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Dell Latitude E6400 - Overheating issues with minute tasks such as playing flash videos for extended periods?
I'm not sure if this is happening to anyone else, but I've recently been experiencing some serious issues with my Dell Latitude E6400 (with latest BIOS, and all other relevant updates) while surfing, playing flash videos full screen, etc. After extended periods, Windows Vista slows to a halt to the point I can barely minimize a window without severely delayed lag. I've also noticed that the typical games I play have also had its frame rates severely slowed down as well.
I have been trying out Mozilla Firefox 3.1 Beta 2 and also the latest ESET Smart Security 4 Beta, but I've doubt these are the culprit. Just for good measure, I've uninstalled these but the issue still seems to persist.
As I use this mainly for graphic design (using latest Adobe CS4), it's quite critical to be able to handle most of these tasks. For that matter, as a $2,000+ laptop, I'd at least assume to be able to surf and play flash videos without issues. I've been told my Dell tech support to run Diagnostics, but everything seems to complete successfully. They haven't gotten back to me again yet - but I've purchased a 3 year Complete Cover warranty - what am I to do?
I'm a Canadian consumer and have heard nothing but the best from them - but as I am currently lodged in Hong Kong, I purchased this through Dell Hong Kong and am worried that my warranty (even though purchased), will not be rewarded as well as the Canadian counterpart without a severe delay - which means my work will be compromised.
Any ideas would be great!
gegoodwin
2 Posts
0
August 28th, 2009 09:00
BIOS A15 is out today for the E6400s. Doesn't list any fixes for overheating/thermal table updates.
Fixes/Enhancements
------------------
1. Added support for Win 7.
2. Updated PXE OPROM.
3. Fixed issue where external USB CD drive can not boot.
4. Added workaround for Windows issue causing printer connected to Docking Station to intermittently disappear after redock.
5. Improved access speed for PCMCIA card.
trav72n
2 Posts
0
August 28th, 2009 14:00
My laptop (E6500) suffered from this "at 50 degree throttle the CPU for no reason" problem a lot and I was pretty much able to reproduce the issue every time I extended the monitor and loaded a Virtual Machine. Since installing the BIOS update, I've been able to crank the CPU temp up to the mid 70s for an extended amount of time (by converting LiveMeeting files to .wmv) without seeing any kernel warnings. The CPU stays at its full MHz and I'm not noticing any performace issues. So it looks like this issue is resolved with the update.
tinkerdude
22 Posts
0
August 28th, 2009 15:00
Well, I was hopeful, but there is no change on my system after I installed A14 that just came out today for the E6500. Can you explore a little further? Are you certain your system is fixed? How about going back to A13, reproducing the problem, then doing the same thing under the same conditions on A14 (at the same ambient temperature)?
BTW, my current contact at Dell (in the Executive Escalation Team at the Resolution Expert Center) turned out to be a complete joke. Turns out she doesn't even remotely understand the problem. I'll put together a separate post on that - the situation is astonishingly ludicrous. I've been a huge Dell fan for years (I've had a Dell laptop as my main system since the mid 90's), this experience has completely turned my opinion around on them. I can see now how they've lost the top PC vendor spot to HP (and Acer's nipping at their heels these days).
aloprete
5 Posts
0
August 28th, 2009 16:00
With high (ok, maybe not that high) hopes I also updated to BIOS A14 today. Unfortunately, my E6500 w/ Quadro still exhibits the same issue.
JoeB7
55 Posts
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August 31st, 2009 04:00
Hi, just phoned with our contact at DELL:
A15 does not contain the thermal table updates. A16 is already finished / in testing and might be released in 4 weeks. There's no thermal table update either. There's a pre17 already but so far no indicators about thermal table updates. I hope I will receive some news about testing the pre17/18 with the thermal table updates.
A15 containes (undocumented at DELL download site) Video Bios updates for both GPUs Intel GMA and Nvidia.
Well, RM clock does its job. So I don't bother too much. Will post here, when more news. Umm, no further comment...
trav72n
2 Posts
0
August 31st, 2009 04:00
I thought about doing this but ran out of time to do any testing like that. So I went ahead and flashed the BIOS. But it is true that my laptop is no longer exhibiting the problem. Perhaps I never had this exact issue in the first place and my laptop was truly overheating. I was running Windows 7 RC 0 at the time and was playing around with some of the NVidia drivers. Maybe my laptop just got screwed up software-wise. Like a lot of folks, I did clean out the fan, heat sinks, and all the other stuff with compressed air. Maybe I fixed the issue by mistake that way. Sorry to be the bearer of false hope here. :emotion-8:
reem01
4 Posts
0
August 31st, 2009 20:00
I have a E6400 with the Nvidia GPU. I use this as a media center machine with the docking station. I used it for 5 months or so with no issues, played HD content great. Then started having overheating issues, or throttling issues more accuratly. I had Dell replace the MB, but that did not fix the issue. I rebuilt the machine with Vista, which it was running before, same problem. Then went to Windows 7 RC, same issue. I tried opening the laptop, since it was in a somewhat confined space, gave me a couple more minutes of use. I even had a targus chillpad, which didn't help. I upgraded the BIOS, and that didn't seem to help either, left it out of the dock, in an open space, and same issue. I upgraded the Nvidia driver on Dell's site, and also tried a Belkin laptop cooler. Now it is working great, and the lid can be closed again. I can watch for 1.5 hours, longest so far, without issue. Before the driver update the throttling would start at 84 degrees, now I am getting up to 90 degrees and no throttling.
