5150 CPU Load and Temp

Question

When I first got my laptop everything ran great. Games like Diablo II would no longer lag when a boss was killed.

Then after a month the lag started happenng on my new laptop. I noticed that while playing games the cpu load is a constant 100% and the temperature goes up to 70-71 degrees. This happens in all 3D games. Some games even start loosing textures (replaced with black nothingness). I then changed my game setting to play in 2D mode rather the 3D mode in Diablo II and this brought back the no lag again (but the graphics are considerably less). Now even the 2D mode is lagging and the cpu temperature is reaching 70-71 degrees while playing any game.

The main reson for my post today is I just visited a site that uses flash to make text scroll up the screen. http://www.armorpersonnel.com/

I was wondering if it is normal for a 3GHz processor to sit at 90% cpu load when viewing such a simple flash website. The cpu temperature was also getting very high and i closed the web page before it gor passed 65 degrees but it was still climing.

There is nothing wrong with the fan as it starts spinning like mad when the temperature starts rising and I also use a coolpad from roadtools to elevate the laptop. Also my bedroom is freezing so I can try to counteract the cpu temperature. If this is happening during the winter I don't know if I even want to turn it on in the summer.

How can a new laptop not handle a game that was released 5 years ago and only requires a Pentium 233 with an 8mb Video card?

From my observations it seems the Video card is overheating when the textures start going pure black. I can alt tab out of the game and let it sit for 10 minutes to cool then click back in and everything is normal for about 15 minutes. Games aren't even worth playing if you must take a 10 minute break avery 15 minutes. I had also noticed that when the textures are turning black my available RAM is only 40MB and my computer starts using over 400MB of the page file. Could there be a problem with my RAM? Video Card? CPU? All of the above?

Any suggestions or comments would be much appreciated.

Rusty-Balse · Answer

I have done all of those.

Sending air through to clean the dust. I run adaware and spybot regularly and my virus definitions are always up to date.

CPU load when nothing is running is 1-2% and thats when running at 1.59GHz

jk79 · Answer

What is your CPU usage with no open windows (only background processes)?  Also, your temp seems a bit high; I think the usual full load temp is around 60 deg for a 5150.  Do a forum search overheating and dust; there are some tips to clean the heatsink, that should bring the temp down.  Also, scan your system for spyware with Adaware and/or Spybot, and run an updated virus scanner to make sure there are no 'unauthorized' background apps running.  Hope this helps.

jk79 · Answer

I would try reinstalling the Video drivers at this point, as some of the files may have become corrupted.  Be sure to use the ones from the Dell Site, as they should keep your GPU slightly underclocked to minimize heat.  If this doesn't help, I would suspect a bad Video Card.

Rusty-Balse · Answer

jk79 I have re-installed the video drivers several times already and have also reformated the laptop twice.

Right now my laptop is set to run at max peformance and my idle temp is 49-50.

I have to have my laptop set to Max Performance right now because of a problem with my power adapter. Sometimes it clicks when the laptop runs at Max Performance and sometimes it clicks when the laptop runs at Battery Optimized. It changes every now and then so I just keep my ears open for the ticking.

By the way this is my 3rd power adapter and second laptop so either I've had very bad luck with adapters or there is something really wrong with the power layout of this laptop. My first laptop was replaced because of the ticking power adapter and failing usb ports. I didn't have it more then 3 weeks so I don't know whether these same problems were on the previous laptop. The current laptop has not experienced any problems with the usb ports.

parkerti · Answer

Rusty - I just visited that site with my desktop - P4 3GHZ and it sits at 40% while the text is scrolling. I'll try later with my 5150 - it is configured same as yours including vid card. Tim

datsun240z · Answer

I visited that site too and got quite a high CPU load. Drops to almost nothing if I go to the non-Flash site.

Was looking at a Toshiba Satellite A33 yesterday, similar to the 5150 (may buy one or the other) with 1400x1050 screen. Has two fans and ducts in the bottom, ran very cool, but I did not put the system on much of a CPU load.

Rusty-Balse · Answer

The high cpu temperature concerns me because the intel website states that this perticular cpu can only handle an internal temp of 71.

ksiow02 · Answer

rusty: my 2 months old 5150 run 67C ~ 70C at full load. Since I don't play game on my machine, I can't tell you the temperature under those load.

parkerti · Answer

Rusty -
Tried it with my 5150 and processor running at anywhere from 60 - 70 percent while text is scrolling. Nothing else running except browser (Netscape 7.1) and NAV.

Tim

PS CPU temp is 45C
No reading for GPU temp

ksiow02 · Answer

Rusty:

I've the same concern too about the statement found in the Intel website. It also prompted me to observe my cpu after that. Using Oliver method of testing (factorial calculation using calculator function), I've determine that my 5150 could run at 100%cpu for more than 20 minutes. The cpu temperature fluctuated between 67c ~ 70C during the test. Currently, under 0% load at 1600mhz, the cpu temperature dropped to 29C which 0%load at 3200mhz, the cpu temperature rised to 40C.

Rusty-Balse · Answer

My Temperatures in both cases are about 9-10 degrees higher then yours. My heat is off so I don't think room temperature has much to do with it.

Maybe I'll just call tech support this weekend see what they think about the video and stuff. I need a new AC adapter anyway.

ksiow02 · Answer

Room temperature does influence the outcome of the reading. Since you're in Canada, I doubt your room temperature is higher than mine. My room temperature is 72C with 30% humidity. Hope, it helps. Rusty, if you ever get Dell to replace your fix your computer, I hope you could give me your reading. I've been looking for someon who has a new 5150 to give me his/her reading. Hope Oliver in Germany gets his 5150 fixed too.

6ryph0n · Answer

I think the new 5150's are having chronic problems with heat, heat related shutdowns and performance degradation, and heat induced shorts. My brand new 5150 is out of service right now, and I have been waiting over a month to get Dell to fix it with my snappy "next day service" warranty. It seems like you can only run a Dell 5150 in an ice cave with a liquid nitrogen cooling system and expect full performance. If your temperature is peaking anywhere near the intel upper limits, with any frequency, then there is a serious problem. Unfortunately, I think all the Dells with the 3.06 and 3.2 mP4 chips are having these problems. Half the threads relate to random shutdowns when playing games and the computer getting hot.

Wish I had bought a 1.7ghz Centrino instead. Little performance difference, and it seems so much better. I hate the idea that I can't use my laptop computer on my "lap" without causing heat damage.

Locked Topics – Laptops General

5150 CPU Load and Temp

Was this post helpful?