need a notebook cooler!

[deh707]

here's my notebook:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=c00250507

here's pics of it:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/darkmonkey88/notebook1.jpg
(normal view)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/darkmonkey88/notebook2.jpg
(flipped over view)

i use it for everything, overnight dvd encoding, burning, games, etc. i do that overnight, so my notebook stays on for weeks. it's been shutting down (i think overheating issues) by itself. i cleaned the dust and dirt off the fans, and now it's quiet and encodes dvds fine.

now, i'm thinking sometime it will start overheating again, what's a good cooler? and will my notebook be compatible with most coolers?

i was thinking this:
http://www.xpcgear.com/vantec301.html

[redwudz]

I surf with a HP 4101 laptop. I leave my laptop on for extended times also, many times overnight, but never any cooling problems.

If your onboard fan runs a lot, you may have cooling problems. Mine runs rarely except when encoding, and not for more than a few minutes at a time. Sure, that laptop cooler will work, but it will only cool the bottom side of your laptop, not really a lot of help unless the CPU heatsink is exposed on the bottom.

Why not just put a couple of spacers under it and let more air circulate? Give that a try before you go for that unit. It uses USB power and that power draw may cause more temp rises than it cures with the fans.

[tmh]

Mine is a so-called "laptop replacement" laptop. It runs a regular P4 desktop type chip and can really put out some heat! However, I found that most of the problems I've ever had are solved by opening it up and using one of those air blow spray cans and cleaning out the dust. Do this every month or when you have problems. takes 5 min.

Also, using a heat transfer compound like "Arctic Silver" on the heat sink/CPU interface made a difference also. It gives a better contact surface and helps the CPU disapate heat better.

Lastly, make sure your air intakes have room to get air and your outlet is free of obstructions (your LAP for example) and you should be all set.

[Soopafresh]

There are other similar cooling systems that run off of USB power rather than AC. Might be better for portability, if that is an issue.

[deh707]

redwudz
PostPosted: Mar 18, 2005 00:24
I surf with a HP 4101 laptop. I leave my laptop on for extended times also, many times overnight, but never any cooling problems.

If your onboard fan runs a lot, you may have cooling problems. Mine runs rarely except when encoding, and not for more than a few minutes at a time. Sure, that laptop cooler will work, but it will only cool the bottom side of your laptop, not really a lot of help unless the CPU heatsink is exposed on the bottom.

Why not just put a couple of spacers under it and let more air circulate? Give that a try before you go for that unit. It uses USB power and that power draw may cause more temp rises than it cures with the fans.

how do i know if the "heatsink" is exposed on the bottom? look at the pictures, heat comes out of the side, so that vantec lapcool 2 is useless?