x200 over heating

[sd180]

Uh oh... Gonna need some help on this one guys.

I have a x200 core 2 duo at 2.4Ghz with 3gb of RAM running Windows 7 Pro that's been getting pretty hot lately.

The fan is constantly on when it was never on before and the entire system warms to levels it never used to. It's about 8 months old. The heat sink area w/the fan gets hottest but the entire system definitely warms up.

I have at a normal power setting (max cpu speed when on battery is "adaptive," max when plugged in is "highest;" passive system cooling on battery, active when plugged in).

The horrible part is... ... it's twice randomly shut off on me before!!!!

First time was when I was using the thinkpad w/a external monitor attached at 1680x1050 w/a flash video playing full screen. The whacky part, the second time it randomly shut down was when I was NOT using an external monitor and I just surfing the web.

The shut downs are very sudden. It's akin to yanking out the battery when the thinkpad is not plugged in.

I'm almost 100% sure its due to overheating (as I had a horrible HP tx1000 before the thinkpad and that had over heating issues with the shutdowns happening the same exact way).

What do you guys think? has this happened to anyone before? any ideas for fixes?

thanks!
-a grad student who desperately needs a working computer.

[yak]

First thing to do would be to take off the keyboard and use canned air to blow off the dust from the cooler. Make sure to use something to block the fan blades so it doesn't rotate when you blow the air at it.

[sd180]

thanks for the recommendation yak.

i've actually tried that already. it was fairly dust free in there.

I noticed you have an x200 also. Has it been heating up more as time passes?

Any random shutdowns for you?

thanks for chiming in!

[yak]

No, mine is cool and quiet but it's only one month old.

Have you checked that the fan is actually spinning?

[sd180]

yep- fan is definitely spinning.

is this happening w/anyone else?

[Sandstorm83]

What temps are you getting on your X200?
The CPU and GPU on my 6-month old X200 hover between 40-45 degrees and the fan is on nonetheless.

[Harryc]

Install tpfancontrol and tell us your temps under load...e.g looking at a full screen video on the external monitor.
http://www.staff.uni-marburg.de/~schmitzr/donate.html

[sd180]

Thanks for the TPFC tip! I've installed and w/a flash video running at full screen on the external monitor at 1680x1050 after around 5 mins my temp readings were:


1 cpu 76°C
2 aps 51°C
4 gpu 61°C
5 no5 31°C
7 bat 29°C
9 bus 59°C
10 pci 64°C


is this abnormal? =/ Definitely some some hot hot heat coming out from the fan...

[Harryc]

76*c is not abnormally high at full load. These CPU's are made to run up to 100*C before they fail. I'd look elsewhere for the problem. Video drivers, RAM, power....start with those. Use Thinkvantage tool box to run full diagnostics...or PC-Doctor on older hardware. Are there any red flagged entries in your system log in Windows 7? By the way, is this X200 still under warranty?

[sd180]

Just ran the system hardware check under System Health of the ThankVantage Toolbox and everything seemed to have passed.

I doubt anything in the computer itself is physically loose. =/

So frustrating!

Currently finals in school right now so I can troubleshot this the way I would like but if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

If anyone is also experiencing random shutdowns (of the kind you experience when you just yank out the battery when the system is on) please let me know also. =/

The system IS still under warranty. Going to be until late August =) I'm always hesitant to send out systems when the problem isn't so glaring that any 10 year old can figure it out though. I'm fearful that who ever looks at it won't be able to figure it out and just use that as an opportunity to make a few screws loose and go through my hard drive. ... =/

[GrandMasterKhan]

Just ran the system hardware check under System Health of the ThankVantage Toolbox and everything seemed to have passed.

I doubt anything in the computer itself is physically loose. =/

So frustrating!

Currently finals in school right now so I can troubleshot this the way I would like but if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

If anyone is also experiencing random shutdowns (of the kind you experience when you just yank out the battery when the system is on) please let me know also. =/

The system IS still under warranty. Going to be until late August =) I'm always hesitant to send out systems when the problem isn't so glaring that any 10 year old can figure it out though. I'm fearful that who ever looks at it won't be able to figure it out and just use that as an opportunity to make a few screws loose and go through my hard drive. ... =/

Try elevating the notebook with books while leaving some of the bottom exposed. I find that my T61 if I do this I get a 2C degree difference in temp readings but that is on the Nvidia GPU card. Also, maybe you use a black colored desk? Heat concetrates. Anyway, one shouldn't have to make these accomodations to cool a notebook. Take a picture meaning screenshot of the temps and get it serviced showing them the temperature readouts.

[sd180]

IT HAPPENED AGAIN!!!!!

8am- turn on computer, read a few blogs. Thinkpad very cool. I leave Zune player on while the computer is sitting on my desk to listen to music while I brushed my teeth in the next room. Right as I walk back into the room I see it just turn off! I dash over to feel the computer and the fan area is hot hot hot! Entire left side of keyboard is very hot. Right side less hot. Hard drive area is also not very hot. RAM area also not very hot.

I think it's the CPU area.

Has this happened w/anyone else??? =(

Again- x200 running core 2 duo at 2.4Ghz with 3gb of RAM running Windows 7 Pro.

No loss of data yet but this is totally worrying me.

Should I service this guy out? Do you guys think the lenovo techs will be able to find the problem? =/

[Harryc]

Send it in for service. Provide as much detail as you can to Lenovo. Remove the hard drive, RAM, and optical drive before sending it in.

[GrandMasterKhan]

needs thermal paste. best to let the big experts do the job than to mess it with yourself. sholdn't hesitate to send it out. at least you will have time to assess the repair if you do it now.

