Laptop running HOTTER than normal

[johnt99383]

Hi there, first timer here.

My one year old Dell Inspiron 9400 laptop has caught some nasty off the web in the last week. I know this a) because internet explorer's performance was massively hampered, and b) the laptop's getting a lot hotter than normal.

I had this problem a few months back, so I reformatted XP, and lo and behold the temperatures went back to normal. I use i8kfangui to monitor my CPU temp - after my last reformat the laptop at idle read about 33 degrees. It now idles at 40 - 50, and when pushed it'll get up to 65-75 with fans blaring on full blast. This never used to happen (a few weeks ago) even with the same programs open. My TV application seems to be a big CPU user. Also, internet explorer is now noticeably slower than firefox for loading the same page - the proxy/connection settings in both are identical. Thought this might be a clue.

So I know that something's happened in the last few days to cause this strange temperature issue. CPU usage in general is not noticeably higher, but some deeper issue is causing my laptop to run hotter than it should, give the work it's doing. Iknow that if I reformat windows I'll have a cooler machine. But I'd like some help finding out what's wrong before I try that.

Have run registry checks, spybot, adaware, avg full scan, hijack this log pasted below. Please let me know what else to do to root out this nasty.

Thanks.

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 01:58:46, on 05/05/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16640)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\EvtEng.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\S24EvMon.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\WLKeeper.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\quickset.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\bin\ZCfgSvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\ifrmewrk.exe
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
C:\Program Files\D4\D4.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Gmail Notifier\gnotify.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\WINDOWS\stsystra.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\I8kfanGUI\I8kfanGUI.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
D:\CrappyPrograms\BlueSol\BTNtService.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\RegSrvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\taskmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Java\JRE16~1.0_0\bin\javaw.exe
C:\Program Files\uTorrent\uTorrent.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

O2 - BHO: ZoneAlarm Spy Blocker BHO - {F0D4B231-DA4B-4daf-81E4-DFEE4931A4AA} - C:\Program Files\ZoneAlarmSB\bar\1.bin\SPYBLOCK.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: ZoneAlarm Spy Blocker - {F0D4B239-DA4B-4daf-81E4-DFEE4931A4AA} - C:\Program Files\ZoneAlarmSB\bar\1.bin\SPYBLOCK.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IntelZeroConfig] "C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\bin\ZCfgSvc.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IntelWireless] "C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\ifrmewrk.exe" /tf Intel PROSet/Wireless
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BluetoothAuthenticationAgent] rundll32.exe bthprops.cpl,,BluetoothAuthenticationAgent
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SigmatelSysTrayApp] stsystra.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Default user')
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Registry Service (RegSrvc) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\RegSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Service (S24EventMonitor) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\S24EvMon.exe

--
End of file - 3572 bytes

[Doctor Inferno]

Log file is clean. However, you could get an external fan that is USB powered to keep things cool.

[GReddy4u]

I would suggest closing zonealarm and getting a little laptop cooling pad for like $15 bucks.

[Netking27]

Hello!! Could making a ext fan solve the issue ? just curious as stuck with the same problem here.

[GReddy4u]

Hello!! Could making a ext fan solve the issue ? just curious as stuck with the same problem here.

Yes it will lower your temps, but you should also get a cooling pad for your laptop. They work magic :)

Here is a selection of them for relatively cheap.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=cooling+pad&x=0&y=0

[johnt99383]

OK guys, thanks for the tips. Unfortunately I've tried all that before: my laptop currently is raised off the ground by an inch on all sides, and has always been like that. I now have an external AC powered fan blowing right under the laptop, but that's a bit noisy.

The point is this: I know something has gone wrong to make the thing too hot in the last few days. I KNOW that if I reformat windows then all my problems will go away and it will stay cool. I'm posting here to try and find out how to track down potentially deeper malware, perhaps which disguise themselves as normal windows processes?

Any tips welcome, thanks for replies so far, JT

[sittas87]

Hi there
Im wondering if it is malware.personally i doubt it is
reason:if you going to format everything is going to be fine,coz the cpu doesn't work much -not alot of programs is installed.but as time progress you obviously install more programs resulting in much more workload.
what im trying to say is maby your processor is struggling with the workload. Consider the possibility
what is your processor,RAM and bus specs. and your computing purpose

[johnt99383]

OK thanks, seems like everyone thinks I'm making this up....I've got 2ghz dual core T7200, 2GB ram etc.

It must be difficult to believe, but I know that last week something happened to cause my temps to rocket. I didn't install any large program, my startup list is nice and lean, and I keep my services under control. I'm 100% sure this isn't due to gradual increase of programs. Plus, I've had this experience before and after a reformat things were fine.

I guess I'll just keep a log of typical temps, reinstall XP and then compare.

[sittas87]

Mr John Im not saying its impossible but it is not most likely.If you prefer to format it,do so but remember if you format and after a while it does the same thing than it would be obvious would'nt it....

[Im talking out of personal experience]
I mean no harm:-p

[mb523]

When was the last time you cleaned the dust out of the cooling system? As your CPU usage increases, the temp will increase as well. When the temp increases, the fan turns on and if the heatsink if full of dust, it will not properly cool the CPU, thus making the machine feel very hot and the temp of the CPU stay high.

A can of compressed air will be the easiest way to clean it out. Direct the jet of air into the vents on the machine (while it is off). I find that blowing in the opposite way of the normal air flow will get a lot more out. This will rule out a cooling-related issue.

Good luck and hope you figure out your problem!

[johnt99383]

Back to cool again - idling at 40 deg C, when pushed only hits 50 - 55 deg.

Must have been some hardware issues, after I rebooted in safe mode, unplugged all the USB peripherals, restarted in normal XP it seems to be happy again!

So for other users, if you've checked for malware etc, and reflashed the bios, consider unplugging all the USB stuff and reconnecting one at a time till you identify a problem