Perceived heating problem with laptop driving dual monitors

Topic

New Reply

I have a dell precision M4600 laptop, and I got a Dell Pro2x docking station specifically to run two external monitors. When running two monitors the laptop seems to me to be getting very hot, so I haven’t been using dual monitors out of fear of the laptop burning out on me.

Should the laptop be running hotter when driving two monitors? Should I worry about heat killing my laptop?

Reply | Quote

Replies

I think you would be loading it more than would be expected – how much RAM does it have installed – increasing that if possible may take some of the strain from it.

One sign of a machine running hotter than normal is the fan(s) running at full all of the time, but HWMonitor will tell you for sure what the temps are. http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/hwmonitor.html

Reply | Quote

What monitors are you running? Perhaps one or both of them have a problem and are drawing a lot of power as a result.

Also, perhaps there is a problem with your laptop’s or docking station’s video circuitry.

I run two external monitors on my Dell Latitude laptop, and there doesn’t appear to be an overheating issue. A Precision will use more power (and therefore generate more heat) than a Latitude, though.

If the vents on the side of your laptop are hot, but nothing else is very hot, then I’d say that your laptop is not overheating. Perhaps more heat comes out of the vent when you run the external monitors; unless that heat is extremely hot, I wouldn’t think there is an overheating problem.

In addition to the program Sudo recommended, you could also try a program called Speedfan, to see what the temperatures are.

One thing I have come to believe: Computer manufacturers sometimes use cheap thermal compound when attaching the heatsink to the CPU. Don’t try this unless you are sure you know what you are doing (it is very easy to cause damage if you don’t); but if you know what you are doing, you might get some high-grade thermal compound such as Arctic Silver, some high-quality rubbing alcohol, some q-tips, and a can of compressed air. Take your laptop apart, blow the dust out, unseat the heatsink from the CPU, and clean the surface of the CPU and the heatsink with the alcohol and a q-tip. Then apply the good thermal compound, reseat the heatsink, and put the laptop back together. That can lower the operating temperature noticeably.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

Reply | Quote

discrete video?

dual core or quad core?

amount of RAM?

native resolutions of both monitors and frame rates? What are you running that it heats up?

https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/precision-m4600/diagnose

Reply | Quote

Wouldn’t hurt to get a can of compressed air and blow out the air vents on the laptop.

Jerry

Reply | Quote

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. My computer has 8 GB of ram and a Samsung SSD. The monitors are 23″ Gateway (1920×1080) and Samsung (1680×1050) models. They each run off their own power brick, and one is connected to the docking station with a VGA cable, and one with a DVI cable. So I’m inclined to think that the power draw of the monitors doesn’t affect the laptop. Please let me know if you don’t think that’s a fair assessment.

I have the SIW system utility, and I just used it to check on temperatures with one monitor, and again with two monitors.

With 2 monitors the i7 temperatures which were near 85-90C and went up just a little, a few degrees if at all.

The ATI Firepro graphics temperature went up from 56C to 64C. A more significant increase that the i7’s, but temp’s are much lower than the i7’s. If I can trust these temperatures as being relevant and accurate, the I don’t think the difference between one monitor or two is enough to be too concerned about. Would you conclude the same thing?

The SSD temperature is labeled “air flow” and went up 1 degree.

SIW is supposed to be able to show fan speed, but my version isn’t reporting it.

I was just looking at the M4600 user guide and I just now noticed that it has a VGA port on the back, which I used to use to connect a single monitor, and also something called a DisplayPort connector on the right side. I’m now wondering if I can run two monitors without a docking station. What is a DisplayPort generally used for?

Reply | Quote

85-90 is a bit high for normal use, I would only expect that when running very hard.
Might be worth cleaning the fan / heatsink as suggested by jwitalka.

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

If that temp (85-90) is with a light load, a heavy load is gonna put your temps in burn out range. Follow the advice already given, canned air and thermal compound if that fails to lower your temps.

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Reply | Quote

With 2 monitors the i7 temperatures which were near 85-90C and went up just a little, a few degrees if at all.

i7 is your CPU.

85-90C is extremely high. So high, that if you continue at that temperature, your laptop will fry pretty soon.

