Overheating

[Shanester]

Greetings,

My computer has been shuting down a lot recently. When I start it back up, I get the following message:

Thermal shutdown occurred

Your notebook PC was shut down to avoid overheating. Overheating may occur if the cooling vents are blocked or the operating temperature exceeds the system specifications. To avoid this condition in the future, always use your notebook PC on a hard surface and assure the cooling vents are not blocked.

System Temperature (90E)

ENTER - Continue Startup

For more information, please visit: www.hp.com/go/techcenter/startup

Does anyone know how hot "90E" is?

Thanks,

Shane.

[muka3D]

Hey Shanester,

90E is an error code, and doesn't represent an exact temperature. However, it is obvious that the system is overheating and protecting itself.

Since this started recently, and presumably has been working normally before, it is most likely due to dust or other residue gathering inside the fan and/or heatsinks - preventing the system from cooling properly.

Depending on where you live (dusty area, humid area, whether you have animals in the house, etc...), you should clean out the vents AT LEAST once a month (this would increase depending on conditions).

So, grab a can of compressed air (any office store sells it), and blast all the dust/hair/etc. out of all the vents, fans, and heatsinks on the unit. This will greatly increase its cooling capabilities.

[Shanester]

Thanks.

Is there anything else besides the CPU that produces heat?

I've been trying to find a cooling pad that plugs into the wall, but I haven't been able to find one. So far it looks like the only ones being made are powered by USB.

Shane.

[muka3D]

Theoretically, anything with electricity running through it produces a measure of heat. The hottest components are definitely the CPU and the GPU (graphics), and both of those have cooling systems attached to them (fan+heatsink) to displace their heat production.

[Shanester]

I cleaned it. Hasn't overheated yet.

Shane.

[Jack_at_FTS]

When laptops over heat, 99% of the time it's due to two problems. One is blocked vents. The other is aging thermal compound. Using external coolers and compressed air are a short term solution. But eventually a thick blockage, similar to a piece of felt will build up inside the fan chamber and block the cooling vents. Once this happens the laptop needs proper servicing. Compressed air will not remove the debris, because it is trapped. Furthermore the debris if dislodged may jam the fan keeping it from turning. Plus most factory thermal compounds lose their effectiveness over time. 

[LGammons]

I cleaned it and it's still not working. I hadn't even used it for several hours when I started having this problem

[PhyllisDesktop]

I just had the same problem. A thermal shutdown occurred. My HP desktop tower is only two weeks old. No vents are blocked. Lots of air space around the tower. My System Temperature says (90D). Eventually the computer started up again. Why is this happening?

[rick-s]

Hello,
Thank you for posting in this thread. Unfortunately, based on when the last response was made, I have closed this thread to help keep comments current and up to date. I recommend starting a new thread for your issue by clicking here: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/forums/postpage

To be more helpful with your post, you may add key information if you wish:
1. Product Name and Number (please do not post Serial Number)
• Example: HP Pavilion DV2-1209AX or HP Deskjet 3000 Printer CH393A

2. Operating System installed (if applicable)
• Example: Windows XP, Windows Vista 32-bit, Windows 7 64-bit

3. Error message (if any)
• Example: ""Low disk space"" error in Windows

4. Any changes made to your system before the issue occurred
• Examples: Upgrading your Operating System or installing a new software; or installing new hardware like a printer, modem, or router.

If you have any other questions about posting in the community, please feel free to send me a private message.

Thank you.