[sd180]

thermal paste? that white gunk used to hold the cpu together with the heat sink and fan? You're probably right GMKhan!

ARG!! I really don't want to send it in. I hate the idea of someone being able to go over my hard drive. I really want to do it myself but you're right, it's probably best that I send it in.

HarryC, you mentioned that I should take out my hard drive and RAM chips (no optical drive on x200), have you done that before when servicing? I'm afraid they might send it back to me telling me they need it.

thanks guys-

[Harryc]

Take them all out, nobody will say a word. Yes I have done this many times.

[JaneL]

Take them all out, nobody will say a word.

I agree, Harry.

To the OP, see #5 in the forum's FAQ. That statement has been in the FAQ for this forum and others for a very long time for a very good reason.

[khtse]

Thanks for the TPFC tip! I've installed and w/a flash video running at full screen on the external monitor at 1680x1050 after around 5 mins my temp readings were:


1 cpu 76°C
2 aps 51°C
4 gpu 61°C
5 no5 31°C
7 bat 29°C
9 bus 59°C
10 pci 64°C


is this abnormal? =/ Definitely some some hot hot heat coming out from the fan...

While 76C is still under working temperature of the CPU, my X200 (2.53Ghz) never runs that hot, especially with the fan running. Auto-shutdown is a sign of overheating protection. If you are sure that there is no dust blocking the vent, and the fan is running properly, then it probably has to do with the thermal paste drying out as others have said. Replacing the thermal paste is not an easy task for inexperience users, so you should probably send it in for repair. Just remove the harddrive when you send it in if you don't want them to mess with it.

[GrandMasterKhan]

Just take the HDD out and if you are not comfortable, any additional RAM you might have added. Send it in. If they botch the job, at least you will have until your warranty expiration to assess and test the repair. You ae only wasting time unless you want to void the warranty and fix it yourself. Got to make a decision and the best course is to send it in.

[sd180]

thanks for the advice guys.

I'll send it in at the end of my exam period. I'll give them a call and request a box at the end of this week. Keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't take them too long for them to repair it and send it back.

I'll definitely take out my hard drive but i'll probably leave the RAM in there.

I'll post another response here if something happens in between. Otherwise, I'll let you guys know what happens in a few weeks after I send it in- get it back- and can test it out.

Really frustrating! I had my previous computer over heat and randomly shut down too- which was the reason I decided to spend a little more for the thinkpad this time. Oh well... what can we do right?

-Thanks again everyone! Especially for the tips about TPFanControl and that I can send this in w/o the hard drive being in there.

[sd180]

not sure if anyone is still interested but following two servicing mailings, it's all fixed!

Sent it in the first time and they sent it back pretty much in the same condition as when it was sent out. After a month of using it still w/more heating coming out than is normal, I sent it in again.

No problems since the second time.

Thanks again everyone!

[Harryc]

What did they replace? (check the invoice)

[Randers45]

Would like to know what they did to your computer. Had a few similar shut-downs recently on my x200, with no blue screen, but just a small click and a very sudden black screen. Like the battery was suddenly taken out, as you describe it. This is after a motherboard replacement (for other reasons). Never had the same type of breakdown before the replacement.

[madamd]

bump.

what did they replace? tell us what the issue was.

[LegendaryKA8]

I agree.. it would be helpful to anyone else coming across this problem in the future.

And honestly, sometimes the warranty servicing can be a bit... odd. I sent my X200 in a week ago for a dying LCD inverter.... they ended up replacing the entire motherboard.

[mulambo187]

I'm not sure if mine is overheating, the only real significantly warm spot is where the RAM is on the bottom. But about a month ago, the thinklight malfunctioned, if I squeeze the lid it will come on, so loose connector.....

Also I just started getting the sudden shutdowns, watching a youtube vid last night, the screen went black, the computer stayed on but was making a loud buzzing noise, would disturb a meeting.... had to hold down the power button for a bit to shut it down. I am also noticing the screen glitching out scrolling through websites in particular, the screen will for split seconds become all garbled or flash a solid colour, then goes back to normal.... Happening more and more frequently.

Just great, less then 50 days left of the standard warranty, and problems are popping up, i put a good $1500 in this laptop, and really starting to regret it since everything seems to be going downhill in less then 12 months of gentle use. I am going to take it to the premium partner in my area, really worried, like the OP, that they won't figure anything out and just loosen a few screws.

I really like this laptop overall, it fits my needs, but I am truly disappointed in the problems I am getting especially this early. The build quality is not rock solid, as as been said about Thinkpads in the past. Live and learn, will probably never buy another new, somewhat expensive for what you get, Thinkpad again.

[LegendaryKA8]

Your problem is most likely a defective or disconnected LCD cable. If you still have your warranty remaining my suggestion would be to make a claim. If not the cable itself is fairly inexpensive but can be a challenge to replace if you're not comfortable with opening your computer.

[cedesguin]

You may monitor the CPU temperature with RealTemp (http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/)

Mine is currently 38° Celsius, average temperature of both cores. Energy profile maximizing performance, fan off or very slow. (TP X201 one month old).

[EchoFox]

Friend of mine once reported his X200 shutting down by itself after running Half Life 2 for a few minutes. Never figured that one out, thought it might be a power management issue.

[cedesguin]

Friend of mine once reported his X200 shutting down by itself after running Half Life 2 for a few minutes. Never figured that one out, thought it might be a power management issue.

Probably not power management but thermal zone alert or malfunction. I don't know the maximum temperature the i5-520M processor tolerates (I was told more than 100°C), mine never exceeded 70°C.