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[BibiMaghoo]

My laptop hates me and for some reason my CPU runs too hot. It's an i7-5700HQ CPU @ 2.70GHz, but under load drops to as little as 800Mhz. Without fail it hits 90c and throttles it. It is idling at 65 degrees. It's a PE702QE and it is only 11 months old.

So first thing I did was get my brother to take it apart. The fans and case were cleaned but had minimal dirt in them. The thermal paste which looked fine was replaced. Neither has made any real difference.

I'm pretty much out of ideas. I can get a stand with some fans and maybe knock 10 degrees off, but it shouldn't be running this hot. In the review version I found it was equipped with an i5 but idled at 39 degrees. I have speedstep turned off in the Bios, but it still guts the clock. It is making things that should run great unplayable.

What could be causing this, and how can I fix it?


As I type this post:

Temperature 0 66°C (150°F) [0x27] (Core #0)
Temperature 1 70°C (158°F) [0x23] (Package)

 

[CHC]

That is EXTREMELY hot.

Thermal paste would be the obvious one but you've checked that. Is the fan actually running, or might it have somehow broken or become disconnected from the motherboard?

Is the CPU overclocked? It's not easy to accidentally do but maybe it is somehow receiving too much voltage? That's typically where high temperature "comes from," so to speak. Try going in to the BIOS and making sure everything checks out in terms of voltage and clock speed - set it all back to default just in case.

 

[SmartWaffles]

Dedust it and reapply thermal paste, but it might be very complicated depending on your laptop model.

 

[Septimius]

Cleaned and thermal paste replaced? Something must be defective. Warranty should cover it?

 

[CHC]

Dedust it and reapply thermal paste, but it might be very complicated depending on your laptop model.

2nd line of the OP. It wasn't even that long, man.....

 

[leng jai]

Just send it in for warranty.

 

[mcz117chief]

CPU itself looks to be defective. When did the problems start op?

Just send it in for warranty.

Warranty is usually void when you open up the device.

 

[SmartWaffles]

2nd line of the OP. It wasn't even that long, man.....

Oops I was too quick on the keyboard.

OP this sounds like a fan failure, so could be troublesome.

 

[thenameDS]

You've done all you can, get in touch with MSI and have them look at it especially since it should be still under warranty at 11 months old. Also can you hear the fan or fans spin at all or feel air coming out of the laptop? Fans could be defective.

One last thing I'm not sure if this applies to your particular model but MSI have different power profiles, maybe try setting it at a lower one and see what happens, you could be on some setting that is overclocking or overvolting the CPU.

 

[DayEnder]

Just send it in for warranty.

If they had to break any of the stickers/seals when opening the device up that normally voids the warranty.

Did you buy it on a credit card that doubles the warranty? They normally just pay to have it fixed or order you a new one of comparable value. This may or may not be available if you voided the warranty in opening it yourself though.

 

[Netherscourge]

Edit. Nevermind.

Just use your warranty.



I'm just going to guess you need to reseat your CPU's Heatsink and paste.

But, if you have warranty, make them do it for you.

 

[MuchoMalo]

Sounds like the cooling system is just inadequate. It sucks, but that's how it is. Try buying a laptop cooler to see if it helps a bit.

 

[UpDownLeftRight]

Well you've got a month left to use that warranty right? Get on it OP, there's no point messing around trying to figure it out in your last month of warranty when you've already covered the basics. Let it be the manufacturers problem.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

It is under warranty, but I wanted to avoid that if possible. It contains a large amount of my work that would be an issue in itself to backup. It's hard to pinpoint when the problems started. It has always run hot to the touch on the case above the cpu, and I have had many issues with the laptop throughout it's life in varying ways. The case doesn't feel hotter now than it used to.

The fans are running. The model has a turbo for the fans that kicks them up to full speed, and this definitely helps, but doesn't eliminate the problem at all.

Was really hoping there would be something else I could do. Only thing I have yet to try it running it hot entirely removed from the enclosure, to see if it's an issue of dissipation in the case itself.

This model

GPU runs good under load, and never throttles.

