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Selenial

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Aug 21, 2013
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Ok... Maybe not Expert, but I have a question.

Recently my laptop (Fujitsu AH-531) has been shutting off whilst gaming, I assume it's overheating.

I bought a cooling pad, It helps, but it hasn't solved the problem, now, I may have Found the problem, but I'm not really sure what part of the computer this is.


It's a Metalic square shaped Object, flat, with Slight indentations and Raised parts (almost looks like it's intended to grasp something)

It has the letters ASV engraved on it Twice, and it's situated next to My memory card (I think) and by the top right corner of my fan....


Probably nothing, but it's excruciatingly hot when the rest of the parts are luke-warm/cold, and I was wondering if it's anything you guys know of, and would be able to help with.

Is it nothing? What else could possibly cause the overheating then whilst playing games that I've been playing for years? Any help would be hugely appreciated....

Thanks :)
 
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rusabus

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It sounds like you're describing the heat sink. I would guess that if you remove the fan you'll find a thick layer of dust built up between the fan and the fins of your heat sink. Blowing that out would probably resolve your overheating issues.

--Russel
 
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Selenial

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Aug 21, 2013
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First: I realised it wasn't the heatsink halfway through, but did it anyway just in case... Nothing.

It's a flat metal square with barely anything on it except ASV, and the only slight raised bits are about 2mm tall, and at a 90 Degree angle...

And I've got Speedfan already, I've never seen the HD above 37 before it turns off, and all the other things it lists (Cores, etc) are about 65, if that. Maybe higher, but I don't really see it right before it turns off, but they average when gaming at like 60-70
 
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Essdub8

Essdub8

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Definitely not a heatsink, as you mentioned above. Appears to be just a thin metal shroud, likely covering a component of some sort. Surely not the CPU..
Have to admit I'm not a laptop guru, my fingers are too large to mess with such small equipment. ;)

I'm headed home shortly - I'll see what I can dig up and get back to the thread in the AM.

In the meantime, you may want to check your event log / crash dump files for any useful information. I'm wondering if pursuing the overheating may not be the correct way to diagnose the problem, could very well be something else entirely judging by the temperatures you posted.
 
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Selenial

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Aug 21, 2013
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10,510


Thanks for the help :) I tested RAM usage, and that might be the issue, according to memory cleaner it's up in the 70%'s while playing SWTOR, might rise after I see it and crash the computer....

I checked earlier, and all i get is the : Critical 22/08/2013 23:42:10 Kernel-Power 41 (63)
 
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k1114

k1114

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May 2, 2010
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It's a heatsink for the mobo chipset. http://www.notebookcheck.net/fileadmin/_migrated/pics/Lifebook_AH531_57.jpg Took me 2 seconds to find a picture. The 2 ends of the heatpipe have the cpu and gpu under it. Under the yellow sticker is the cpu, you can see the cpu socket and locking screw. The other end being the gpu.

Get hwmonitor, it keeps track of your max.

If you run out of ram the program crashes not windows or the pc. But games and windows will just clear files not currently being used to prevent that from happening.

If it bsod then you can get bluescreenview to get more info. http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html
 
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Essdub8

Essdub8

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Your search-fu is much stronger than mine, I couldn't find a photo that showed the area of interest.

If you still think heat is the problem, now you know where the CPU/GPU are; ensure that the area is free of dust (as much as possible) using canned air.
 
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Selenial

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Aug 21, 2013
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Thanks for the help!

Can I replace the Mobo chipset, or is that too expensive? Or even possible?

And, can I reduce Heat to that specific chip in any way? anything I can do to cool it down? On top of a cooling pad?

Would taking off the Metal part actually allow heat to escape faster? Or would the dust damage the chip? Would that work in the short term, so I can raid until I can get a new one?
 
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Selenial

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Aug 21, 2013
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Would thermal paste work? And how much, some say a line down the middle 1mm thick, others say one dot the size f a grain of rice, then push down and secure the metal bit....

Any help would be appreciated!!!

Also, do I keep the slider/lid thingy on or off? Off gives more direct cold air from my cooler, on gives better circulation....
 
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k1114

k1114

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You can't change mobo chipset. It most likely is not the issue, you never see laptop chipsets with a heatsink as they won't get hot enough to need it. They will get too hot to touch but your cpu and gpu are the main heat sources and is why they get a heatpipe connected to a fan. You don't even need to install hwmonitor, you can just get the standalone version. If you still refuse to use the better monitoring software, play in windowed to see the temps.
 
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Selenial

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Aug 21, 2013
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Ok, I think it's my Intel 4000 Graphics Card....

I know you're all going to say "Just get a different one, they're all better anyway" But it's worked for absolutely ages, and only now just stopped, and I can't help wondering why.

A lot of other people seem to have this problem, but I haven't found a Fix because they just bought new cards.

I ran a Stress test for 6 hours, the Pime95 one, and Temps didn't exceed 60 degrees. Then I ran a Graphics Card test, and it Crashed in seconds.

What's the Issue? Just how Hard is it to install a New card? Is there room to do it in the AH-531? How much would one of equal strength or Better cost?

And last... Would overclocking perhaps help it?

Wierd though, It never crashes when not plugged in...
 
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k1114

k1114

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Some monitoring software are more accurate then others. It's not as simple as reading a thermometer and telling you the temp.

There are different versions of the ah531. So you have the version with just the intel hd 3000 and no nvidia gpu. The igpu is in the cpu. So the picture I posted is not what yours looks like. You only have 1 heatpipe to the cpu. You can't buy a new graphics cards, your laptop like 99% of laptops don't use cards. You can't overclock, laptops are locked and besides that raises temps even more if temps is the issue. With the cpu not overheating the igpu shouldn't be either.

Did you do small fft? What graphics card test did you use? Are you using the fujitsu driver? Does it blue screen or it just shuts off?
 
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Selenial

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Aug 21, 2013
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It just shuts off.

How does the Integrated graphics overheat when the rest doesn't? I used the Valley graphics card test, will have to check it in a couple minutes...


What do you mean with the Fujitsu Driver?
 
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Selenial

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Aug 21, 2013
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Ok, Yes I'm using Fujitsu's "Deskupdate" I had a blank there...

Looks like it wants me to install a new driver, possible that's It, I could have sworn I did it a few weeks ago, it's possible it only half-Installed, or installed wrong, because it looks like the same one....

I'll tell you how it goes.
 
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