I would remove the laptop from the docking station and connect one monitor at a time directly to the laptop, to see if the temps go down. If the temps go down, then put the laptop back into the docking station and connect one monitor at a time, to see if the temps go back up.

If the temps were down in any of the above scenarios, then whatever made them go up is what is causing your overheating problem.

If the temps stayed up in all of the above scenarios, then the problem is inside of your laptop.

In this case, it is possible (but not certain) that using the DisplayPort for your video could solve the problem. But it is more likely that you have a lot of dust inside of the laptop. Or, perhaps some component is damaged, causing the overheating problem.

You could blow compressed air into the air vent on the side of the computer (where the hot air comes out), to dislodge the dust. This will spread dust around inside of the laptop, which is not good. But it will allow air to flow and cool down the internal parts, including the CPU.

But a better way to eliminate the dust is to take the laptop apart and blow it completely out. And while the laptop is apart, reseat the heatsink onto the CPU with high-grade thermal compound (see my post above).

I would not recommend that you take the laptop apart unless you are absolutely sure that you know what you are doing, because it is very easy to damage the laptop when it is open.

I was just looking at the M4600 user guide and I just now noticed that it has a VGA port on the back, which I used to use to connect a single monitor, and also something called a DisplayPort connector on the right side. I’m now wondering if I can run two monitors without a docking station. What is a DisplayPort generally used for?

Here is some good info on DisplayPort:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort
http://www.displayport.org/faq/

DisplayPort is backward-compatible with VGA and DVI, so you could get an adapter and run a monitor off of the DisplayPort connection. If you have DisplayPort 1.2 or later, you can run both of your monitors off of the one DisplayPort connection.
http://www.displayport.org/cables/driving-multiple-displays-from-a-single-displayport-output/

Here is an adapter which will allow two DVI monitors to run off of one DisplayPort connection:
http://www.startech.com/AV/Splitters/DisplayPort/DisplayPort-to-Dual-DVI-Multi-Monitor-Adapter-Male-to-Female-DP-to-2x-DVI-3840×1200~SP122DP2DVI

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

Reply | Quote

Search for your “service manual” online, laptops can be very idiosyncratic.

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Reply | Quote

But a better way to eliminate the dust is to take the laptop apart and blow it completely out. And while the laptop is apart, reseat the heatsink onto the CPU with high-grade thermal compound (see my post above).

I wouldn’t recommend this unless you really know what you are doing. Laptops have a lot of delicate parts that are easy to break as well as a lot of tiny screws to keep track of. I broke one old laptop that I took apart to fix the power jack. If blowing out the vents doesn’t work to reduce your temps, take it to a qualified tech.

Jerry

Reply | Quote

I wouldn’t recommend this unless you really know what you are doing. Laptops have a lot of delicate parts that are easy to break as well as a lot of tiny screws to keep track of. I broke one old laptop that I took apart to fix the power jack. If blowing out the vents doesn’t work to reduce your temps, take it to a qualified tech.

Jerry

The first time I took a laptop apart because of a heating problem, I broke the tiny clips which hold the keyboard cable in place. I put several pieces of scotch tape on the backside of the cable, to make it thicker, so that it would stay in the slot and make a good connection. After that, several of the keys wouldn’t work on the built-in keyboard.

(I bought a Belkin folding USB keyboard to carry in the laptop bag, so that the laptop could be used while on the road.)

The second time, I was much more slow and careful, and I successfully took the whole thing apart, got all of the dust out, reseated the heatsink with good thermal compound, and put it all back together. The only reason I took it apart was because it had a severe overheating problem and kept rebooting.

Even if you physically don’t break anything, you could short something out if there is any static electricity on your hands. It is a slow, tedious job to tear down a laptop and rebuild it. But it sure was fun when I got the hundreds of pieces all back together, fired it up, and it worked!

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

Reply | Quote

The first time I took a laptop apart because of a heating problem, I broke the tiny clips which hold the keyboard cable in place. I put several pieces of scotch tape on the backside of the cable, to make it thicker, so that it would stay in the slot and make a good connection. After that, several of the keys wouldn’t work on the built-in keyboard.

(I bought a Belkin folding USB keyboard to carry in the laptop bag, so that the laptop could be used while on the road.)

