carefully BEND/ADJUST the GPU cooler part, so it sits absolutely flush on the GPU.
Failing this (as is probably the case with yours), it does NOT cool the GPU at all.

[BigCatAndy]

Hello RealBlackStuff,

The GPU part normally comes with a thermal pad, that does not require thermal paste (but you could put some on if you like).
If you remove that thermal pad and just use the copper-on GPU, then you definitely need thermal paste on the GPU, but you also have to VERY carefully BEND/ADJUST the GPU cooler part, so it sits absolutely flush on the GPU.
Failing this (as is probably the case with yours), it does NOT cool the GPU at all.

Thanks for the hint. Saying "flush" you mean, that my heatsink (connected to the fan) must touch very-very firmly the GPU, don't you? And what is "thermal pad"? Can I buy it at eBay, is it Thinkpad-specific?

Cheers,
Andrey.

[Alejandro Audisio]

Thanks for posting this... is this ThinkFan software freeware you can download....? I think Im having a heat related issue with my T43p.

Thanks,
Alejandro

[Orclas]

Thanks for the hint. Saying "flush" you mean, that my heatsink (connected to the fan) must touch very-very firmly the GPU, don't you? And what is "thermal pad"? Can I buy it at eBay, is it Thinkpad-specific?

Yes.

Without knowing the details the way RBS does, a heatsink and xPU should have a firm and tight contact, with the thermal paste bridging the two on what could be described as "at the microscopic level". A thermal pad on the other hand may at times be used both to bridge a slight distance between the two as well as performing the thermal paste "micro level" heat bridge part.

Thermal paste should always be applied very thin (as for best techniques, it depends on taste and sometimes on which component) and never to bridge a physical distance between sink and component.

[RealBlackStuff]

The thermal pad is clearly visible in this eBay auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-T43-M24-26R ... 0267130738
It's the pink square on the right.
If you remove this pink thermal pad , you need to VERY carefully bring the copper GPU cooler-part down, so it fits flat/flush on the surface of the GPU. Then apply AS5 for proper contact.

[BigCatAndy]

Hello Alejandro,

Thanks for posting this... is this ThinkFan software freeware you can download....? I think Im having a heat related issue with my T43p.

this software is free and is called "Thinkpad Fan Control". Be sure that you download Windows-version. It is used in T4x models only, because - as far as I know - only those models have noise issues / pitching of fans.

Cheers,
Andrey

[BigCatAndy]

Hello RealBlackStuff,

The thermal pad is clearly visible in this eBay auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-T43-M24-26R ... 0267130738
It's the pink square on the right.
If you remove this pink thermal pad , you need to VERY carefully bring the copper GPU cooler-part down, so it fits flat/flush on the surface of the GPU. Then apply AS5 for proper contact.

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Today I opened my Thinkpad and checked the cooler. I noticed that thermal grease on the GPU was dry and quite hard (unlike on the CPU, where it was soft and "greasy"). I cleaned GPU, put another portion of thermal grease, bent a bit the cooler so that thermal pad (which I have) touches the GPU, and assemled everything. Afterwards I was watching TV for 2 hours (using DVBT-receiver in ExpressCard-slot) on the external monitor in a full-screen-mode and observed the GPU temperature. It was something like 77-82 degrees. Are these acceptable values?

Regards,
Andrey

[NovaKnowledgeNow]

That's a good question I haven't seen answered anywhere. I'm running about 80 degrees on one of my thinkpads T60s. Does anyone know the proper temperature? We should be at while watching videos?

[Adda]

You could try setting the PowerPlay mode for your V3200's to balanced or low power, this should lower the temps significantly.
Or you could take a look at IBM_ECW.

[RealBlackStuff]

Ca. 80C is a bit on the high side for a GPU, but technically still acceptable.
Do as I suggested, i.e. remove pad, lower the GPU cooler part to sit absulutely flat on the GPU, and touches the whole GPU surface.
Then apply AS5. Construct something to hold the cooler flat on the GPU if necessary.
Temp should drop ca. 10C or more.

[NovaKnowledgeNow]

FML, in the process of bending the cooling part, I think I may have applied too much pressure to the GPU.
Now it keeps dying, I just got a "Display driver NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 186.94 stopped responding and has successfully recovered" but I just got it a second time. I've had a couple times where it has frozen up on me now too.

Ugh... I think suddenly the GPU temperature is the last of my worries...

Yup, now I'm getting a really 4 way split screen, grey and yellow.

Any suggestions?

[Neil]

Well, NovaKnowledgeNow, there are no T43p (or T60 for that matter) units with nVIDIA graphics, so you must be dealing with the infamous defective chip on a T61. And you are correct...heat is not the issue, for which there is no fix, other than replace the motherboard.

[ajkula66]

Yup, now I'm getting a really 4 way split screen, grey and yellow.

Any suggestions?

One and only lasting fix: replace the motherboard.

Neil has already said everything else there was to be said...

[NovaKnowledgeNow]

Yup, it's a T61 I picked up on Craigslist that had a bad keyboard and a Fan error. Now I have a doorstop I guess.

[RealBlackStuff]

@NovaKnowledgeNow:
This mishap (sorry to hear about it) only shows that you should:
1) not butt in in someone else's thread, unless it is about the same problem
... this thread is about a T43 and my advise concerned a T43...
... your machine is a T61, completely different machine!
2) always check that you post in the correct forum
3) always tell us what machine YOU are talking about
... people in the T4x forum do not necessarily know about machines in the T2x, or T6x or any other forum!