How to Control a Laptop Cooling System
Laptop components (conductors, resistors, capacitors, disk drive, CPU, etc.) The laptop cooling system is comprised of three items: motherboard sensors that can shut the computer off automatically if the components cause the internal temperature to rise above the manufacturer's threshold; an internal fan that serves to cool the air inside the laptop; and a heatsink with a thermal paste cushion for the CPU. Monitoring the laptop temperature with a software utility will help you control your laptop's temperature.
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Instructions
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Download and install a temperature monitoring utility that works with your operating system from an account that has Administrator privileges. HWMonitor or CoreTemp (see Resources, below) are both good choices that support several operating systems and motherboard chipsets. SpeedFan by Almico Software can also measure internal laptop temperature and change the internal fan speed.
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Run the temperature monitoring utility. Depending on which utility you choose, you may be able to set configuration options that help you keep track of the internal temperature. Each utility provides different functionality. For example, CoreTemp can display a screen warning if the temperature goes above or below the manufacturer's recommended range, and allows you to specify which core processors you want to monitor. HWMonitor's freeware interface is simple and has few user-settable options, but does allow you to save your monitoring data for later review. SpeedFan offers several user-settable options, real-time graphics, and can even report your hard drive's S.M.A.R.T. data, but does not let you log the information to a file.
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Operate your computer normally. While it runs, the utility will monitor the temperature in real-time as you use your programs and utilities.
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Review the utility display or report and compare it to the normal temperature range recommended by the laptop manufacturer in the hardware technical specification sheet. If you do not have the technical specification sheet, you can download it from the laptop manufacturer's website or request a copy from the manufacturer's technical support department.
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Tips & Warnings
If your laptop is frequently running too hot, disassemble the computer and re-apply the thermal paste layer between the heatsink and CPU. Keep your laptop positioned so that air flows freely around it and the ventilation passages are unblocked.
Investigate temperature spiking immediately when you receive warnings or notice significant variation when you run programs. Frequent spiking and temperature variations may indicate that one or more components need replacement.
