Computer overheating

Hi all-
I'm having some issues (perhaps serious) with my Lenovo T400 laptop. Honestly, I don't think my fans function at all. Sometimes my computer gets so hot, the damn thing shuts itself off. I was just wondering if there are any solutions to this other than opeining the thing and replacing the fan. I assume with laptops, replacing parts is a much more painful process. Below is a screenie of my temperature monitor. Let me know if you need more details.

I didnt think those temps are too hot, then again my laptop shuts itself off sometimes aswell. I just blow in the fan vents for a minute and its good to go :-p

Well, how many fans do you have, and... do they even move? Do you hear a high pitched noise if you put your ear near the fans when the laptop's on? Have you tried cleaning the laptop inside with cotton and canned air?

If that doesn't help put some padding under your laptop so the backside is raised a bit and you have a better airflow.

I used to put books under my laptop, that fixed it.

Since when was 60C hot? Go download CoreTemp as well, 'Temp1' means jack shit to me.

PetePorty wrote:Well, how many fans do you have, and... do they even move? Do you hear a high pitched noise if you put your ear near the fans when the laptop's on? Have you tried cleaning the laptop inside with cotton and canned air?

I don't know how many I have, and I'm not sure they even move. When I put my hand over the vents, I don't feel any airflow. I don't hear a high pitched noise, and I haven't cleaned the inside. I haven't done much other than post here for help.

Orcworm wrote:Since when was 60C hot? Go download CoreTemp as well, 'Temp1' means jack shit to me.

I just turned it on after being off al night so it is cool. Once I start using it or it's been on for a while, I'll post another reading.

Spoiler:

Yeah that's nothing to worry about ;p.

Spoiler:

You just wanted to show off your 4 cores, Orc; accept it.

It's getting hotter...

Spoiler:

go steal some hydrogen at school (Yeah, we have that stuff...)
fill your computer with it
???
cool forever!

PetePorty wrote:You just wanted to show off your 4 cores, Orc; accept it.

Everyone has a quad-core these days don't they?

Only graphic/techwhores with too much money on their hands do Orcy.

It got to 86 C so I shut it off. It's back down to 40ish.

Did you try compressed air into the air vents? (Not the stuff from a compressor, but that stuff you buy at a PC store lol)

I have not, but I will. I feel like if the fan was spinning, it wouldn't gain 40 degrees in an hour, no matter how much dust is in the vents.

Its not so much the dust on the vents is the dust in the heatsink. Dust in heat sink == less air flow == more heat build up

FillerB wrote:Only graphic/techwhores with too much money on their hands do Orcy.

Not really, I have one and I'm definitely none of those two named above. :3

Albuca wrote:Its not so much the dust on the vents is the dust in the heatsink. Dust in heat sink == less air flow == more heat build up

Correction, it's that dust blocks the heat transfer since it's a great insulator.. resulting in the higher temperatures.


And as Albuca said, use a can of air on the laptop. Use short bursts aimed at the laptop's intake for the CPU Heatsink.

Anyways, I opened the thing and as a surprise to me, it opens from the front.
Heres the manual: http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/43y6629_04.pdf
Anyways, there is a somewhat thick layer of dust on what appears to be a fan (not sure which, just looks like a fan to me ) Anyways, I want to run it while it's open so I can see the fans working, but in order to do that I need to remove the keyboard. I can get the keyboard off of it, but there is a ribbon connector holding it onto the motherboard. If you take a look at the manual, it nonchalantly says "Remove the connector". From looking at it, it seems like a much more difficult process than just pulling it off .

Also,
Is it a bad idea to run it while its open without a keyboard connected?
If not, can I connect a usb keyboard+mouse to control it?

Pics will come tomorrow so you guys can see what I'm talking about with the keyboard connector.

Also, let me know if I'm not making sense, I may have messed up a term here and there.
<- Hardware nub

I asked my dad (lolyeah) cause he works with computers all day erryday. He said you could run it while it was open. It shouldn't have any problems. Just be careful with the Hard Drives, nothing magnetic near them.

This probably has nothing to do with it, but what surfaces is your computer resting on while you are using it? I learned that if it's on your lap or some other uneven cushion-like surface, your computer can overheat, while if it's on a smooth area with nice airflow it will have a much easier time.

It's all good now, I took a can of compressed air to the fan and cleaned it out. Works fine now.

patrickfreed wrote:It's all good now, I took a can of compressed air to the fan and cleaned it out. Works fine now.

For some reason this is funny to me. but anyways, I'm glad your computer is working fine again

PureCraft wrote:go steal some hydrogen at school (Yeah, we have that stuff...)
fill your computer with it
???
cool forever!

Surely you mean liquid nitrogen or possibly even helium, or is there a hint of sarcasm I'm missing here?

Laptops are notorious for one of two things: collecting dust and other crap through the intricately designed cooling systems, thus it pays to open them up every so often and have a 'spring clean'; or the harddrive craps out.

Intel hardware is known for running slightly hot, then again as a consequence they can tolerate the higher temperatures.

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