The second time, I was much more slow and careful, and I successfully took the whole thing apart, got all of the dust out, reseated the heatsink with good thermal compound, and put it all back together. The only reason I took it apart was because it had a severe overheating problem and kept rebooting.

Even if you physically don’t break anything, you could short something out if there is any static electricity on your hands. It is a slow, tedious job to tear down a laptop and rebuild it. But it sure was fun when I got the hundreds of pieces all back together, fired it up, and it worked!

Jim, you are one of the people “who knows what they are doing” that I referred to. Most people don’t fit into that category. I wouldn’t do it myself any more even though I built every desktop computer I owned since the MS Dos days and built several for others. Replacing memory and disk drives is very doable in a laptop, anything else is best left for experts.

Jerry

Reply | Quote

Jim, you are one of the people “who knows what they are doing” that I referred to. Most people don’t fit into that category. I wouldn’t do it myself any more even though I built every desktop computer I owned since the MS Dos days and built several for others. Replacing memory and disk drives is very doable in a laptop, anything else is best left for experts.

Jerry

Jerry, I agree with that. Because it’s so easy to break some critical component inside of the laptop, he’s much better off simply blowing a can of compressed air into the exhaust vent, to bust up any dust that’s clogging the system and preventing it from ventilating.

This is one of the reasons I recommend to people that they buy a desktop rather than a laptop, if they don’t need portability.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

Reply | Quote

My docking station is a Dell brand, but I bought it off the used market. I got it specifically because I thought that was the only way to connect two external monitors to the laptop (read on).

I took the computer off the docking station, and running just the internal monitor, temp’s went down about 5C. The docking station does slightly block the pair of air output ports on the back corners of the laptop.

I used a vacuum cleaner to suck whatever would come out the various air-in and air-out ports, and temp’s went down nearly another 10C (undocked).

I switched from the internal monitor to one external monitor connected with an HDMI cable, and temp’s didn’t seem to change. The unit is still not on the docking station. Before this, I wasn’t aware that an external monitor can be connected with HDMI!

One of my external monitors has an HDMI port, and I have it connected directly to the laptop. My other monitor has only DVI and VGA, so I have it connected with a VGA cable. Running this way, temp’s are still lower. SIW is reporting 73C for the i7’s “package” temperature. This a full 20C lower than when I started. The Firepro is 48C, and the SSD is 38C. These are both significantly, lower, too.

So it turns out I don’t need the docking station at all! Doh!! The Dell M4600 has 5 USB ports, so I’ve got plenty of those.

I may still get a compressed air can and blow that through the unit. I also have a nearby computer repair guy who I’m sure can open it and do the work on the innards. But I think I’ll see how it goes for a while of normal use. Most days I use the system nearly all day. It’s been a workhorse for over three years. Battery life is not much more than an hour, but I rarely use it on batteries.

Reply | Quote

One of my external monitors has an HDMI port, and I have it connected directly to the laptop. My other monitor has only DVI and VGA, so I have it connected with a VGA cable. Running this way, temp’s are still lower. SIW is reporting 73C for the i7’s “package” temperature. This a full 20C lower than when I started. .

They seem a bit high to me, noting that I have never actually looked at laptop temps.
I would do the air can thing ASAP and report back. :cheers:

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Reply | Quote

Jerry, I agree with that. Because it’s so easy to break some critical component inside of the laptop, he’s much better off simply blowing a can of compressed air into the exhaust vent, to bust up any dust that’s clogging the system and preventing it from ventilating.

This is one of the reasons I recommend to people that they buy a desktop rather than a laptop, if they don’t need portability.

Totally agree, from experience. I only disassemble laptops when it’s a “nothing to lose” situation. I.E., it’s already broken.

Reply | Quote

Again don’t do it blind,

Search for your “service manual” online, laptops can be very idiosyncratic.

maybe even take pictures as you disassemble

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Reply | Quote

Those temps are a lot better than what you had. However, I’m not sure if they are now in the safe range; perhaps others can chime in here.

Can you feel hot air coming out of the exhaust vent whenever the computer is on? Does the bottom of the computer feel really hot? Basically, it should be pretty hot at the exhaust vent, and not too hot anywhere else.

