And the thermal issue continues.....

[rudrax]

I have a Sony vaio VPCEB24EN notebook which is about 3 years old. I recently had a thermal issue with it and was unable to boot. Turned out that's the bug of the thermal paste which was expired. I ordered a new one and applied it removing the previous one clean. I have cleaned the vents and fan. After the application of new paste, now I'm able to boot my laptop but the thermal condition wasn't improving.

After 15 mins from booting temperature reaches 55-60⁰C doing usual tasks like opening and closing of windows, viewing images listening to music etc. During this, the CPU uses is just 0-5%.

Now if you play some video, the CPU goes about 5-10% and the heat rises to 60-65⁰C.

Now you connect to the internet, the CPU uses remains about 0-10% (with browser running) heat goes upto 70-75⁰C.

So there is nothing that could be done physically anymore. The doubt goes to the logical part now. I mean, the drivers and utilities from sony. My model isn't supported at sony for windows 8 upgrade so there is no official support for it. I saw there that the windows 8 supported upgrades are provided with new drivers and utilities that are specially designed for windows 8 including the BIOS upgrade. I can not use them as they are not for my model, specially the BIOS update which is more crucial for windows 8.

So what do you guys suggest now? Is there any way left?

Edited October 11, 2013 by rudrax

[Ragdd]

What I do is remove old thermalpaste from CPU, chipset en GPU.

I clean CPU, chipset, GPU and coolingblocks with ether to remove all dirt.

On CPU, I use Artic Silver 5 coolingpaste and on chipset and GPU Atic Ceramique cooling paste because the Ceramique is not electrical conductive and no problem when you spill some on small parts of chipset and GPU around the core.

I blow out the fan and the laptop with a compressor of max 8 bar (oil free compressor).

Then I put some sawing machine oil on axel of fan.

Now the laptop should be "normal" on temperature.

Is there a way in the BIOS to contro the fan? I had a Samsung laptop this week and in the BIOS you could choose between allways use the fan at low speed or only use fan if laptop gets hot.

I choose allways use fan.

Where do you see the temperature, maybe the temperature sensor is broken and gives false readings.

Edited October 11, 2013 by Ragdd

[stylemessiah]

What I do is remove old thermalpaste from CPU, chipset en GPU.

I clean CPU, chipset, GPU and coolingblocks with ether to remove all dirt.

On CPU, I use Artic Silver 5 coolingpaste and on chipset and GPU Atic Ceramique cooling paste because the Ceramique is not electrical conductive and no problem when you spill some on small parts of chipset and GPU around the core.

I blow out the fan and the laptop with a compressor of max 8 bar (oil free compressor).

Then I put some sawing machine oil on axel of fan.

Now the laptop should be "normal" on temperature.

Is there a way in the BIOS to contro the fan? I had a Samsung laptop this week and in the BIOS you could choose between allways use the fan at low speed or only use fan if laptop gets hot.

I choose allways use fan.

Where do you see the temperature, maybe the temperature sensor is broken and gives false readings.

Im with you, thats pretty much what i do, and sometimes preemptively do when i get an old laptop in for fixing.

Only thing id add is that (for understanding) BIOS's in laptops have a thermal table setting when the fan kicks in and at what speed and can also throttle the CPU (resulting in high CPU usage). Sometimes you can override this via a BIOS setting other timers it will be via 3rd party or homebrew fan control software (in my quick search unfortunately i didnt find any and common programs like speedfan seem to have a general incompatibility with VAIO gear). Its 50/50 as to whether you will find a fan control option in a laptop BIOS, heres hoping you do.

Speaking of which be sure that you have updated your BIOS to the latest version available as BIOS updates can resolve thermal table issues. I can see one BIOS for your model that lists:

- Fan control

- Power management

under its fixes.

http://www.sony.co.in/support/download/409786

You should also check power management settings for thermal controls, Sony sometimes has their own power management GUI, so check for that also

Beyond that and to do more troubleshooting i would probably recommend running something like Open Hardware Monitor (its free), which will show you the temps of all the different components (depending on sensors being present of course), motherboard, CPU, GPU, HDD etc:

http://openhardwaremonitor.org/downloads/

That will give you a better sense of where to go to next. If a thermal sensor has failed and is sending rubbish data to the BIOS then you will find it this way. I often found, even after doing as above (and ordering a replacement fan in the early days before i figured it out), myself resorting to a hardware monitor to find a faulty sensor on the motherboard. Sometimes if the laptop has been in use for a while after it has showed signs of overheating, that continued use can fry the motherboard sensor (and or other surface mounted components) and theres nothing you can do at that point except try and replace the motherboard.

Try the hardware monitor or sensor software of your choice and see how you go.

My guess is thats its likely to be the GPU, if you havent repasted that and the sensor readings confirm that its sensors are the issue, then you know what to do....

Its just a guess, and as laptops components, CPU, GPU and chipset quite often share a single heatpipe, anyone of these could be playing up but affecting the overall temperature

I know in the past i have seen some very badly designed VAIO laptops, including what i consider the worst (and fear deliberately so) designed laptop ever. Dont ask me the model of this VAIO, its was years ago now. But it came to me for a fix because the keyboard wasnt working....open it up to find out that inside the clear plastic ribbon cable (two sheets of plastic with conductive tracks running between them) had become delaminated because....wait for it.....the cable lay directly over a square cut out of the underlying keyboard pan , under that square cut out just happened to be

bloody graphics chip. So in my view this was almost intended to fail over time with the heat rising and delaminating the keyboard cable.....

