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From: Salvador Freemanson on 15 Jun 2008 18:51
Hi

Lately my laptop (Toshiba sat a100) seems to be overheating. The
ventilattor fan comes on far more often than it ever used to. It is well
ventilated where it is used and none of the vents obstructed.

I figured that maybe there are loads of processes running (viruses etc)
as some operations take longer than they used to.
But a look at task-manager shows that CPU usage is only a few percent,
although the memory usage gets very high (although I only have firefox
and thunderbird open).

Then recently when I dictonnected the power lead, I noticed the barrel
connector was very hot.

I find the idea of cleaning up all the grunge that accumalates in
Windows XP over time too offputting (making sens of all those startup
programs in MSconfig, for example), so I was figuring installing a new
disk (so as not to lose all my data).

Any other ideas or suggestions?

Thaks
From: John Doue on 16 Jun 2008 04:25
Salvador Freemanson wrote:
> Hi
>
> Lately my laptop (Toshiba sat a100) seems to be overheating. The
> ventilattor fan comes on far more often than it ever used to. It is well
> ventilated where it is used and none of the vents obstructed.
>
> I figured that maybe there are loads of processes running (viruses etc)
> as some operations take longer than they used to.
> But a look at task-manager shows that CPU usage is only a few percent,
> although the memory usage gets very high (although I only have firefox
> and thunderbird open).
>
> Then recently when I dictonnected the power lead, I noticed the barrel
> connector was very hot.
>
> I find the idea of cleaning up all the grunge that accumalates in
> Windows XP over time too offputting (making sens of all those startup
> programs in MSconfig, for example), so I was figuring installing a new
> disk (so as not to lose all my data).
>
> Any other ideas or suggestions?
>
> Thaks

I fail to see your rational. Installing a new disk has nothing to do
with keeping or loosing your data, and will not solve the overheating
problem. Let us take a rational look at the situation:

1/ you state that vents are not obstructed. Did you open your laptop to
check that? My guess is, no.

2/ If CPU usage is only a few percent and no program shows high CPU
usage, then your windows installation is not to blame. Reinstalling
would achieve nothing in this respect.

3/ To check memory, close all running programs. Memory use is not a heat
factor, at least practically speaking.

4/ Hot power lead. Since your fan runs very often, this may be normal,
depending on your definition of "hot". The lead should not be real hot,
but this might depend on your specific machine, which I am not familiar
with.

Now, first things first: based on your description of the heat problem,
I suspect the fan vent is obstructed. Someone familiar with your machine
can help you determine the best way to check this.

Second, making sense of those startup programs in Msconfig may be
offputting as you say, but it would be well invested time to explore the
subject and it is no as hard as you might imagine. Searching the
Internet for info is easy and fast.

I suggest you do not decide on solutions when you do not understand the
problem, no irony intended.
--
John Doue
From: GG Willikers on 16 Jun 2008 05:41
John Doue wrote:
> Salvador Freemanson wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> Lately my laptop (Toshiba sat a100) seems to be overheating. The
>> ventilattor fan comes on far more often than it ever used to. It is
>> well ventilated where it is used and none of the vents obstructed.
>>
>> I figured that maybe there are loads of processes running (viruses
>> etc) as some operations take longer than they used to.
>> But a look at task-manager shows that CPU usage is only a few percent,
>> although the memory usage gets very high (although I only have firefox
>> and thunderbird open).
>>
>> Then recently when I dictonnected the power lead, I noticed the barrel
>> connector was very hot.
>>
>> I find the idea of cleaning up all the grunge that accumalates in
>> Windows XP over time too offputting (making sens of all those startup
>> programs in MSconfig, for example), so I was figuring installing a new
>> disk (so as not to lose all my data).
>>
>> Any other ideas or suggestions?
>>
>> Thaks
>
> I fail to see your rational. Installing a new disk has nothing to do
> with keeping or loosing your data, and will not solve the overheating
> problem. Let us take a rational look at the situation:
>
> 1/ you state that vents are not obstructed. Did you open your laptop to
> check that? My guess is, no.
>
> 2/ If CPU usage is only a few percent and no program shows high CPU
> usage, then your windows installation is not to blame. Reinstalling
> would achieve nothing in this respect.
>
> 3/ To check memory, close all running programs. Memory use is not a heat
> factor, at least practically speaking.
>
> 4/ Hot power lead. Since your fan runs very often, this may be normal,
> depending on your definition of "hot". The lead should not be real hot,
> but this might depend on your specific machine, which I am not familiar
> with.
>
> Now, first things first: based on your description of the heat problem,
> I suspect the fan vent is obstructed. Someone familiar with your machine
> can help you determine the best way to check this.
>
> Second, making sense of those startup programs in Msconfig may be
> offputting as you say, but it would be well invested time to explore the
> subject and it is no as hard as you might imagine. Searching the
> Internet for info is easy and fast.
>
> I suggest you do not decide on solutions when you do not understand the
> problem, no irony intended.

