[ltp] Z61p GPU Thermal Issue

[Brian D. Ropers-Huilman]

On 8/31/07, Richard Neill <rn214@hermes.cam.ac.uk> wrote:
> That suggests to me that it isn't really the GPU getting hot. If you can
> touch the case, it's safely below 60 degrees.

I do have a somewhat higher pain threshold than most people. When the
machine gets _hot_, but still usable for me (on my lap) the CPU
temperatures are often in the mid 60s C.

> Test with something like Knoppix - that should rule out possible
> distro/version-specific kernel/driver/xorg bugs.

Excellent suggestion. I have booted it off other live CDs in the past,
but never specifically to test or control for this (GPU thermal
issues). I'll take some of those CD/DVDs along with me this weekend.

> Also, try with just the BIOS, or memtest86 - does that crash out?

No, it doesn't, but I'll stress the system a bit more with an extended
memtest86.

> >> It's possible you have a broken sensor instead of a broken GPU.
>
> I think you've got a service issue here - you probably need to ship the
> machine back to IBM. [Take your disk drive out before you do]

I've often wondered about this, and it may indeed come down to that.

> However, if it's "just" the sensor (or the sensor-driver), what happens
> if you disable ACPI?  (boot with acpi=off). Then, try running tuxracer
> or glxgears for a while. Does your machine still power off due to an
> overheat?

I know I've also experimented with booting with ACPI off, but I
honestly was not very scientific in my tests at that time. I'll look
at that again too.

Good suggestions all around. Thanks much,

-- 
Brian D. Ropers-Huilman