[ubuntu] Ubuntu is overheating/destroying my laptop

[vitorgatti]

Hi,

I have a Dell Inspiron 6000
Intel Centrino, 1.6Ghz, 512MB DDR400, DVD-RW, ATI Radeon X300 64MB

I don't know if this is a Linux, Ubuntu or even my Laptop's problem, but I will explain what's happening:

There are 3 tests:
FIRST:
- Ubuntu 8.04 installed, proprietary drivers working/or not
- System is kinda slow
- I run the command glxgears
- CPU Temp goes up to 89°C
- After 5 minutes glxgears running, the Laptop shutdowns itself

SECOND:
- Ubuntu 7.10 installed, proprietary drivers working/or not
- System is a little faster than 8.04
- I run the command glxgears
- CPU Temp goes up to 89°C
- After 5 minutes glxgears running, the Laptop freezes and no button works (only force-shutdown)

THIRD:
- Installed Windows XP SP3, all correct drivers from Dell
- System is a little faster than 7.10
- I run the benchmark program 3DMark03
- I run this programs 2, 3 times (A LOT of HEAVY graphic tests are made, much more than the simple glxgears)
- CPU Temp goes up to 75°C
- Laptop works normally, does not freeze or shutdown

WHATTA HECK IS THAT?
Any help I'll be grateful

Thanks

[vitorgatti]

nobody?
this Ubuntu Forum is so damn crowded
a lot of threads simply never gonna have an answer, because there is not enough time to people that know the solution to share the information, because all the topics goes down really fast

this is the fourth thread that I start in this forum that nobody answer nothing

[sergiom99]

Originally Posted by vitorgatti nobody? this Ubuntu Forum is so damn crowded a lot of threads simply never gonna have an answer, because there is not enough time to people that know the solution to share the information, because all the topics goes down really fast this is the fourth thread that I start in this forum that nobody answer nothing

Thats' right.
Sorry dude, no much I can tell you.
Try searching the forums for laptop power management and the stickys in this forum.
G'luck!

[Unix_Slayer]

Try a laptop cooler. It might not be the heat doing it, but it might be a start. It can only help.

[cygnine]

vitorgatti, I have a Thinkpad T60 with the same problem: my cpu and gpu temps are consistently around 70C, and get up to 90C very quickly if I do something even mildly computationally taxing (e.g. playing a Youtube video). The *lowest* cpu temp I've seen is about 60C. Of course, Windows XP (dual boot) has no such problems with high temps or with spontaneously locking down the system. I don't know how to fix this as frankly nobody seems to have the authoritative answer. Here's what I've heard should work, but mysteriously doesn't work for me:

1.) Changing the cpufreq governor: this tells the cpu how hard to compute relative to what the user is asking for. I've got mine set to 'ondemand', which means that the cpu runs fast when the computer asks it to. Another setting is 'conservative', which seems like it should be better, but I still get really high temps with this. If you want to read up on how to scale your cpu frequency, I guess you can start with:
http://ubuntu.wordpress.com/2005/11/...uency-scaling/
http://www.howtoforge.com/cpu_frequency_scaling_ubuntu
Those are the only two reasonable sources I can find at the moment. In any case, this doesn't work for me, no matter what frequency scaling governor I use.

2.) Change the temperature `trip points' for events (e.g. turning on the fan, system critical shutdown, etc.). It seems you've been bitten by the critical shutdown. Well, for example, I've got a dual core, and my trip points read:

*****@*****:~$ cat /proc/acpi/thermal_zone/*/trip_points
critical (S5):           127 C
critical (S5):           99 C
passive:                 95 C: tc1=5 tc2=4 tsp=600 devices=CPU0 CPU1

Which (I think) means that my system will shut down if my CPU0 reaches 127C (!!!!), or if my CPU1 reaches 99C. Finally, the fan only turns on if CPU1 reaches 95C. Now it's my (perhaps naive) opinion that these are pretty silly trip points. I want my fan to come on much earlier. Now, I'd like to change these trip points, as maybe if the fan comes on around 80C then I won't get system lockups at 99C. There are a bunch of threads that talk about this. Just a couple are:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=379729
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=551829
And one that I've already posted this problem in:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=813274

Now I'm sorry but the bottom line is that I don't know how to change the trip points. Apparently you can do so with the shell `echo' command (check the last thread link above), but it doesn't seem to work (Hardy 8.04) and I don't know why. I don't mean to add to your list of things that doesn't work, but maybe one of the two things above will do the trick for you.

Frankly, I don't seem to be able to rationalize how this is *not* an Ubuntu/Debian/Linux problem (despite the fact that dozens of antiWindows-proLinux-defenders will no doubt insist that I'm doing something wrong). The bottom line is that I did a fresh Hardy 8.04 install some weeks ago, and basic operations potentially damage my hardware and essentially crash my boot in Ubuntu, and the very same basic operations work just peachy in Windows.

Please let us know if you are able to fix anything.

[Unix_Slayer]

Originally Posted by cygnine Please let us know if you are able to fix anything.

What CPU does it have? Intel, or AMD?

[cygnine]

Originally Posted by Unix_Slayer What CPU does it have? Intel, or AMD?

My cpu is a dual core Intel.

[Unix_Slayer]

Originally Posted by cygnine My cpu is a dual core Intel.

It's probably one of those Mobile step up CPU's. This would prove the problems you are having when being taxed.

[overdrank]

Originally Posted by vitorgatti nobody? this Ubuntu Forum is so damn crowded a lot of threads simply never gonna have an answer, because there is not enough time to people that know the solution to share the information, because all the topics goes down really fast this is the fourth thread that I start in this forum that nobody answer nothing

HI and I believe that your thread not having received a answer is maybe no one has that model of laptop or that issue. It seems that you have been trouble shooting your issue, but for me to help I have to either have that model of laptop or a similar issue on my systems. There for you will have to wait for a answer for more than 5hrs.

[Unix_Slayer]

Originally Posted by overdrank HI and I believe that your thread not having received a answer is maybe no one has that model of laptop or that issue. It seems that you have been trouble shooting your issue, but for me to help I have to either have that model of laptop or a similar issue on my systems. There for you will have to wait for a answer for more than 5hrs.

I do believe he said it was a Thinkpad T60.