How to deal with CPU throttling...

[retep]

Hello,

After reading the last post on CPU throttling, I realized that this is exactly what is going on in my system. I am running a Compaq N800W laptop with a P4 2.4 Ghz processor, 1Gig of RAM and an ATI 9000 mobile video card. The laptop has worked great now for around 2 years but recently when I play games the system will be cooking along at a nice clip, for example 30 FPS, then it will drop to about 5 FPS and my mouse input is very choppy and the whole experience becomes very choppy. This lasts for about 10 to 15 seconds and then everything goes back to normal for a little while. What can I do to try to fix this problem with my laptop?

Thank you in advance for your advice,

-Peter

 

[Crashman]

Remove the cover over the CPU cooler and blow some canned air through the heatsink. Be carefull not to overspeed the fan.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[endyen]

Better yet, PM crashman on what he would charge for a thorough cleaning and tune-up. After 2 years, it's due.

 

[retep]

Ok, I will try opening things up and cleaning out any heatsinks or fans and see if that makes a difference. Any chance I have caused any damage to the system by running it in this condition and continuing to play games while it is throttling?

 

[endyen]

Any chance? Always a chance, like 1 in 10000000000000.
The whole point of throttling is to keep the setup safe.
Have you ever opened a laptop before? The first time I tried to rebuild a laptop, I only had a few parts left, so I dont know why it didn't work.

 

[slvr_phoenix]

Have you ever opened a laptop before? The first time I tried to rebuild a laptop, I only had a few parts left, so I dont know why it didn't work.

And isn't it ever so much fun how every laptop seems to do things slightly differently? It's like a puzzle every time.

On a more serious note however don't they also make cooling pads to sit your laptop on to help with that? I'd still clean it first of course, but it's always goof to have a Plan B.

<pre><b><font color=red>"Build a man a fire and he's warm for the rest of the evening.
Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life." - Steve Taylor</font color=red></b></pre><p>