Safe temperature range dell precision m90

Question

I own a Dell Precision M90 with an NVIDIA Quadro FX 1500M video card. I use the computer for most everything and occasionally for gaming. Two games in particular I seem to have problems with. Age of Empires and World of Warcraft. If I play either game, then after a period of time anywhere from 5 minutes to 45 minutes, I encounter video tearing where I get triangles that extend from a 3 dimensional object off to the horizon.

I suspect overheating is the problem. The computers normal temperature when sitting idle is anywhere from 55 to 65 degree celcius. But as soon as I open up either game and check the temperature, it is up around 90 to 100 degrees celcius. This past week I received a blue screen of death with a parrity error while playing age of empires.

What should the operating temperature for the Dell Precision be and how high should it get under extreme gaming conditions? Is this video tearing due to excessive heating and perhaps affecting the memory on the GPU? And finally is there a way to tweak the fan speed, without violating the warranty, to a higher setting under gaming conditions?

Message Edited by JeffLeach on 06-18-2007 10:40 AM

Message Edited by JeffLeach on 06-18-2007 10:41 AM

Daiko · Answer

I have the same problem.

I own a Dell Inspirion 9400 with a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GS (256 Mo) video card.

My computer is warmer than it should be and especially when I play 3D games. I played World of Warcraft first normally, but now for some time I have visual bugs like you. I "solved" this problem with an aditionnal fan directed on the computer. But now I've started to play another game : "The Settlers - Heritage of Kings", and this one is warming my computer so much, that a fan isn't sufficient, the visual bugs are enormous and fill my screen. Although, if I don't use the fan, I have a blue screen of death in about two minutes.

I scanned my computer for viruses, but no viruses were found. Surely, it doesn't mean there is really no virus, but I hope there's something else I can do, but formating my computer.

Message Edited by Daiko on 06-18-2007 12:24 PM

JeffLeach · Answer

Hit f12 on startup and ran the diagnostics for the graphics.   Came up with a memory error on the graphics card.   Dell shipped to me at no cost a refurbished graphics card, motherboard, and a graphics fan.  I replaced all of those even though the graphics card was the only defective componoent.     Computer works flawlessly now in WOW and Age of Empires.    GPU temp is still too high though.  Temp of graphics card hit 81 degree celcius in WOW before said enough. I suspect if I let things go then in 3 or 4 months I would have to replace the graphics card again.  I used 18kfanGUI in passive to monitor to see if the fans would kick in under these intense graphic card sessions and nope.   The threshhold for the fans to turn on seems to be set at too high of a temperature.     I sent an email to tech support asking for what the operating temperatures should be for the graphics card under different situations and they refused to provide me this information.  Will this graphics card be damaged under sustained temps of 80 to 90 degree celcius?  I suspect the answer is yes given the number of graphics cards that are running hot and coming up with graphical anomalies.   One last question.    Will I be violating the warranty of my Dell laptop if I use 18kfanGUI in manual mode and turn the fans on high during gaming?   From reading various forums, 18kfanGUI has been successful in keeping the graphics card cooler by as much as 30 to 40 degrees celcius under workloads.

jay11691 · Answer

One of the best ways to keep your notebook cool is by using an add on fan that plugs into your usb. It is like a tray under your computer with a fan or two directed at your computer. Belkin makes a good one that is also affordable- about $35. I believe that it is on dell's website in the 'notebook accessories' catagory. Good luck, jay

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Safe temperature range dell precision m90

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