Here's the setup.>I use a relatively older laptop, from 2016. Not the best but far from the worst.>Functions normally for the most part. Plays audio, runs programs, the works. >I made certain I'm not overloading it's storage, and have many gigs of space, along with no malware>Eventually a bunch of keyboard buttons go kaput>Get it fixed at a device shop, problem solved after a week>Two problems arise in it's place the moment I get it back. As in "The first time I used it after getting it back these problems become apparent">MASSIVE CPU spikes on programs it should be able to run without much issue, creating enormous framerate drops>Audio jack doesn't register headphones at allThe former is the far bigger problem, and also the far more confusing one because there's a bunch of elements that don't make sense to me>CPU problem shows up immediately after I get my keyboard and battery fixed>The hotter the computer gets the faster it runs for some reason. Like it's linked to the fan speed or something. For example, when I left it in a hot car backpack by accident, it functioned like a fucking dream for like 10 minutes before it cooled down and the problems returned.
>MASSIVE CPU spikesWhat does this mean exactly? The CPU usage is high? Does it properly reach its highest clocks during these spikes?>The hotter the computer gets the faster it runs for some reasonMeaning that the body itself is hot to the touch, or measured in some way? What are the CPU temperatures like, as measured from a program? Are they similar to what they were before?>Audio jack doesn't register headphones at allHave you tried multiple headphones and speakers to see if it's just that specific pair that has this issue? Is the jack disabled in settings by any chance? Have you tried reinstalling the drivers?
>>1509580I checked my Roblox and Task manager.For some reason these CPU spikes happen every couple of seconds when I'm running some important programs, mind you which my computer SHOULD be able to run even if it's a bit old.As for the second one, I guess. Yet for some reason the lag/framerate spikes don't happen when it's heated up. The audio problem I kind of nailed down
dried thermal paste
>>1509581So the CPU usage spikes to 100%? What are its clocks during and around this time? Use hwinfo or similar to check graphs for usage, clocks and temps. Note if it throttles and by how much. If the CPU doesn't downclock dramatically, you next have to determine what actually causes that usage.>Yet for some reason the lag/framerate spikes don't happen when it's heated upIt's hard to imagine, but the cooling might have been improperly assembled at the shop and either expansion or melting causes the cooling to improve. This is why it's important for you to determine what the actual temps reported by the CPU are like when the laptop is hot and when it's cold.
>>1509584Kinda, yeah. I don't know what clocks it has though.Also how could the cooling have been messed with when the only things they tinkered with were the battery and keyboard?
>>1509589>I don't know what clocks it has though.Check what CPU you have, find its spec sheet and see what its max base and boost clocks are. Then measure them like I said. hwinfo can measure everything you need, but you can use other programs if you want. Then compare them to the measured result to see if the CPU is able to reach them sustainably, both when the laptop is cold and hot. If it is unable to, this would be a good explanation for the "spikes" you are experiencing.>Also how could the cooling have been messed with when the only things they tinkered with were the battery and keyboard?It's just a guess. A reasonable one considering it started happening after you got it back from the shop. I dunno what laptop you have, but I see that plenty of them cannot be serviced easily. They could've done something to it accidentally or maybe as a freebie.
>>1509590Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6200U CPU @ 2.30GHz 2.40 GHzInstalled RAM 8.00 GB (7.86 GB usable)Device ID 08C35DD6-5E8F-4EDC-BEB8-52F1F7B44A9DProduct ID 00325-80000-00000-AAOEMSystem type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processorThis is all the relevant info
>>1509592Ok, now run a performance intensive program and see if the clocks stay at 2.3GHz or more. I forgot to add that you ought to test if the laptop performs differently when it's plugged in.
>>1509596It's usually plugged in. The battery, even after being replaced, is a bit unstable but it's perfectly usable
>>1509596It doesn't go to 2.3 ghz, the highest it goes is 2.18 for a split second.
