Mastodawn

Jerry 🦙💝🦙

Another "Aha!" moment:

I have two 4k monitors and a 1080p monitor connected to my Lenovo laptop, plus a camlink pro 4k. I had been having an issue where occasionally, the computer would lose its mind - hanging, stuttering audio, and apps crashing, etc. I assumed I was pushing the USB bus a bit too hard - after disconnecting the camlink, things would settle down after a few minutes. The problems were 100% repeatable, on two different laptops.

Turns out the problem is heat. I pointed a desktop fan on the laptop and have had zero problems since. The laptops are overall more responsive, too.

Jernej Simončič �Jul 19, 2023

@jerry Try getting one of those laptop stands with built-in fans?

Simon Zerafa Jul 19, 2023

So you have the laptop on a stand to help with ventilation?

If not then I remind this type:

https://amzn.eu/d/gvMLIJ2

It keeps the laptop screen up higher so it can be more ergonomicly arranged and keep the laptop better ventilated
🙂

Amazon.co.uk

Jerry 🦙💝🦙Jul 19, 2023

@simonzerafa I have them set up in a way that they stay closed like this. They are plumbed to 43” monitors mounted on the wall

Vertana Jul 19, 2023

@jerry @simonzerafa Thinkpads. And it all makes sense. Always used to have problems with that brand with things like poor thermal design, poor soldering, etc.

David A. Pirata Informático

@jerry @simonzerafa This makes lots of sense. I used to run my laptops in a similar stand, but had some heat issues. My laptop screen folds to 180 degrees and it being open prevents that problem.

Simon Zerafa Jul 19, 2023

This is my wife's setup (which needs a good tidy ☺️)

That's a 27" Dell monitor connected via HDMI so the laptop screen is used as a status display and other uses.

The A frame stand is adjustable for hight and angle and allows for good airflow for the Lenovo laptop 🙂🤷‍♂️

Alister Bulman Jul 19, 2023

@simonzerafa @jerry Yep, I had a P53 Thinkpad that lived perfectly happily (other than AV scans every morning, when it tried to take off) on a stand like that, and plugged into a large monitor

Michael Potts (HMHackMaster)Jul 19, 2023

@jerry
I have my work Lenovo in a stand like yours and my CPU started to thermal throttle.
It's stupid that Windows doesn't report this in a useful manner, so in the absence of a 3rd party monitoring utility I resort to just checking the CPU clock. If it's the CPU that's overheating, it will underclock in a very obvious way.

Never had a GPU thermal throttle but I assume it's similar.

Other components can overheat of course (shoutout Microsoft Surface) that don't show there. @simonzerafa

@jerry the magazine or the movie?

Siguza Jul 19, 2023

@jerry ...and here I thought the problem of "hardware gets too hot unchecked and software just dies" had been solved before the year 2000...

Jerry 🦙💝🦙Jul 19, 2023

@siguza I incorrectly assumed it would be dealt with more gracefully

artful modder Jul 19, 2023

@jerry I once had an old desktop server that I apparently was pushing too hard. I removed both sides of the case and put a box fan right up against the side with the bottom of the motherboard facing it. Problem solved 😄

Claudestrophobic Jul 19, 2023

@jerry no one ever talks about the real victim of anthropogenic climate change, personal computer performance

Jerry 🦙💝🦙Jul 19, 2023

@starchy its true

Asdam9 (He/Him)Jul 19, 2023

@jerry
Gotta love a low tech solution to high tech problems, though I would still keep an eye on those temps

Jeff Stice-Hall Jul 19, 2023

@jerry Oh wow. Great insight and thank you for sharing!

Jonah Stein Jul 19, 2023

@jerry Thus proving that your laptop is not actually on your lap... The 3 external monitors are also probably good clues. My old Macbook used to run pretty hot but you tend to notice these things when you put in on your leg.

SpaceLifeForm Jul 19, 2023

Imagine if they were AMD processors.

James P. Albini Jul 19, 2023

@SpaceLifeForm I run 3 amd chip laptops and while they do heat up . I’ve had zero issues because of heat .. even when sitting in this hot ass office in this stupid heatwave

Martijn Linssen Jul 19, 2023

@jerry You have a workaround now which may prove to be a permanent solution, which is fine. The heat excess is likely caused by dust that has gathered on the fans (CPU GPU etc) which over time strongly diminishes their ability to cool.
I do an annual round on my modem, routers, laptop, NAS etc. Greatly reduces noise as well

Holir_Jul 19, 2023

@jerry Its time!

Tindra Jul 19, 2023

@jerry and this is why the adage is “power, space, and cooling” when planning requirements beyond the computers themselves.

@jerry so you can't move your laptop... ever