Laptop owners

[scob89]

Don't leave your laptop running and sitting on your bed.

Make sure when your laptop is running that there is good airflow under and on the sides of the laptop.

I got my sister a nice IBM T60 laptop, She paid for it and I just got her one that would last.
I have repeativly told her the above. Now 2 months later= Dead overheated laptop. There is a reason I put a pice of hardwood over my legs when I am in bed and on my laptop, I don't need it to over heat.

The heatsink inside of the laptop is discolored and the solder holding the copper fins on has mostly been melted and some of the fins are laying on other fins.

 

[Backward_Cinderella]

OUCH. Yikes. We never left mine on the bed... However, even after I told my dad not to put it in the trailer when we moved with all the other junk, he did, and now it is a poor, dead piece of nothingness. *sigh*

The battle scene in your signature is epic, by the way.

 

[minpinluvrs]

This has been common knowledge for a few years now. Laptops aren't very efficient, and if you block any of the fan flow at all, they become a toaster. Best bet is to only use a laptop on a tabletop, and a tabletop without a tablecloth. A few years back, Pentium 90's didn't need airflow to keep cool, now, everything needs airflow, the CPU, the northbridge, the southbridge, the video card. Shut that off airflow off with an errant knee, and we get back to the "toaster."

Best bet, if you're gonna use your laptop as a laptop, keep the spot that blows air out off your leg. It may be on the right or on the left, but they all have an exhaust. Also, if you notice a hot spot on your leg, move your leg a few inches to the right or left, since even if it isn't over the exhaust, your 98 degree leg may be right on the processor. I'm not trying to treat people like idiots, just saying that a $2400 laptop will overheat as soon as a $500 laptop if you shut off it's breathing. I've actually taken my wife's C2D Toshiba out into the snow to try to complete some tasks, they weren't gaming, but it was something mathematically that the computer overheated on in the house. No normal person will ever ask their computer to do those tasks, but, it's a good example of overheating. Our home computer didn't even get warm doing the same tasks. That's just the difference between a laptop and a PC.

Tim

 

[Punkygirl0101]

Hmm..maybe that is why mine doesn't work. It is not completely dead, it turns on..but immediately shuts right off .Its fully charged. It may have a virus though!

 

[scob89]

This has been common knowledge for a few years now. Laptops aren't very efficient, and if you block any of the fan flow at all, they become a toaster. Best bet is to only use a laptop on a tabletop, and a tabletop without a tablecloth. A few years back, Pentium 90's didn't need airflow to keep cool, now, everything needs airflow, the CPU, the northbridge, the southbridge, the video card. Shut that off airflow off with an errant knee, and we get back to the "toaster."

Best bet, if you're gonna use your laptop as a laptop, keep the spot that blows air out off your leg. It may be on the right or on the left, but they all have an exhaust. Also, if you notice a hot spot on your leg, move your leg a few inches to the right or left, since even if it isn't over the exhaust, your 98 degree leg may be right on the processor. I'm not trying to treat people like idiots, just saying that a $2400 laptop will overheat as soon as a $500 laptop if you shut off it's breathing. I've actually taken my wife's C2D Toshiba out into the snow to try to complete some tasks, they weren't gaming, but it was something mathematically that the computer overheated on in the house. No normal person will ever ask their computer to do those tasks, but, it's a good example of overheating. Our home computer didn't even get warm doing the same tasks. That's just the difference between a laptop and a PC.

Tim

All very good points.
I would never leave a laptop running while you are not on it. The main reason why laptops have so much heat is because the cooling system is not good enough to cool them down adequately. The reason for this, they only have one tiny little fan in them. The fan in one of my old Gateway laptop's was only about 1/2 inch diameter. Guess why it died.

My Desktop however came stock with 2 fans, one for the Power Supply, and one for the CPU. Now it has 4 in it, I added 2 for the Motherboard and for just extra air forced into the case.

 

[ACooper]

I would like to say that Dell laptops seem to have more issues in this department than other brands I know of. Not only do they heat up (normal for laptops) but the fans seem to die a QUICK and painful death, LOL

I don't know why because I am not a comp expert by any means...........I just know of several people who have had the same issue over and over with Dell laptops.

ETA: We have one of those little laptop lap table thingies. I bought it for Kevin more to protect his legs than anything and it works like a charm and we have never had one issue with his compaq laptop.

Just like this one-----> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4217006

 

[Southpaw]

I'm guilty of this. But my laptop has been going strong for 4 years so it hasn't been too detrimental yet lol (and I'm saving for a new one so I don't even care anymore).