Dollars to donuts a close inspection of the inside of the heatsink vent
and or the insside of the fan itself will be clogged with dust/hair/munge.

Based upon the OP's inexperience with the diagnosis, I would suggest
finding a qualified technician to give your laptop a nice clean out.
From: Salvador Freemanson on 16 Jun 2008 18:21
Thanks for your insight. Here is my rationale:

John Doue wrote:
>
> I fail to see your rational. Installing a new disk has nothing to do
> with keeping or loosing your data, and will not solve the overheating
> problem. Let us take a rational look at the situation:

A new disk costs very little these days. Windows is clogged up, so a
clean install will grease the PCs wheels. The rationale of changing the
hard disk rather than backing up data and reformatting the disk is that
if I screw up the new install, I only need to put the old disk back in.


> 1/ you state that vents are not obstructed. Did you open your laptop to
> check that? My guess is, no.

Good idea. I'll do that in the morning.
>
> 2/ If CPU usage is only a few percent and no program shows high CPU
> usage, then your windows installation is not to blame. Reinstalling
> would achieve nothing in this respect.

The windows is running very much more slowly than when the machine was
new, hence my idea of doing a new install. Loads of programs I have
uninstalled (or thought I had) still have visible traces. Boot takes for
ever. Even coming out of hibernation takes ages. And that's with only a
couple of progams running.
>
> 3/ To check memory, close all running programs. Memory use is not a heat
> factor, at least practically speaking.
>
> 4/ Hot power lead. Since your fan runs very often, this may be normal,
> depending on your definition of "hot". The lead should not be real hot,
> but this might depend on your specific machine, which I am not familiar
> with.

Yesterday it burnt my fingers to touch. Today it doesn't seem so bad
though.
>
> Now, first things first: based on your description of the heat problem,
> I suspect the fan vent is obstructed. Someone familiar with your machine
> can help you determine the best way to check this.
>
> Second, making sense of those startup programs in Msconfig may be
> offputting as you say, but it would be well invested time to explore the
> subject and it is no as hard as you might imagine. Searching the
> Internet for info is easy and fast.

I've just counted the process running (using taskmanager) - 75. God
knows what they all do. There are 54 startup programs listed in Msconfig.
>
> I suggest you do not decide on solutions when you do not understand the
> problem, no irony intended.

Didn't you just suggest it would be a good learning exercise to
familiarise myself with all the obscure programs in the Msconfig start?
From: GG Willikers on 16 Jun 2008 18:55
Salvador Freemanson wrote:
> Thanks for your insight. Here is my rationale:
>
> John Doue wrote:
>>
>> I fail to see your rational. Installing a new disk has nothing to do
>> with keeping or loosing your data, and will not solve the overheating
>> problem. Let us take a rational look at the situation:
>
> A new disk costs very little these days. Windows is clogged up, so a
> clean install will grease the PCs wheels. The rationale of changing the
> hard disk rather than backing up data and reformatting the disk is that
> if I screw up the new install, I only need to put the old disk back in.
>
>
>> 1/ you state that vents are not obstructed. Did you open your laptop
>> to check that? My guess is, no.
>
> Good idea. I'll do that in the morning.
>>
>> 2/ If CPU usage is only a few percent and no program shows high CPU
>> usage, then your windows installation is not to blame. Reinstalling
>> would achieve nothing in this respect.
>
> The windows is running very much more slowly than when the machine was
> new, hence my idea of doing a new install. Loads of programs I have
> uninstalled (or thought I had) still have visible traces. Boot takes for
> ever. Even coming out of hibernation takes ages. And that's with only a
> couple of progams running.
>>
>> 3/ To check memory, close all running programs. Memory use is not a
>> heat factor, at least practically speaking.
>>
>> 4/ Hot power lead. Since your fan runs very often, this may be normal,
>> depending on your definition of "hot". The lead should not be real
>> hot, but this might depend on your specific machine, which I am not
>> familiar with.
>
> Yesterday it burnt my fingers to touch. Today it doesn't seem so bad
> though.
>>
>> Now, first things first: based on your description of the heat
>> problem, I suspect the fan vent is obstructed. Someone familiar with
>> your machine can help you determine the best way to check this.
>>
>> Second, making sense of those startup programs in Msconfig may be
>> offputting as you say, but it would be well invested time to explore
>> the subject and it is no as hard as you might imagine. Searching the
>> Internet for info is easy and fast.
>
> I've just counted the process running (using taskmanager) - 75. God
> knows what they all do. There are 54 startup programs listed in Msconfig.
>>
>> I suggest you do not decide on solutions when you do not understand
>> the problem, no irony intended.
>
> Didn't you just suggest it would be a good learning exercise to
> familiarise myself with all the obscure programs in the Msconfig start?

2 tools

CCleaner and Defraggler

http://www.ccleaner.com/

Tried and true.
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