The CPU speed is shown when right-clicking on My Computer under properties which is consistent with what SpeedSwitchXP determines (I'm using windows xp pro, by the way). Temperature is measured by fanGUI - I've installed both after the problem occured. Have updated my bios as well (was DELL's suggestion).
.... but when I monitor the temperature it stays relatively constant on 80 degrees celcius (for the CPU) during gameplay.
Yet another Dell owner whose system demonstrates problems when overheating.
wizolli, you are not alone. Intel did not intended your processor to run anywhere near 80º C. Scan this forum and you will see hundreds of postings related to your problem. The problem manifests itself either in system slowdown, system freeze or safety shutdown. I have heard of this problem on at least the 5100, 5150 and 8500 models.
When is Dell going to admit to problems in design of the case/cooling system of their P4 laptops?
A little update on my progress: the cpu speed does not drop to 287 MHz as I stated above, but to half the normal speed, i.e. 1.2 GHz, windows just didn't show the correct value. (The way I check is by leaving the program via alt+esc and then use e.g. SpeedSwitchXP.). For most games I run the heat rises above 85 degrees and I think that's about the value when the inspiron 8500 decides to clock down to half the speed, which usually doesn't cause any problems. Madden 2004 doesn't seem to be able to cope with it, though. That's why everything starts running slow when the computer cuts the speed, until the cpu has cooled down a bit and recovers.
So instead of running it at full power, I manually set the speed to half max (P4 m seems to only support these two settings, half or full speed) - Madden runs fine even at the lower speed and I don't experience any slow downs any more (running at about 70 degrees), allthough it's obviously depressing that I have to cut down the 2.4 GHz potential of my computer.
I think my fans are working fine, checked them earlier with the diagnostics tool. Seems to be a general problem of powerful processors that there's not appropriate cooling available. (Apart from that I don't know how accurate the results of fanGUI are.)
Does anybody know what's the maximum (save) temperature I can run my system on (see details above)? And, is there any (official) way to stop it from dropping to half the speed, maybe by changing the upper limit temperature?
fanGUI shows that both fans are running fast (there are just off, slow and fast as options) - from the sounds of it they seem to run at high speed. Do you know how hot the cpu is supposed to get at maximum? Is it possible the diagnostic tool got it wrong? I mean, just by feeling the top and especially the bottom, the laptop does get seriously hot, but it has been like this since the first day.
When are people going to stop buying laptops and using them as high power gaming systems? A laptop should be adequate to run internet, email, videos, DVD's, and everythign else but for HIGH END games you need a desktop!! I wish a laptop could run games like the desktops can, but the amount of power needed and heat generated is just too much for a laptop to handle effectively. Yes games RUN on some laptops, sometimes fairly well, but most of these games are being developed and tested on 3 gig 9800 pro systems. I just dont seen how laptops will ever be able to handle games as well as desktops. I know this is a huge argument, but its true in most cases..
Well, you can just get the alienware laptop with the desktop cpu of 3.2Ghz and burn your lap off during boot up because of the heat caused, but if you kept it on a metal desk, I assume it would take a while to melt thourgh, assuming that the desk was coated in ceramic first of course, and you were in an igloo maybe...
yup, exactly what i am experiencing w/ my 2.8GHz I5100... send it back immediately, it's overheating. Run a test using the diagnostic CD and see if it says something like CPU temperature Critical. I got that message on mine. goes down to under 10fps in Counterstrike when hot (around 75 degrees or so). what is up with this overheating?
@zettahertz: When you sent it back, did they get the problem resolved? I will run the diagnostics again and see what it says.
Checked the data sheet for my ispiron 8500: apparently there is an inbuilt safety mechanism at 135 deg where the cpu switches off automatically to prevent electronic discharge. The temperature messured at the thermo couple should be between 0 and 100 and cpu temperatures should range from -40 to 85. I get the cpu speed drop around 85, so that kind of makes sense.
i didn't send it back yet, gonna send it tuesday... I think this problem is definitely the BIOS's fault...
The symptoms keep changing when i change the BIOS versions!
now, i upgrade to A23, the game doesn't slow down anymore, but if i restart when it's hot, the screen is just blank and doesn't even show the BIOS stuff and gets stuck and freezes.
went from A06->A22->A22 reinstall(like 3 or 4x) ->A23(reinstall like 2x) -> A22(downgrade for test) ->A23(upgraded back last night and symptoms changed...)
A06 was flawless, A22 - froze on welcome screen on FIRST RESTART and got stuck on BIOS loading after upgrade ('cus it was hot i guess, part when it got stuck on BIOS that really freaked me out 'cus i thought the computer is totally dead), A23 - just noticed keyboard fix w/ arrows and heating problem began after like a month of this BIOS, lags in games 10fps, downgraded to A22, same thing, lags in games, and now I upgraded back to A23... DOESN'T lag in games!! but freezes on restart if it's hot(right after a diagnostic or game)
So... I really suspect it's something w/ the BIOS... mine starts having problems around my max too 75 degrees... lags there before, now it's able to keep at 74... but dies on startup, and have to let it cool down...
ryri
2 Intern
•
360 Posts
0
November 20th, 2003 23:00
wizolli
5 Posts
0
November 21st, 2003 06:00
The CPU speed is shown when right-clicking on My Computer under properties which is consistent with what SpeedSwitchXP determines (I'm using windows xp pro, by the way). Temperature is measured by fanGUI - I've installed both after the problem occured. Have updated my bios as well (was DELL's suggestion).
cesinco
59 Posts
0
November 21st, 2003 09:00
Yet another Dell owner whose system demonstrates problems when overheating.
wizolli, you are not alone. Intel did not intended your processor to run anywhere near 80º C. Scan this forum and you will see hundreds of postings related to your problem. The problem manifests itself either in system slowdown, system freeze or safety shutdown. I have heard of this problem on at least the 5100, 5150 and 8500 models.