>>1509597>is a bit unstableWhat does this mean? Is it removable? If so, remove it and see if the CPU runs fine.>>1509598What clocks does it sustain, and at what clocks does it idle? What are the temperatures like? What kind of workload? Try a benchmark.
>>1509599When "At rest" it just runs at roughly around 0.88 ghz. I can't find the temp, but it's not high
>>1509606When you start hwinfo, open "sensors" by checking it. There should be a section named after your CPU. Also check for any high temps other sensors might report.
>>1509609Core temp is 60 c.Doesn't feel like it
>>1509611>Core temp is 60 cThat's fine if it was measured under load. Was it working alright at the time you measured this? What exactly were you doing? I recommend a CPU benchmark or stress test. Cinebench is okay because you can do single and multi thread separately, so try that.>Doesn't feel like itWhat do you mean?If it can't hold its base clock in a sustained load, you need to determine why. The most probable cause is temperature. Can you clarify what you meant by the battery being "unstable"? Is it removable? If so, take it out and run the laptop plugged in to see if the situation improves.Also look into the software side of things. Did the shop tell you they did anything extra? Check if they updated drivers or Windows, if possible.
>>1509612That’s when it’s at rest
>>1509618>>1509612Also when I say “It doesn’t feel like it” I mean that the computer is cool when I touch it rather than warm.
>>1509619That can be a symptom of poor cooling. If the heat cannot be conducted well, the CPU will be very hot, but even the cooler will have a much lower temperature. Your CPU's TJMax is 100°C. If it hits that, it will downclock a bit. If it keeps hitting 100°C it will keep downclocking until the temperature stabilizes, or it cannot downclock any more and then it'll shut down. Now, plenty laptops are known for idling at high temps but I'd wager your 6200U idling at 60°C indicates a cooling problem. Please test the temperatures under load to be sure. Is the fan any louder than it was before?
>>1509622What can I do?
>>1509699Well, after you've confirmed that it is actually a cooling issue (do this, it's important), you can either choose to fix it yourself, or take it back to the shop. You should check if there are any guides on disassembling your specific laptop model. Often These are often Youtube videos, but forum and blog posts might help as well. This will help you both understand how difficult the repair will be in your case, what you need to prepare, and probably what the ideal solution is (like thermal paste vs thermal pad). If there's nothing for your model, see if there's anything from the same manufacturer and generation, or perhaps go with a general guide
>>1509704Hmmmm
>>1509704Here's what I was able to gather from my analysis1064.3 MHz clock on average for memory.My clock speed for my operating points are constantly fluctuating, but the average supposedly sits around 2293-5 mhz
>>1509704>>1509739Still doesn't explain it getting faster after I left it in a hot car
>>1509739They should fluctuate when the workload is light, make sure you're stressing at least 1 core to its maximum, ideally try both 1 and 2. The memory clock is irrelevant here, what you want is "Core 0 Clock" and "Core 1 Clock", like the one in the picture. Send a screenshot with as many sensors visible as possible.
>>1509743How can I do that when it’s constantly fluctuating and I can’t get a good look at the “Average?”
>>1509788Screen recorder?
>>1509817Good point. My mom rants about depreciating costs.
>>1509788Got this shit. This is what it looks like idle. Those clocks spike out the wazoo when I do anything else
>>1509846That's definitely not idle. It should clock below 1GHz when idle. Does it do that when you're not recording? You ought to launch the sensors part of the program and use that. The current/max/min/average helps, and I need to see the temps.>Those clocks spike out the wazoo when I do anything elseIf it's a light load, that's completely normal. If that happens under heavy load, that's bad. You need to introduce something that will strain your CPU as much as possible. Either a game, a benchmark, a stress test (try https://www.ocbase.com/download ), or just render (not play) a video or something. You need to determine if it can stay at the speeds you've shown here under such a load, and what temps it reaches.
>>1509859I should probably check that again
>>1509859The CPU heats up to 90 and shit
>>1509923But for some reason the air that's coming out of the back vent is cool
THE THERMAL PASTE IS DRIED OUT
>>1509923Max 80% usage and it's already throttling. You're definitely gonna have to fix the cooling now.>But for some reason the air that's coming out of the back vent is coolIf the CPU cannot conduct its heat to the cooler's body, this is the end result.