 

[luoapp]

I am on the same boat with you, op. Not the same laptop, but the same heat problem. I ended up removing the bottom half of the case and put it on a laptop stand. It can knock down ten degrees. I am using it as a desktop anyway, so not too bad.

 

[madmook]

You could try installing Intel XTU and undervolting the CPU. A good chip will let you undervolt a good amount and will help with temps.

 

[-MB-]

Might want to set the voltage to a specific number, the board / cpu might just give it too much when set to auto. Alternatively just use something like throttlestop to undervolt it.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

You could try installing Intel XTU and undervolting the CPU. A good chip will let you undervolt a good amount and will help with temps.

Might want to set the voltage to a specific number, the board / cpu might just give it too much when set to auto. Alternatively just use something like throttlestop to undervolt it.

I'm looking into this now. Have no idea what I'm doing but the software says for novice so how hard can it be. I'll post back if results improve, or if I brick my CPU.

 

[Ban Puncher]

 

[mtodavk]

It is under warranty, but I wanted to avoid that if possible. It contains a large amount of my work that would be an issue in itself to backup. It's hard to pinpoint when the problems started. It has always run hot to the touch on the case above the cpu, and I have had many issues with the laptop throughout it's life in varying ways. The case doesn't feel hotter now than it used to.

The fans are running. The model has a turbo for the fans that kicks them up to full speed, and this definitely helps, but doesn't eliminate the problem at all.

Was really hoping there would be something else I could do. Only thing I have yet to try it running it hot entirely removed from the enclosure, to see if it's an issue of dissipation in the case itself.

This model

GPU runs good under load, and never throttles.

Migrate all that to an external HD or flash drive if you can and use the warranty. Sounds like a fan issue

 

[AYF 001]

Try getting ahold of another CPU cooler from a rig that you know works. Reapply thermal paste and test your CPU. If the temperature goes back to normal, that means your cooler was defective. If the temps stay the same, it's the CPU.

Don't just rush out to replace the CPU. I had a problem with my PC a few weeks back and originally thought it was my mobo, then CPU. Turned out it was the RAM. Proper diagnostic procedure can save you lots of money in the long run.

Edit: now that I think about it, you'd want to just take out the CPU, and test it in another rig with their CPU cooler. That way, the CPU is the only variable that changed, and you could isolate that as the cause. Because it could even theoretically be your mobo not properly powering your cooler, but you wouldn't know that until each component has been isolated and tested independently.

Double edit: didn't see it's a laptop. Good luck then. Mine had a similar issue with the heat pipe possibly, and sending it in for repairs only partially fixed it.

 

[tuxfool]

Try getting ahold of another CPU cooler from a rig that you know works. Reapply thermal paste and test your CPU. If the temperature goes back to normal, that means your cooler was defective. If the temps stay the same, it's the CPU.

Don't just rush out to replace the CPU. I had a problem with my PC a few weeks back and originally thought it was my mobo, then CPU. Turned out it was the RAM. Proper diagnostic procedure can save you lots of money in the long run.

Laptop.

 

[mordecaii83]

Download something like hwmonitor that checks the % the fans are running at, it's possible they're running slower than they should be. Some laptop modes can sacrifice fan speed for battery life/noise.

I'll also second the undervolting suggestion, most Intel processors run at a higher voltage than they need to.

Other than that, suck it up and backup the computer and make use of the warranty.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

Download something like hwmonitor that checks the % the fans are running at, it's possible they're running slower than they should be. Some laptop modes can sacrifice fan speed for battery life/noise.

I'll also second the undervolting suggestion, most Intel processors run at a higher voltage than they need to.

Other than that, suck it up and backup the computer and make use of the warranty.

HWMonitor does not show my fans at all. I downloaded an MSI fan control but it just allows me to min / max them by 20%. I have just capped my cpu to 1.3GHz and it doesn't break 67 degrees on a benchmark. I guess I just have to see how high I can go with it to keep it stable under load. I looked at the under volting stuff but it looks too complex without a guide, and I couldn't find one that seemed useful for someone with no knowledge.