I am not saying everything is fixed, but it is much better for me at least. I have not tried running without the Belkin cooler, but it doesn't bother me to use, so I may just keep using it for the long term. I will stay on top of this post and others like it to see what else is done. But wanted to throw in my experience.
ivka57
28 Posts
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September 3rd, 2009 02:00
I upgraded my e6400 to A15 yesterday. no change for the moment, still the same problem.
mk
ivka57
28 Posts
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September 3rd, 2009 12:00
JoeB7,
maybe GPU down-clocking? I can reproduce it with overclocked GPU and running for example 3d mark test. Down-clocking occurs for ~ 4 sec with any BIOS. It's fine, when it happens with overclocked GPU. Just for sure not with std clocks.
mk
JoeB7
55 Posts
0
September 3rd, 2009 12:00
confirm downclocking with A15 as usual. Moreover, 3d apps, that run fine (before downclocking) now have some performance issues, where 3d app hangs frequently for a short period. This used to work fine and has nothing to do with the downclocking issue.
JoeB7
55 Posts
0
September 4th, 2009 02:00
I'm not sure ivka57. It's right after the 3d app starts and where the system is not hot at all. It's when a complete new frame is rendered that the system has sort of hickup. Even enclosed sounds are duplicated (played twice) when the 3d app has this sort of hickup. That started when upgrading to A15. I will try further and disable any other app/service that I don't need for the moment. JB.
ivka57
28 Posts
0
September 12th, 2009 07:00
JB, i can't reproduce your hickup. And I can' reproduce downclocking of GPU with A15 (what I previously described). Interesting.
But with A15, I'm facing problems with USB. Devices plugged in when the laptop is turned on and windows loaded, are not recognized. Like nothing has been plugged into the USB port. If I plug it before I turn my laptop on, device is properly recognized and working.
m
Dkalmick
11 Posts
0
September 25th, 2009 15:00
Well i just wanted to add my two cents:
I've had an E6500 nVidia in my Dock Advanced with 2 24" monitors running via display port for about six month. I was running XP 32bit without any problems. Upgraded to Windows 7 RTM 64 bit and i'm getting Error ID 7 and my processors started to throttle hard. Now it's been warm for the first time here in So. Cal., but I have a feeling that since I'm now running 64 bit and installed the Windows XP mode (they throttle for the first time once I started using that) that the processors are getting hotter than normal.
I called Dell the other night and they had heard of this in Vista but were unaware of the problem being an ACPI issue. I'm running the newest BIOS and the nVidia drivers from nVidia's sight as the Dell drivers caused really bad Mach Banding and had a really low refresh rate.
I don't know why it took until 6 months to start having the problem. Now in Resource Monitor it's CPU Frequency is never greater than 84%, but when it throttles it's down to 14%. NOT COOL (not pun intended).
It looks to be a software fix, but I'm glad we're heading into Fall and Winter so at least ambient won't be 90 degress anymore. I think the people that aren't having problems are in offices that climate control down to 70 degrees. For those of use at home with no a/c it's in the mid-to-high 80s now. It doesn't look like Dell is in any rush to really solve this problem, as the last BIOS version didn't do anything to solve this problem. Does anyone have an update since it's been about a month on what BIOS rev. the ACPI table update is going to be in?
Thanks!
JoeB7
55 Posts
0
October 3rd, 2009 07:00
I've received a pre-release BIOS for the E6400 from DELL. I can confirm, that the downclocking doesn't happen any longer. Even after stressing the system for hours.
Moreover, they've built in some more steps for the fan speed. Previously it was off, "slow" and fast. Now, there are some more steps in between and the lowest speed is lower than before, too. It's beneficially when the system is very hot and you turn off the app that causes the load. Now, after just one/two minutes the fan speed starts reducing, not like before, when the fan stuck at high speed nearly forever.
I have absolutely no clue, when it will be released and if it is A16 or A17.
I've suggested as well, to raise the level for the slowest fan speed a couple of degrees as stil it is not possible doing plain office work with E-Dock and one external 22" monitor without fan noise. Lowest fan speed is always on, when using E-Dock and external monitor. Even when the sys is IDLE for a longer period.
Dkalmick
11 Posts
0
October 3rd, 2009 22:00
I pulled the bottom of my case off (one screw pretty awesome) and got the air compressor out, removed the fan and cleaned off the heatsink. It hasn't throttled since. I assuming that this problem seems to catch people at about 6 months is that it takes about that long for cat hair and dust to accumulate on the heatsink. I look forward to Dell putting out a patch...but my fan has always run at full speed in the advanced dock pushing 2x 24" monitors. The GPU is what is getting hot probably. I think dell pulled an HP and skimped on heat sinks.
Dan