>>1509935How could I get the heat to start conducting again?
>>1509938It depends on exactly what's wrong with it. The thermal paste could be lacking due to pumpout, or it could have expired. If it's using a thermal pad, it could be improperly installed. If this indeed started happening after you got it back, I assume that the shop you took it to fiddled with it, or accidentally damaged it (unlikely). The fix could be as simple as screwing the heatsink on properly, replacing the paste, or repositioning the thermal pad. Either way you're gonna have to open it up and see what's what. You probably want some thermal paste on hand. If you're gonna buy some, buy a very viscous one that doesn't conduct electricity. You should check out guides on how to service your specific laptop model, if they exist. Otherwise, go for general guides.
>>1509942Good point. I intend to take it back to a shop to get some extra help
>>1509943Alright, I think it might definitely be a thermal paste issue
>>1509942I'm not sure if that's even going to help
vacuum the cpu and graphics card air intake, from outside
>>1510064You sure that’s gonna help?
>>1510062>>1509942So I'm to remove the cooler, wipe off the dried paste, and then put new paste back on before reinstalling the cooler??
>>1510134If your laptop uses paste, yes. Try to take note of how tight the screws were tightened as you remove them. Some coolers in laptops are always a bit loose, and in such cases thermal pads are a much better idea. Be careful when cleaning the paste, as some are half-conductive or worse. You don't want it anywhere on the board. Take some time to gauge how much paste you need, because too little means you're losing cooling, and too much might make a mess. Mounting pressure is also very important, but I see laptop coolers often come with tiny screws, so be careful not to ruin them. What laptop are you running anyway?
>>1510138How do I remove the cooler and old paste safely? Same with re-applying
>>1510139A part of the cooler's body directly touches the CPU (and discrete GPU if you have one). That's where a thin layer of paste should be, and there's probably some at the sides. Just unscrew it, lift it directly away from the dies and put it aside, then get something disposable to clean the die with. Use some kind of alcohol or something with similar properties, ideally isoprophyl or the like. Apply it to a tissue or q-tip and rub towards the middle of the die/heat-spreader, this is usually the cleanest for me. I recommend that you put the cooler back on without the paste first to see how tight the fit is. As for applying paste, a dot of sufficient size on the die/heat-spreader will do, but you can spread it manually to create perfect coverage and desired thickness. The latter might be difficult to do, but offers better and more consistent performance. A thin layer is preferable, because paste is used to overcome the imperfections of the two surfaces only; if they were perfect, you wouldn't need it. However, depending on tolerances, you might need a decent amount. After cleaning the cooler, carefully place the cooler straight down to ensure an even paste layer. Reinsert all the screws, and tighten them each bit by bit interchangeably.
>>1510145I want to make sure I don't break anything. Any tips?
>>1510188What model do you have? Did you manage to find any videos for your model? This is the best way to find out what to expect. If not, just go for generic ones. Watch a couple if possible. Be very patient, duh. Before you start, don't have it plugged in, remove the battery, press the power button. Get lots of space and something to store the screws in, ideally with compartments. Take pictures if you think it's going to be hard to remember how to put it back together. Be very careful and gentle with ribbon cables and how you wield your screwdriver, also don't over-tighten the screws. When you get back into the OS, the first thing you want to check is if all temperatures, not just the cores, are okay at idle. Wait at least 5 minutes to be sure. Do not stress test if they haven't improved.
>>1510188Properly ground yourself, nothing quite kills a computer than building up a static charge and then touching something expensive.
>>1510202Good point.
>>1510202What should I do this on then? Wooden floor?
>>1510145Dies?
>>1510383The heatsink.
>>1510458Ah. I cracked that baby open but I can't find the heatsink
>>1510469Here picture btw
>>1510475It should be under the copper plate. I see that the screws show signs of use. Has it been serviced more than once?