My only problem is that the power cord is starting to get a little too beat up. If it moves a certain way that sucker gets HOT right away (and starts making weird squeaking noises?). Which is probably a huge fire hazard but I don't have $80 for a new cord...

Aaanyway.

 

[GlassOnion]

My Toshiba Satellite seems to do very well. It will get very hot if you leave it on a cushioned surface (pillows, legs, etc) too long but never had it over heat.

I also leave it on constantly and no problems. Only time I shut it down is if I need it that day for class and that's just so it doesn't run out of battery before class.

Been going strong for 3 years now. Been very impressed with it.

 

[Squishy22]

I have a sony vaio and I use it on my lap. Sometimes on my bare legs. I've been on it for hours in a row before, and its never gotten really hot. Just warm. I always keep the vent open.

My ex boyfriends lap top would get so hot, that it would burn you and it was on an elevated tray thingy.

 

[Nechochwen]

My Toshiba Satellite seems to do very well. It will get very hot if you leave it on a cushioned surface (pillows, legs, etc) too long but never had it over heat.

I also leave it on constantly and no problems. Only time I shut it down is if I need it that day for class and that's just so it doesn't run out of battery before class.

Been going strong for 3 years now. Been very impressed with it.

I also haven't had any problems with my Satellite.

And my desktop has 5 fans in it... one 120mm blowing directly on the power supply, one built into the graphics card, the CPU fan, and two more 120mm fans in the top back corner, on on the top of the case and one on the back. I also have two giant air intakes that cover half the front of the case. God I love it

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129017

 

[~Jessie~]

I would like to say that Dell laptops seem to have more issues in this department than other brands I know of. Not only do they heat up (normal for laptops) but the fans seem to die a QUICK and painful death, LOL

I don't know why because I am not a comp expert by any means...........I just know of several people who have had the same issue over and over with Dell laptops.

ETA: We have one of those little laptop lap table thingies. I bought it for Kevin more to protect his legs than anything and it works like a charm and we have never had one issue with his compaq laptop.

Just like this one-----> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4217006

I had 3 Dells that died... right out of warranty.

Ian had 1 Dell that died right out of warrantly as well (we had the same model).

 

[Laurelin]

My Toshiba Satellite seems to do very well. It will get very hot if you leave it on a cushioned surface (pillows, legs, etc) too long but never had it over heat.

I also leave it on constantly and no problems. Only time I shut it down is if I need it that day for class and that's just so it doesn't run out of battery before class.

Been going strong for 3 years now. Been very impressed with it.

RIP my toshiba, lol. May you have many years more with yours. Mine died at about 3 years..... it was sudden and painful. It was a good computer though. My sister has a Toshiba now, though, and it absolutely SUCKS. It's brand new- newer than my macbook. It's died several times and been sent in to the shop to get 'fixed' each time. It comes back, works for about a week or two and dies again. I blame Vista... I was pretty shocked her Toshiba has so many problems, especially right off the bat, mine was always pretty reliable.

Anyways, so far other than that weird little beep noise that one night, I've had no problems with the Macbook. *knock on wood*

ETA: Gateways = horrible- just based on my experiences. By far the most annoying computer ever.

 

[Nechochwen]

RIP my toshiba, lol. May you have many years more with yours. Mine died at about 3 years..... it was sudden and painful. It was a good computer though. My sister has a Toshiba now, though, and it absolutely SUCKS. It's brand new- newer than my macbook. It's died several times and been sent in to the shop to get 'fixed' each time. It comes back, works for about a week or two and dies again. I blame Vista... I was pretty shocked her Toshiba has so many problems, especially right off the bat, mine was always pretty reliable.

Anyways, so far other than that weird little beep noise that one night, I've had no problems with the Macbook. *knock on wood*

ETA: Gateways = horrible- just based on my experiences. By far the most annoying computer ever.

You can also blame the Sun God for it, but that doesn't make it any more true...

Vista is a decent operating system. If I had the money to shell out for it, I'd get it for my desktop and upgrade that from XP. Granted, I'd also like to throw in another couple gigs of RAM, get a new mobo, and go SLI on my video card before that... >.> Although more than likely, I'll wait for Windows 7 to come out... and seeing as they're looking to make it essentially an upgraded (and modularized! ) vista, it should be pretty awesome.

 

[JustaLilBitaLuck]

I have a Dell (brand spanking new) and it's never died and never over-heated on me. It's actually never hot, just a little warm...

Is that weird?