Hot memory compartment and cover in X31

[sherpa]

Hello,

just wondering if anyone with X31 has the same situation:
quite hot memory compartment after some 1 hour of use {CPU on MAX} but I do only net browsing activity in firefox or MSIE.
2x256MB PC2100 RAM is installed.
especially there is no cooling for this space and place gets even hotter when NB lays on my bed blanket or cushion and there is no passive heat dissipation possible at this use-combination.
to hold it on my naked thigh or palm is unbearable longer than 1 minute.
Shall memory get so hot? and if so, is there any limit temperature it can withstand? I know that for HDD high temp is not very welcome. I assume for memory it is the same.
My CPU airvent is working fine and cools the CPU regularly, so the heat from CPU shall have nothing in common with this heat coming from memory space.

thanks for info.

PS> just upgraded the memory to 1.25 GB, so I will take a look if this issue continues and post my observations later on.

[jolly2]

This normal that the cover of ram is hot, especially when you use maximum performance profile. When I use my TP on adaptive speed is quite cooler, but when i use on battery i have slow profile and then my TP is cool enought to hold it on naked legs. I have 2x512 MB DDR, but when I have only one 512, there was no big diffrence in hot of ram cover.
So try to change profiles.

[gator]

This is a well known issue with the X31 and unfortunately, even if you undervolt or use the least performance setting, this is not going to go away. The CPU fan intake vent is also on the bottom, and that adds to heat. You'll notice that IBM changed the position of the RAM slot in the later T and the X series (T4x, T6x and X4x, X6x).

I used the X31 on a wooden pad so that I don't feel the heat when I have it on my lap. You can also use the ultrabase, but since there is not much cooling with the ultrabase on, sometimes the laptop runs even hotter. I resorted to undervolting the CPU to offset this partially.

[mpcook]

This is a well known issue with the X31 and unfortunately, even if you undervolt or use the least performance setting, this is not going to go away. The CPU fan intake vent is also on the bottom, and that adds to heat. You'll notice that IBM changed the position of the RAM slot in the later T and the X series (T4x, T6x and X4x, X6x).

I used the X31 on a wooden pad so that I don't feel the heat when I have it on my lap. You can also use the ultrabase, but since there is not much cooling with the ultrabase on, sometimes the laptop runs even hotter. I resorted to undervolting the CPU to offset this partially.

Yes I have found that my X31's run hotter when in the ultrabase. In general all of mine, X31, X31, X30, X32 run pretty hot. But I have never had any problems (heat related) with any of them.

Mike

[ragefury32]

This is a well known issue with the X31 and unfortunately, even if you undervolt or use the least performance setting, this is not going to go away. The CPU fan intake vent is also on the bottom, and that adds to heat. You'll notice that IBM changed the position of the RAM slot in the later T and the X series (T4x, T6x and X4x, X6x).

I used the X31 on a wooden pad so that I don't feel the heat when I have it on my lap. You can also use the ultrabase, but since there is not much cooling with the ultrabase on, sometimes the laptop runs even hotter. I resorted to undervolting the CPU to offset this partially.

Well, partial cheat is to buy the extended life battery. For some reason it would act as a heat sink for the memory bay.

BTW, that memory bay is a known achilles heel on the X31/2 machines to the EZServ techs. If you are an X31/2 user, protect that area. Put non-conductive cushioning material around it if you can.

[sherpa]

Hello
Thanks for info.

with 1,25 GB RAM now, the same heat appears to be generated.
But I played a bit with Adaptive CPU mode and then CPU is not running on max, air vent is less used, too.
however memory still keeps hot. hmm.
anyway, I got a steel table, so conductive material beneath can absorb some heat, or I lie down on bed, so the TP is in vertical position or at some angle touching only by edges to my leg. so the heat can go up easily.

any idea how hot can memory get {and system will then stop, shutdown, BSOD or else?}
any SW to measure temp for RAM?

[mpcook]

[quote="ragefury32
BTW, that memory bay is a known achilles heel on the X31/2 machines to the EZServ techs. If you are an X31/2 user, protect that area. Put non-conductive cushioning material around it if you can.[/quote]

What do you mean, an achilles heel, what can happen to it?

Thanks
Mike

[tomh009]

I have never, not even once, had the X31 crash or BSoD because of heat. The only crashes I can recall at all were from trying the Omega drivers, which my X31 did not like at all. And I have used the X31 on tables, on my lap, inside, outside, in winter, in tropical climates -- everywhere!

The memory is the hottest part but I do find it quite manageable.

[Subliming]

I have resorted to keep the fan running at all times using TPFan Control. The X31 gets unbearably hot otherwise... With the fan running constantly the notebook is only warm to the touch.

If anyone wants the settings I use I can post a copy/paste of the .ini here.

[tomh009]

What NHC settings are you using? What temperatures are you getting?

[Puppy]

I have refubrished X31 with 768M RAM (2672-CXU). It is pretty cool using "ThinkPad Default" power scheme. The fan hardly turns on. The only case when the memory cover gets warm is when charging battery. I use latest power management driver version 1.41 (Software Installer does not offer it, you have to download it directly) as well as the latest BIOS and Embedded controller updates.

[ragefury32]

[quote="ragefury32
BTW, that memory bay is a known achilles heel on the X31/2 machines to the EZServ techs. If you are an X31/2 user, protect that area. Put non-conductive cushioning material around it if you can.

What do you mean, an achilles heel, what can happen to it?

Thanks
Mike[/quote]

Repetitive stress to the memory bay door can cause it to slip out of alignment with the rim below, and then the entire bay will start putting pressure on the board below, either shorting it out or causing BGA solders on the Northbridge above to fail. When that happens your machine will NOT start at all.

[Puppy]

Repetitive stress to the memory bay door can cause it to slip out of alignment with the rim below, and then the entire bay will start putting pressure on the board below, either shorting it out or causing BGA solders on the Northbridge above to fail. When that happens your machine will NOT start at all.

The memory cover seems to be robust. How can it exactly happen ?

[Subliming]

What NHC settings are you using? What temperatures are you getting?

Well I'm not using NHC at all, just TP Fan control. My fancontrol.ini is pretty much default except for the following at the very end:

Code: Select all

Level=47 1
Level=50 4
Level=55 5
Level=60 7
Level=70 128

If you use the above the fan runs pretty much constantly however the notebook stays quite cool to the touch. I suppose running the fan like this on battery might not be ideal, but it does not seem to have a significant impact.

[tomh009]

To each his (or her) own, but ... running NHC, with the 6x voltage set to 0.764V, my X31 stays cool (below 40C) even with the fan not turning on at all.

I personally find the X31 fan loud enough to be annoying.

[ragefury32]

The memory cover seems to be robust. How can it exactly happen ?

Oh, it's fairly robust, but that alloy panel does and will warp after multiple openings. I've personally seen machines so poorly maintained that the screws do not go in tight after the panel is removed, and bent covers with missing screws are a common issue seen in depot returns. Also remember that the panel itself covers nearly 20% of the machine's underside and is on top of some very vulnerable machine real estate (the northbridge and the GPU are on top of it, the CPU is directly next to it but it is reinforced by the heatsink/fan mounting on top of the CPU). That's a mighty large target area to be covered by that cover. Let's just say that it's a good idea to reinforce it, especially since fixing it would mean swapping out the motherboard in place of a new one.