When is Dell going to admit to problems in design of the case/cooling system of their P4 laptops?
ryri
2 Intern
•
360 Posts
0
November 21st, 2003 13:00
so the cpu slows down and still continues to run slow once the game is quit, to the point where you can check it in windows?
Are the fans running at high speed when it slows down? If not, I think you might have a fan problem, as 80 degrees is pretty hot.
wizolli
5 Posts
0
November 21st, 2003 16:00
A little update on my progress: the cpu speed does not drop to 287 MHz as I stated above, but to half the normal speed, i.e. 1.2 GHz, windows just didn't show the correct value. (The way I check is by leaving the program via alt+esc and then use e.g. SpeedSwitchXP.). For most games I run the heat rises above 85 degrees and I think that's about the value when the inspiron 8500 decides to clock down to half the speed, which usually doesn't cause any problems. Madden 2004 doesn't seem to be able to cope with it, though. That's why everything starts running slow when the computer cuts the speed, until the cpu has cooled down a bit and recovers.
So instead of running it at full power, I manually set the speed to half max (P4 m seems to only support these two settings, half or full speed) - Madden runs fine even at the lower speed and I don't experience any slow downs any more (running at about 70 degrees), allthough it's obviously depressing that I have to cut down the 2.4 GHz potential of my computer.
I think my fans are working fine, checked them earlier with the diagnostics tool. Seems to be a general problem of powerful processors that there's not appropriate cooling available. (Apart from that I don't know how accurate the results of fanGUI are.)
Does anybody know what's the maximum (save) temperature I can run my system on (see details above)? And, is there any (official) way to stop it from dropping to half the speed, maybe by changing the upper limit temperature?
wizolli
5 Posts
0
November 21st, 2003 17:00
@ryri:
fanGUI shows that both fans are running fast (there are just off, slow and fast as options) - from the sounds of it they seem to run at high speed. Do you know how hot the cpu is supposed to get at maximum? Is it possible the diagnostic tool got it wrong? I mean, just by feeling the top and especially the bottom, the laptop does get seriously hot, but it has been like this since the first day.
ryri
2 Intern
•
360 Posts
0
November 21st, 2003 18:00
i believe 80 degrees is near the max operating limit, but you can probably find data on intel's website.
I don't know how hot they normally get- I'm not a gamer and the only time my fans get to high is when i'm doing serious video encoding.
Greatone1601
2 Intern
•
907 Posts
0
November 21st, 2003 20:00
When are people going to stop buying laptops and using them as high power gaming systems? A laptop should be adequate to run internet, email, videos, DVD's, and everythign else but for HIGH END games you need a desktop!! I wish a laptop could run games like the desktops can, but the amount of power needed and heat generated is just too much for a laptop to handle effectively. Yes games RUN on some laptops, sometimes fairly well, but most of these games are being developed and tested on 3 gig 9800 pro systems. I just dont seen how laptops will ever be able to handle games as well as desktops. I know this is a huge argument, but its true in most cases..
CSmith06
2 Intern
•
956 Posts
0
November 22nd, 2003 03:00
zettahertz
59 Posts
0
November 22nd, 2003 04:00
yup, exactly what i am experiencing w/ my 2.8GHz I5100... send it back immediately, it's overheating. Run a test using the diagnostic CD and see if it says something like CPU temperature Critical. I got that message on mine. goes down to under 10fps in Counterstrike when hot (around 75 degrees or so). what is up with this overheating?
wizolli
5 Posts
0
November 22nd, 2003 11:00
@zettahertz: When you sent it back, did they get the problem resolved? I will run the diagnostics again and see what it says.
Checked the data sheet for my ispiron 8500: apparently there is an inbuilt safety mechanism at 135 deg where the cpu switches off automatically to prevent electronic discharge. The temperature messured at the thermo couple should be between 0 and 100 and cpu temperatures should range from -40 to 85. I get the cpu speed drop around 85, so that kind of makes sense.
zettahertz
59 Posts
0
November 22nd, 2003 17:00
i didn't send it back yet, gonna send it tuesday...
I think this problem is definitely the BIOS's fault...
The symptoms keep changing when i change the BIOS versions!
now, i upgrade to A23, the game doesn't slow down anymore, but if i restart when it's hot, the screen is just blank and doesn't even show the BIOS stuff and gets stuck and freezes.
went from A06->A22->A22 reinstall(like 3 or 4x) ->A23(reinstall like 2x) -> A22(downgrade for test) ->A23(upgraded back last night and symptoms changed...)
A06 was flawless, A22 - froze on welcome screen on FIRST RESTART and got stuck on BIOS loading after upgrade ('cus it was hot i guess, part when it got stuck on BIOS that really freaked me out 'cus i thought the computer is totally dead), A23 - just noticed keyboard fix w/ arrows and heating problem began after like a month of this BIOS, lags in games 10fps, downgraded to A22, same thing, lags in games, and now I upgraded back to A23... DOESN'T lag in games!! but freezes on restart if it's hot(right after a diagnostic or game)
So... I really suspect it's something w/ the BIOS... mine starts having problems around my max too 75 degrees... lags there before, now it's able to keep at 74... but dies on startup, and have to let it cool down...