I would suggest getting a laptop stand, one which has a fan in it, so that it will continually ventilate the bottom of your laptop. It will also keep some air space below the laptop. At minimum, you should keep the laptop on a hard, flat surface, so that it can release heat at the bottom. NEVER put it on a blanket or other soft surface, because that will cause it to hold heat in.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

Reply | Quote

Do a search and you will find Walmart and others have laptop stands for only a few dollars. I bought a couple of stands for my grandchildren and they say the Laptop is much cooler now.

Reply | Quote

Do a search and you will find Walmart and others have laptop stands for only a few dollars. I bought a couple of stands for my grandchildren and they say the Laptop is much cooler now.

And when you get the laptop stand with fans, run them off of a separate USB port plugged into the wall. Do not use the laptop’s USB ports as this just adds to the heat problem.

As an aside to illustrate why you want to cool, many years ago I was certified by IBM to install their “Gearbox” industrial servers. This was basically an IBM Model 90 microchannel machine but every component was installed in its own plastic cage – motherboard with CPU, adapters, and especially the hard drives. Then there were big fans on both the top and bottom of this cage. The top ones sucking out hot air and the bottoms ones blowing cool air in. In the IBM Model 90, the hard drives were rated at (something like) three years mean time between failure. The same hard drives inside the Gearbox cage were rated at a mean time between failure of 10 years.

Reply | Quote

I have the laptop on a plastic shelf with the back edge elevated so that all the air vents (in and out) have plenty of space.

I live in the sticks. It’ll take me a few days to get into town to get an air can.

There are two air-outs; the user guide says one is at the CPU can, and the other at the GPU fan. The CPU vent is noticeably warmer then the GPU, and that agrees with the reported temp’s which say the CPU is 20-25C warmer than the GPU.

The thing that originally grabbed my attention was the side of the unit where the hard drive come out. It felt really warm, and now it feels much better. The temp’s say it dropped from 50C to 40C.

Reply | Quote

Sounds like your situation is much improved.

Two things which will make it even better, and which have already been mentioned:
* Can of compressed air – blow it into the exhaust vent.
* Fan in your laptop stand, helping to cool the bottom of the laptop.

I think you can wait a few days on the can of compressed air; and the fan is optional, but it will be helpful.

I’ve learned something from this thread: A good vacuum at the exhaust vent can be just as effective in reducing temperature as a can of compressed air, and almost as effective as pulling the unit apart.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

Reply | Quote

BTW do you have pets?
It is really amazing how their hair can get into the works of things. Maybe trade up to a lizard?

Glad you seem to have improved your situation. If temps of CPU are in 50C range you are OK.

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Reply | Quote

Check manufacturers websites for documents on dismantling and rebuilding laptops. ie. look for replace a motherboard documents.
Also try their chat links – you may be able to get them to email you a link. It may be faster than a web search.

You can buy stick on rubber or plastic feet that can be added to the bottom of your laptop to increase the airflow underneath. This also works well if you lose one or more feet off the back – The manufacturers often do not supply them as a replacement part and a buck for a sheet full at the local store means you always have lots.

If using it on your bed or lap, get a cheap whiteboard ( take off the magnetic backing or pads ) even on the table. The one I have has a masonite back and a little lip all the way round and it is easy to put the laptop down any time and on anything and never worry about it being on a cushion, just grab both at once and it is always protected. It has large radius rounded corners and a little border all the way round which deflects the exhaust air up so my leg never gets affected. It fits in with the laptop in the bag and helps protect it against bumps and bangs. We have a LOT of cats and I have opened all the access panels in my laptop and I have never had any issues with dust or cat hair.
There is the added advantage that you can use a dry erase pen to scribble notes down by tilting the front edge of the notebook up. This is good because the note is still available after you shut down the laptop or the power fails.

Reply | Quote

I gave my laptop a thorough treatment with a compressed air can. Almost an entire can. Any difference this may have made is negligible judging by the temp’s reported by my SIW utility.

I’ve got Dell’s detailed directions for full disassembly of the laptop, and I don’t intend to go that route myself. At this point the only reason for doing that would be to reseat the i7 chip with new thermal goop. I may have that done sometime later, but for now I’ll keep going with it like it is because all temp’s are a lot lower than when I started.

Reply | Quote