Gateway M Series 1617 Overheating
This is actually a Gateway M Series -1617 Laptop.
To get to the fan & heatsink is easy on this laptop. Remove one panel off back, and you now have easy access to these components on this laptop. Unlike most laptops you have to “tear down” completely. Well I cleaned the fan, heatsink exhaust and applied a fresh application of Artic Silver Ceramique on the cpu.
After new hard drive install, and Windows 7 operating system. The GAteway booted up operating at 75-80 celsius, and it continued to idle at that temperature for an hour. Still way to hot for idle temp! Keep in mind the fan was cleaned, AND the fan was running high speed, loud of course. Flip the laptop over and took a good look at that access panel.
MozyHome Remote Automatic Daily On Line Backup $5.99 per Month!
The only cool air intake sits to the far left on this panel, about 2″ away from fan. This intake was covered with mesh material acting as a filter, but also restricts air flow. What little air was pulling through this intake passed over the memory, passed over the hot video graphics chip. By the time what restricted cool outside air gets through and over these components I figured the air is probably hot by the time it reaches the fan and main cooling heatsink for the laptop.
Backing & Mesh Filter Cut Out
So I cut into the aluminum backing on the inside of this panel and ripped out that mesh filter. The fan and heatsink are easy to get to on this laptop, so periodically checking and cleaning any dust build up in the fan & heatsink is no problem on this laptop. I also drilled out 3 holes directly over the fan.
Most laptops do have the intake vent directly over the fan. This Gateway M-1617 does not, why… I have no idea why the designed it this way other than to fail due overheating.
Well, put cover panel back on and booted up:
Laptop booted up running 55 celsius, and settled down to 35-42 celsius. That is a 35-40 degree DROP in temperature. Cool air is now pulling directly into fan and cooling the heatsink, exhausts out of the laptop and cools the cpu & video chip down in the process. The way it suppose to be designed to.
Summary:
- Open and clean fan and heatsink exhaust.
- Open the fan cover to get to the inside exhaust grill, for that is where dust build up will block off.
- Clean old thermal compound off cpu
- Apply thin spread of Artic Silver thermal compound on CPU
- Cut out and remove mesh filter on this access panel
- Drill out few holes directly over fan
Gateway Rear Panel
Doing a major Windows 7 Service pack update right now, max temp is (under load) 64 celsius. 70+ degrees is overheating temp on most laptops. Remember, it was idling (not under any load) at 75-80 celsius. Have no idea what load temperature was prior to this fix, hard drive was dead, probably due to excessive heat in this laptop.
AMD Turion Chips run hot as it is, so keeping these cooled down will prolong the life of your hard drive and laptop in general!
Some of these Gateway M Series DO have a cut out vented grill below the fan, this particular model did not. It was solid, no vent what so ever.
Gateway M Series 1617 Temps After Repair
Websites:
www.PCTechAugusta.com
Laptop Repair Augusta GA
Follow @augustapcrepair
src=”http://affiliates.mozy.com/b.aspx?id=89951&mm=28&img=468×60.jpg” alt=”" border=”0″ />
Dude ur a lifesaver. I have a m1634 and was about ready to thrash it. Constantly shutting down.
No problem, thanks for the comment!
I also have a m1634 and mine is constantly shutting down even when on the power saver setting. Im gonna try something this this right away. this looks like a logical fix!!!
Your welcome! Fan is easy to get at with this model. Clean the fan exhaust out from inside, clean off old thermal compound, apply fresh quality thermal compound to cpu, drilled out a few holes over fan lid cover, and pull that mesh backing off as above. Allows more outside case temp air to get in via fan, and blow thru-exhuast out the heatsink, cooling laptop better.
I have a question. I have a MX6000 series gateway. The fan quit working and I got a message stating the fact before the computer shut down. I purchased a new fan/heatsink. Now, when I power up the laptop the fan runs, however, the computer shuts itself down after 5 to 7 seconds. Any thoughts?
Check and reseat the memory modules. Make sure the fan connecter is plugged in firmly. Strip it back down to motherboard, see if any difference (no HD, No cdrom, no display etc) If laptop is still apart, pop the cmos coin battery out for 15 minutes to try and reset the motherboard. Other than that motherboard might be gone, damaged.
Wow! My laptop (same exact model) shut down on me three days ago. I presume from overheating because that computer blows hot air! Failed to start for more than 10-20 seconds before shutting down (hard shutdown I think).
Was not sure if it were a Microsoft update series that caused the issue. Was able to do a system restore and used computer in a colder room. It lasted about 4 minutes.
I used your steps almost exactly (I did cut holes nervously), and figured I could not make the computer any worse. The computer has been running for about 20 to 30 minutes without it shutting off on me (I can now tell the computer when to shutdown!).
This advice saved me a bunch of money and the computer feels a lot cooler, almost blowing just warm air out of the vent. I want to download the CPU temp program you mentioned to verify the temp, but it definitely feels cooler!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Blessings,
Ryan