I do admit i find the high price for a VAIO at odds with the quality generally...seen far too many die, usually at under 2 years...

Edited October 11, 2013 by stylemessiah

[plupy]

does the fan make a roaring sound when the temp gets high ? If not then there is a problem with the mainboard

[DKT27]

@rudrax: If you try Open Hardware Monitor, do post it's screenshots.

[sanjoa]

Just put it on the fridge and voilà :troll:

[rudrax]

http://www.sony.co.in/support/download/409786

I already have the BIOS updated to that version.

[rudrax]

@rudrax: If you try Open Hardware Monitor, do post it's screenshots.

[mara-]

That's normal for a laptop. Mine reaches over 80 when my brother play games on it. And it's been more then 3 years like that, and there aren't any issues at all. Depending on your socket, max temperature of your CPU is 90 or 105C.

Cheers ;)

Edited October 11, 2013 by mara-

[el_espaniol]

NO freezes, NO stop debugs, NO artifacts....?

...So NO need to concern about...These temps are not particulary high....

I think that it will improve with a thermal pad and is not expensive...

Take a look in the task manager if a program " eats " your cpu...

Browse for eFFmer Throttle freeware, it does not harm your lap and for sure You could find it very useful...

Best luck...! ;)

[rudrax]

That's normal for a laptop. Mine reaches over 80 when my brother play games on it. And it's been more then 3 years like that, and there aren't any issues at all. Depending on your socket, max temperature of your CPU is 90 or 105C.

Cheers ;)

Reaching high temps on loads is understandable. But during usual PC uses under 10% of load when temps goes to 70⁰C, isn't acceptable at all.

[rudrax]

NO freezes, NO stop debugs, NO artifacts.

Yeah, none of these happens. But when my PC was unable to boot due to thermal issue, that time also none of those had happened.

[hallucinojerk]

undervolt your CPU with RMClock Utility if your CPU is compatible.

[stylemessiah]

That's normal for a laptop. Mine reaches over 80 when my brother play games on it. And it's been more then 3 years like that, and there aren't any issues at all. Depending on your socket, max temperature of your CPU is 90 or 105C.

Cheers ;)

Reaching high temps on loads is understandable. But during usual PC uses under 10% of load when temps goes to 70⁰C, isn't acceptable at all.

Yeah under no load your CPU temps should be half what they are

The HDD temps are average...some positive news

Are you sure the fan is spinning up, i know, silly question, but have to ask...as noted in your screenshot theres no fan RPM data, not surprising given that everywhere i look like speedfan forums theres no one who has managed to get speedfan to detect the sony chip that monitors it

Have you checked the VAIO Care diagnostics to see if its reporting any errors (ive been led to believe the fan should report in here)

https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/33162/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzgxNTQ4NTUyL3NpZC9tbDIzM0FDbA%3D%3D

I guess the other interesting thing is that theres either no thermal sensor on the motherboard or it is one that isnt compatible with the supported sensors in open hardware monitor.

Have you checked this:

Control Panel > Power Options > Change Advanced Power Settings > Processor Power Management > System Cooling Policy > Active

The only fan control software i could find for VAIO was for linux and only for a few models even.

In other news youre not alone, plenty of people with the same issue, though most seem to have fixed it with a CPU repaste or replacement fan.

but having said that it wouldn't be the first time Sony sold VAIO's with dodgy thermal chips:

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/sony-warns-its-vaio-laptops-may-overheat-cause-burns-20100630-zmp2.html

Edited October 12, 2013 by stylemessiah

[rudrax]

Are you sure the fan is spinning up, i know, silly question, but have to ask...as noted in your screenshot theres no fan RPM data, not surprising given that everywhere i look like speedfan forums theres no one who has managed to get speedfan to detect the sony chip that monitors it

Open hardware monitor is in beta version. It isn't even showing any GPU data but it doesn't mean that I don't have a GPU installed. I have MR HD 5145. If the fan weren't working then why should I hear the fan noise?

Control Panel > Power Options > Change Advanced Power Settings > Processor Power Management > System Cooling Policy > Active

I'm aware of that. Active both in "plugged in" and "on battery" mode.

Edited October 12, 2013 by rudrax

[rudrax]

GPU state:

[7even]

Do you make a replacement by yourself? Maybe it's caused by inappropriately installation.

My asus laptop with AMD Turion II also reach 80C when in full load. There's nothing to worry about.

[rudrax]

Do you make a replacement by yourself? Maybe it's caused by inappropriately installation.

My asus laptop with AMD Turion II also reach 80C when in full load. There's nothing to worry about.

Nope nothing is replaced. I removed the CPU, RAM, and HDD and fan for cleaning purpose and restored them back as the way they were.

I can understand reaching 80⁰C on full load but can't understand reaching 70⁰C on normal 0-10% load.

Edited October 13, 2013 by rudrax

[mara-]

The thing is that laptops have very little space between components and they heat a lot of faster. Other thing is that they are designed to be silent as possible, and fan doesn't kick in with higher speed until it's near critical temperature. Any load will cause spike in temperature. Now, 70c on idle indeed looks high. Maybe your fan is defective.

Cheers ;)

Edited October 12, 2013 by mara-

[7even]

Here's my laptop temp ss:

As you see the CPU almost reach 70C eventhough I only use it for browsing and opening some little documents. Some says that AMD always had a trouble with heat. Intel got same problem with their 1'st dual core CPU, but they have made significant upturn with the latest procecors, especially core i series. But who knows...