[ltp] Thinkpad runs hot under Ubuntu but not Windows

[Robert Tomsick]

On Fri, 2011-04-22 at 13:01 +0800, Rickey Williams wrote:
> I am running Ubuntu 10.10 64-bit on a Lenovo Thinkpad T400. My core
> temps average 75-77C and my GPU temp average 85-87C. I've configured the
> BIOS to use the "Balanced" setting instead of "Maximize Performance" for
> the CPU and I've also modified the GRUB menu to use the
> "acpi_osi=Linux" option which has helped lower the temps a little but
> not significantly. Yet in Windows 7, the same temps are 10-15C cooler.
> These temps are based on normal use and not when playing games or
> ripping movies.
> 
> Without the above configuration settings, I can be downloading and
> installing updates in Ubuntu (where there are a lot of them) and the
> core temps will begin to creep up into the 90s and if I let it continue,
> the laptop will perform a thermal shutdown. But even with the above
> configuration changes, the CPU temps average 77C and when I want to
> reboot, the laptop will not restart unless I let it cool down for about
> 5 minutes. After that, it will boot normally.
> 
> Does anyone have any ideas why these temps are so high and more
> importantly what I can do to make my laptop run cooler under Ubuntu?

Hmm... I've run T400s and T500s under Linux and have never experienced
this.

That said, I'd check that the fan is actually running/changing speeds
correctly.  I'd also check to make sure that you're running the right
ATI drivers if your T400 has a dedicated GPU (or that you're using Intel
graphics if you've got a machine with switchable graphics.)

Best of luck!

-Rob