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Dell XPS 18 Overheats and shuts down
Hi guys. I have a Dell xps 18 which has developed a problem recently. With or without overloading the cpu temperature starts rising randomly and the machine shuts down at around 57-62 degree. Sometimes it is fine and sometimes it keeps doing this back to back. My computer has replacement i3 motherboard. The original stopped charging the battery (plugged in , not charging message) so I bought a replacement motherboard about 8 months ago. It has the proper cpu paste and everything was working fine until just recently. It even shuts down when it is in BIOS. Just wondering is the 60 degree is a dangerous temperature which is force shutting the motherboard? The idle temp is around 30-40 degree then it suddenly starts going up all the way to 60 and then dies. It does it mostly when is overload (no gaming, just a few software opened ) but then again it goes up sometime when it is just sitting there with nothing running in background. Do I need to go on eBay again a fan buy my second replacement motherboard now lol?! Any suggestion? I love my XPS 18 and it has served me well but having these serious problem has started really putting me off it. Many thanks.
BESHAD
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October 5th, 2016 22:00
just an update about my problem with over heating. the ew motherboard (i3 US$50) arrived and fitted a few weeks, i have been using and testing the DEll XPS 18 heavily for the last few weeks with no issues so far. the operating temperature is from 49c (idle and light use) to 60c (heavily loaded) but now the motherboard does not shut down anymore. i also decided to used extra amount of thermal paste and i feel that fan works a lot quieter and lesser now. my problem was a faulty motherboard then at the end. second MB within a year. i wonder when i am going to come back here and announce that i am up for a third replacement motherboard lol
DELL-Chris M
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August 23rd, 2016 09:00
If it is really a hardware failure, then nothing short of replacing hardware will fix it. But this might help keep it running. Your settings may look different than mine. But I think you can figure it out.
Windows 7, Latitude E7240
* Click Start- Control Panel- Hardware and Sound- Power Options
* On the selected one, click Change plan settings- Change advanced power settings
- Intel Graphics Power Plan, Plugged in = Maximum Performance
- PCI Express, Link State Power Management, Plugged in = Off
- Processor power management, Maximum processor state, Plugged in = 80%
* Click Apply- OK
Windows 10, Alienware Area 51-R2
* Click Start- Settings- System- Power & Sleep- Additional power settings
* On the selected one, click Change plan settings- Change advanced power settings
- PCI Express, Link State Power Management, Setting = Off
- Processor power management, Maximum processor state, Plugged in = 80%
* Click Apply- OK
Retest and post your results.
BESHAD
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August 23rd, 2016 20:00
thanks for the info. i have done the above and it seems to be limiting the sudden temp rises and shut downs. reason i think it is a hardware issue because the shut down happens even when BIOS is doing its diagnostics process and at that stage Windows is not loaded yet obviously to do anything with the temp. in BIOS it fails when testing the CPU, temp gets to about 61degree at 85% and then it shuts. the fan seems to be operating normal (low 3125 - hi 3235rpm). even opening Chrome increase the CPS temp by 3-4 degree and the increase seems to be building up gradually even when the CPS usage is low.
what is normal operating temp for a laptop when idling? my desktop (i5) is only 25degree but i am lucky to see anything below 40degree on this machine.
i ordered my second replacement MB for it anyway from ebay ($50). that should fix it unless the heat sink or maybe fan are faulty!
DELL-Chris M
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August 24th, 2016 06:00
The XPS 18 idle operating temperatures should be in the 45°-50°F range.
RoHe
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August 24th, 2016 15:00
Needs new thermal paste between CPU and heat sink..?
BESHAD
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August 24th, 2016 16:00
i learnt about paste when i swapped the MB six months ago. first thing i did after the recent failure to blame the paste and replace it. i got arctic silver as well as the cheaper white stuff and have changed it multiple times but that does not make any difference, the vents are clean and fan speeds up to max only when temp has reached above 60C which is kind of too late at the time and it quickly shuts down. when i put my hand over the CPU (heat-sink) it does not feel too hot. i was always under impression that the danger zone for a CPU is around 90-100C when they turn themselves off to avoid damage?
y2ken1
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August 24th, 2016 17:00
Have you tried running ePSA/PSA diagnostics?
BESHAD
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August 24th, 2016 18:00
yes i have. it runs the CPU check and as it is doing it the temp keeps rising. in about 85% the temp reaches 60-62C and this is when computer shuts down. i have not been able to finish the ePSA process because it shuts down toward the end of it.
y2ken1
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August 25th, 2016 06:00
It shouldn't be shutting down due to heat at only 60C . Seems like you've eliminated all other possibilities so although rare I'd have to say that I think your CPU is faulty.
BESHAD
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August 28th, 2016 20:00
i know now that it is not software issue and i have narrowed it down to CPU or the heatsink. the fans works and speed up/down and the CPU paste is also adequate. i thought maybe the heatsink is faulty and can not transfer the heat efficiently but the fan end of the heatsink is quite warm so i think it is transferring heat. at around 60C the fan speeds up and become noisy so i guess the BIOS knows the 60C temp is not normal.
y2ken1
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August 29th, 2016 06:00
I would suspect the thermal paste or poor ventilation also IF the CPU was actually running hot but it isn't at only 60C. Unless the sensor or software is reporting the wrong temp. Have you tried comparing temps from different utilities and BIOS?
BESHAD
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August 29th, 2016 15:00
yes the thermal paste was my first suspect.hence replacing it was the very first thing i did. when it kept shutting down i bought a better quality paste and applied it in more than way between the CPU and the heat-sink. still did not make any difference. when i replaced the MB six month ago and applied the pastes PC was so quite for a while, then i could feel it gradually got louder and fan was going faster, at that time i started monitoring the temp (HWMonitor) i could see the temp was around 50C and randomly hitting 60 but never turned off until just recently. the temperature shows the same via HWMonitor and via the BIOS. now that i have limited the CPU max performance to about 50%. it does not turn off.
BESHAD
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August 29th, 2016 19:00
UPDATE: it actually even shuts down when CPU is limited to 50% performance. it has now started doing it at lower temperatures around 50-52C. it seems to be getting worse. either the threshold for cpu max temp or something else as well as higher temp causing it to shut down.
y2ken1
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August 30th, 2016 05:00
I absolutely suspect a faulty CPU, I don't see what else it could be. Limiting your CPU to 50% was a good workaround except of course you're CPU processing power is cut in half.
I doubt that your OEM motherboard BIOS/UEFI has the proper settings but if it does you could try undervolting the CPU by a few 10ths of a volt. Similar to overclocking / overvolting your CPU. It would run much cooler with no hit on processing power.
But now that's it's shutting down at even 50C I doubt even that would help. Get a new CPU.
BESHAD
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August 31st, 2016 01:00
The replacement motherboard is on its way. The only doubt I have what if the heat sink itself is faulty. I'll update the post after the motherboard is received and fitted. Cheers for all your helps thank you