Laptop core temp at 92*C ?!?!

[TechGuy71]

I've got a laptop (Acer Aspire 5720-4171) in that is having a problem with random shutdowns, and/or booting to a gray screen with a blinking cursor. Heat issue most likely it seems.

Anyway, when I check the core temp with 'System Information for Windows' (a very neat program btw) it's showing me the temp is hovering between 86*C and 92*C. That's HOT!

Blew it out real good and while some fuzzies did come out it wasn't terrible. There IS decent air flow out the back of the system, so I assume the heat sink isn't crammed with gunk. But what seems odd is that the air coming out the back is not hot, surely not as hot as what i'd expect.

So this seems to be one of 2 things... either the cpu is not in contact with the heat sink inside the laptop, or the reading are incorrect and something else is wrong. But before I tear into this thing I wanted to see if anyone had any ideas, because... well... honestly... I loathe tearing laptops apart.

[Rider]

I would personally believe the reading as it would explain the random shutdowns. I'm with ya, I hate tearing into laptops too.

[Majestic]

I've got a laptop (Acer Aspire 5720-4171) in that is having a problem with random shutdowns, and/or booting to a gray screen with a blinking cursor. Heat issue most likely it seems.

Anyway, when I check the core temp with 'System Information for Windows' (a very neat program btw) it's showing me the temp is hovering between 86*C and 92*C. That's HOT!

Blew it out real good and while some fuzzies did come out it wasn't terrible. There IS decent air flow out the back of the system, so I assume the heat sink isn't crammed with gunk. But what seems odd is that the air coming out the back is not hot, surely not as hot as what i'd expect.

So this seems to be one of 2 things... either the cpu is not in contact with the heat sink inside the laptop, or the reading are incorrect and something else is wrong. But before I tear into this thing I wanted to see if anyone had any ideas, because... well... honestly... I loathe tearing laptops apart.

Unfortunately I've run into the same situation as you! And I had tried programs recommended such as SPEEDFAN, Updating the bios, etc.. and in the end I had to order a new heatsink/fan assembly. So after all that is done..

What I WOULD recommend to you if you are going to open up this laptop (and I do apologize as I don't know your level of expertise) is that you get the technical manual for this particular laptop before "tearing" it apart (and things usually do break when you don't have the proper manual or aren't careful enough) and that once it's open and you've double checked the fan and all... Test it BEFORE completely reassembling it (I know it's a DUH moment.. or at least that was for me! But I feel laptops are quite fragile so I treat them accordingly)... to save you time...

This issue is very common on many laptops.. I wish there were an easier fix.

Don't make my mistake by "fix" quoting the price of the work. Just be fair.. just my 2 cents.

Good luck with it!

Majestic

[Simmy]

Most of the laptops I have in for overheating problems are from the acer aspire range. I had one in just today infact that was hitting 112c according to speedfan :eek:

Run a stress testing program like SP2004 and monitor the temps until it crashes. Rule out other hardware problems like dodgy RAM/hard drive.

Have you put a fresh lot of thermal compound on the cpu/heatsink? A good way to test for heatsink contact is to clean both the cpu and heatsink and apply thermal compound to just the cpu. Reseat the heatsink and screw it back into place and then see how much of the thermal compound has transferred to the heatsink.

[usacvlr]

After awhile it's like filleting a fish...

[mnoakes]

Since you have not pulled the laptop apart yet, I would recommend you do it.

I bet you the CPU heatsink fins do have a fine layer of fluff and dust built up. Remove all the old heat paste and apply some new thermal paste.

We encounter this problem on a daily basis now considering laptops are outselling desktops for the home user.

[RyanMeray]

I hate laptop repair. I wish there was someone in my area who did NOTHING but laptop repair, and was good enough that I could refer out all my business to. Currently, if it's more than a keyboard or ODD replacement, I just tell them I don't do component-level work and wish them luck finding someone else.

As for your question, I'd undoubtedly bet its the heatsink. Acer notebooks are total crap, although at least with Acer, you know you're getting crap and paying crap prices, as opposed to HP where you pay a premium for your crap.

[14049752]

I hate laptop repair. I wish there was someone in my area who did NOTHING but laptop repair, and was good enough that I could refer out all my business to.

I love laptop repair! I don't like working on desktops, especially custom builds.
I'm not in your immediate area, but I'll do all of your laptop repairs! :D

[RyanMeray]

I love laptop repair! I don't like working on desktops, especially custom builds.
I'm not in your immediate area, but I'll do all of your laptop repairs! :D

Heh, what part of the country are you in?

