My laptop heats up when idle!

This is quite strange...

My laptop(Acer Aspire 1680 series) heats up when its idle...otherwise its normal. Didnt happen before but i have been noticing this lately.

its kind of strange...any help?

 

Nope havent changed any power settings or anything like that. In fact before i formatted my laptop(caught a virus ) i tried to change the power settings to see if it had any effect but it doesnt.

my laptop always stays on my desk. Thank God is not on my lap

When the comp is idle, i get around 60-63 C and when in use its around 50-55C.
Room temp is normal. A mix of warm and cold.

 

I think 60-63C is pretty normal for a laptop. It has been stated in numerous threads that laptops will run hotter than a desktop and my desktop was idling at around 55C during the summer. What you may be finding is that when sys is idling that CPU fan is slowing or stopping and temps are elevating until a certain upper threshold is hit (e.g. 65C) and then CPU fan comes on to cool the sys until a lower threshold is achieved. When your sys is underload the fan may be constantly on as the temp is fluctuating rapidly.

How old is your sys?
How are you obtaining these temp readings?
Have you cleaned your sys out and removed heatsink to assess the thermal interface material (paste or pad)?

I pulled ours apart recently and found the pad was dry as a bone and assumed to not being very effective anymore. I cleaned up the heatsink, applied AS5 to the CPU sucked/blowed out all inlets/outlets and now it is running great and it seems the fan is kicking in less regulalry. A good link to disassemble laptops is (the host states the notes can be used generically for all makes and models and I agree):

http://www.irisvista.com/

Is this your model:
Acer Aspire 1680 AS1681WLCi-XPH Notebook
(1.5GHz Pentium M, 512MB, 80GB, DVD/CD-RW, Windows XP, 15.4" TFT - SKU: LXA2805010)

If so here is a list of the technical documatation for the CPU:

http://www.intel.com/design/mobile/celeron-m/documentation.htm

Whether you have the 90 or 130 micron chip can be figured out if you need, these docs should advise ideal thermal operating temps. Hope it is not to much info.

If you are using EVEREST start monitoring your voltages as well as temps, maybe generate and maintain a table in word until you sort this out.

 

I am obtaining temp readings through a software called SpeedFan.
i will try to pull my laptop apart and clean it. hope it works.

thnx for the help! will reply back!

 

Before you do this just ensure that all your potential inlet and outlet sources are unimpeded (have free flowing air) and you may find you don't need to disassemble.

If sys still under warranty then contact place of purchase. As the host of the site states any dismantling of your sys conducted by yourself will probably void your warranty.

Be cautious, measure twice and cut once, in otherwords read the disassembly guides thouroughly, then read them again before commencing.

Good Luck