Question ASUS X412FJ CPU temperature reaches 100°C when charging

[swaraj05]

I'm having ASUS VivoBook 14 X412FJ with Windows 10 64-bit.

When I plug in the charger, even without any starting any application, it reaches around 100°C.

I read in ASUS FAQ that updating BIOS might help. I had BIOS version 302 earlier, I checked for the latest version and it was 305, installed it but then my laptop would constantly go in deadlock, I remember it ran into deadlock for 4 times in half an hour immediately after updating the BIOS. So I'm on 304 now, at least now I can use my laptop without it going into deadlock, but I cannot use it while it is charging!

Also, when it's not charging now, I'm just using Firefox, Core temp is showing around 50°C.

 

[lga1156_ftw]

Thats because your running lower clocks without the charger plugged in. Switching between the bios wont give you help for this issue unfortunately (very minor if something)

Since your out of warranty i suggest replacing the thermal paste on the cpu / gpu chips, cleaning fan and heatsink, you need:

1. thermal paste , i suggest thermal grizzly kryonaut its best non conductive paste, small tube is enough
2. isoprophyl alcohol atleast 80-90% the more the better (for cleaning)

First thing to do is disconnect power cable and battery (if battery is internal you need to disconnect the connector / remove battery) after that press power button for 5-10sec to discharge the motherboard, after that your fine to continue with the disassembly.

You can undervolt until you get the thermal paste / alcohol as a temporary fix, use this program and start from -75mv undervolt (85-90mv might be fine), do not go as low as he does since this is different CPU (there is no danger in undervolting, its OPPOSITE of overclocking, crashing is not dangerous it just applies default settings)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7OdTmylZNQ

 

[swaraj05]

Thats because your running lower clocks without the charger plugged in. Switching between the bios wont give you help for this issue unfortunately (very minor if something)

Since your out of warranty i suggest replacing the thermal paste on the cpu / gpu chips, cleaning fan and heatsink, you need:

1. thermal paste , i suggest thermal grizzly kryonaut its best non conductive paste, small tube is enough
2. isoprophyl alcohol atleast 80-90% the more the better (for cleaning)

First thing to do is disconnect power cable and battery (if battery is internal you need to disconnect the connector / remove battery) after that press power button for 5-10sec to discharge the motherboard, after that your fine to continue with the disassembly.

You can undervolt until you get the thermal paste / alcohol as a temporary fix, use this program and start from -75mv undervolt (85-90mv might be fine), do not go as low as he does since this is different CPU (there is no danger in undervolting, its OPPOSITE of overclocking, crashing is not dangerous it just applies default settings)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7OdTmylZNQ

Thank you so much for your reply. I did not know about this undervolting method at all!

Well, its been just 3.5months since I've bought this laptop and ASUS provides 1 year warranty, but because of lockdown, its useless as of now.

I did try undervolting and it seems to have worsened the issue. I played little bit the values, the max I went was -100mV and I did not see significant difference. So I just restored the values to defaults. I did shut down my laptop for about half hour after restoring the values to defaults and the CPU temperates while the charger is not connected are much higher than earlier.

I had charged the laptop while it was off and then started the laptop and these are the corresponding values. The maximum apps I had opened were - WhatsApp, Firefox, HWMonitor, Task Manager, Intel XTU

Issue has worsened after I have tried undervolting method. Now I don't see much difference even when the laptop is not charging. Its almost similar situation for me now.
Please help!

 

[lga1156_ftw]

How are the fans working. Or fan

 

[swaraj05]

How are the fans working. Or fan

It has a single fan. When the temperature goes high, I can actually hear its noise. Not much loud, but audible once I get my ears close to it.

 

[lga1156_ftw]

The charger does not suddenly raise the CPU temperature, it just raises clockspeeds depending on power plan (higher voltage /clocks, higher temperature)

Either they forgot the thermal paste completely or problem with heatsink not connected correctly. It is not dust issue since laptop is so new.

Disassembly will obviously void the warranty but will fix the issue.

 

[swaraj05]

The charger does not suddenly raise the CPU temperature, it just raises clockspeeds depending on power plan (higher voltage /clocks, higher temperature)

Either they forgot the thermal paste completely or problem with heatsink not connected correctly. It is not dust issue since laptop is so new.

Disassembly will obviously void the warranty but will fix the issue.

I don't have any experience with disassembling any of the laptops I have used till now, I have opened my desktop monitor's CPU cabinet several times for cleaning it.

There's a local computer repairing center working (not ASUS), I guess that's my last option then.

 

[lga1156_ftw]

Any laptop repair place can do it. Ask to check thermal paste / replace with better and check connections of heatsink and fans working. 3rd party place might void warranty though

 

[swaraj05]

Any laptop repair place can do it. Ask to check thermal paste / replace with better and check connections of heatsink and fans working. 3rd party place might void warranty though

Yeah, that's my primary fear as this battery lasts not more than 4 hours these days. I had thought of getting the battery replaced.

This is from the battery report generated by powercfg command:

If I get it repaired, is there any chance for the battery life to improve?

 

[lga1156_ftw]

Is the battery inside laptop case or removable easily?

 

[swaraj05]

Is the battery inside laptop case or removable easily?

Inside the case. Not removable from outside.

 

[swaraj05]

I understood that I had just set the undervoltage to default and the following values were different than default (I had not touched them, I don't know how did they change):

• Turbo Boost Short Power Max
• Turbo Boost Power Max

This brought the problem to the earlier stage at least. I could at least use the laptop when not charging.

Then I disabled all the background processes (Settings >> Privacy >> Background Apps)
Now I see significant decrease in the temperature even while charging the laptop. It stays between 60-75°C now while charging. Not the best condition, but I can at least use the laptop while it is charging.

I might take the laptop to the ASUS service center after this lockdown is over

 

[lga1156_ftw]

Under 85c in load is fine

 

[swaraj05]

Under 85c in load is fine

Okay..
I have two observations as of now.

1. The temperature while charging is between 60-75 normally but sometimes it gives a sudden and short peak of 95+C.
2. The Max Core Frequency when not charging is generally below 1GHz and while charging it, it goes well above 3GHz.

 

[swaraj05]

Hello,

Recently I ran 3 malware removal tools and it has solved my problem

I ran these 3 tools sequentially:

1. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
2. Malwarebytes AdwCleaner (download from bleepingcomputer)
3. Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

Now when the laptop isn't plugged in, the temperatures are around 45-50C and when plugged run, 50-65 C max. I can peacefully use my laptop even while charging without worrying about temperatures.

This is my battery life estimate, as you can see it has been significantly increased:

I'll try to open the back panel and check for dust. It might help even more.

 

[lga1156_ftw]

Under the "max" temperatures you can still see temps hitting 81-94c but this is fine since your not throttling.

 

[swaraj05]

Under the "max" temperatures you can still see temps hitting 81-94c but this is fine since your not throttling.

Well this is while plugged in:

Those max temperatures have come from the those spikes.