[TechGuy71]

I love laptop repair! I don't like working on desktops, especially custom builds.
I'm not in your immediate area, but I'll do all of your laptop repairs! :D

Hahaha... send me all your desktops, i'll send you all my laptops :)

[TimeCode]

I love laptop repair! I don't like working on desktops, especially custom builds.
Are you kidding? Wow. I hate laptops but custom builds and brand-name PCs are great to me. I only dislike gamer PCs. Those things are wacky. Fans 3 inches thick and water coolers that stretch the length of the case...

[TechGuy71]

Wow, getting to the processor and heatsink couldn't have been easier on this laptop. One cover off the back and it's all right there.. lol.. nothing like the Compaq I dug into the other day. I guess that one made me a bit gun shy.. lol

Anyway, the cpu seemed to be making good contact. But the chipset had some blue spongy thing between it and the heatsink. It almost seems like it was a protective piece from it's packaging that got left on during assembly. Hm. Gonna clean it all up and a fresh dab of thermal compound on both and will let you know how it goes :)

[Simmy]

Ah yeah, kinda like a bluetac substance? Be careful that the chipset heatsink doesn't hover just above the chipset - I think that's why they have to use that thick blue stuff.

[TechGuy71]

well... dunno... seems like the mininum temps have gone down (66*C) but it's still climbing way high under stress (96*C). Possible that the copper pipe or heatsink is bad?

[Azz]

well... dunno... seems like the mininum temps have gone down (66*C) but it's still climbing way high under stress (96*C). Possible that the copper pipe or heatsink is bad?

Is the fan spinning fast enough?

It should start off slow, and as it gets hotter increase.

Aaron

[TechGuy71]

Is the fan spinning fast enough?

It should start off slow, and as it gets hotter increase.

Aaron

Yea sure seems to be spinning fine, and increases as it should. There is good airflow out the back. It just seems that for as hot as this thing is running that the air coming out the back should be hotter than it is. The copper pipe inside is very hot but the heatsink doesn't seem to be... but then again I guess that's kinda the idea. But it does seem that the air coming out should be much hotter.

[Romaniac]

Majestic said that he had the same problem and he ended up ordering a new heat sink. Sounds like you might have to do the same.

Are you using any 3rd party software to check the temps?

[TechGuy71]

Majestic said that he had the same problem and he ended up ordering a new heat sink. Sounds like you might have to do the same.

Are you using any 3rd party software to check the temps?

Yah, I'm using a program called 'System Information for Windows'. It's a great program... gives you more information than you could ever want to know.

I ended up ordering a new heat sink this afternoon. The only thing I can figure... since there is no heat coming out the back yet the copper pipe is hot... is that there is a bad contact where the copper meets the heat sink.

[TechGuy71]

Just an update on this problem, in the hopes that it may help someone in the future. I installed a new heatsink and the temp dropped to like 40*C. Ran it through a stress test and temps never got high and system never **** down.

Thanks to everyone who gave suggestions and advice on this!

[usacvlr]

We've been specializing in laptops only for 2 years now. They take up less space and are lighter to carry :) Plus, no one else hardly works on them so it's a niche market which we fill by mail order predominantly and in the walk in shop. I've personally disassembled/repaired/reassembled around 500 now.

I hate laptop repair. I wish there was someone in my area who did NOTHING but laptop repair, and was good enough that I could refer out all my business to. Currently, if it's more than a keyboard or ODD replacement, I just tell them I don't do component-level work and wish them luck finding someone else.

As for your question, I'd undoubtedly bet its the heatsink. Acer notebooks are total crap, although at least with Acer, you know you're getting crap and paying crap prices, as opposed to HP where you pay a premium for your crap.

[TechGuy71]

We've been specializing in laptops only for 2 years now. They take up less space and are lighter to carry :) Plus, no one else hardly works on them so it's a niche market which we fill by mail order predominantly and in the walk in shop. I've personally disassembled/repaired/reassembled around 500 now.


Oh I don't mind working on them as much as i lead on. I whine about it, but if there's income involved I'm all over it :) There's just so many damn little screws.. lol

[usacvlr]

Oh I don't mind working on them as much as i lead on. I whine about it, but if there's income involved I'm all over it :) There's just so many damn little screws.. lol

After awhile you learn a lot of tricks that makes taking them apart go extremely fast.