Laptop suddenly overheating and shutting down

computer_hoarder

4/2/24, 10:01 PM

This is my first time asking a question here, so let me know if you need more information.

TL;DR:

Why doesn't my fan show up in pwmconfig?
Why is my computer overheating on specific programs?
This is either a software issue or a ventilation issue, not a thermal paste issue, because it started suddenly a month ago.

A month ago, my Ubuntu laptop suddenly began randomly shutting down while I was doing various work. It took me a while to figure out why, but I'm 90% sure it's an overheating issue.

Usually it happens after I've been using it for a while, maybe 2 hours or so, but sometimes specific programs make it happen right away.

For example, the appimage I have for Arduino IDE causes an overheat within about ten seconds after launch. I've installed lm-sensors which tells me the temperature, and I've watched it go from 40C to 70C in a matter of seconds, at which point the whole system shuts down. The fan doesn't seem to speed up much while the temperature is spiking.

This wasn't happening before a month ago. I've been using that program for months with no issue, and suddenly it's completely inoperable.

I tried doing the following to check the fan:

sudo sensors-detect (I went through the whole process
sudo service kmod start
sudo pwmconfig - this returns the following error:

/usr/sbin/pwmconfig: There are no pwm-capable sensor modules installed

Which is weird, because I'm pretty sure the fan works. I can hear it running, just not very loud.

I'm running Ubuntu 22.04 on a Toshiba Satellite Radius, which was originally loaded with Windows 8.

0 + 6

shutdown

fan

overheating

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ubfan1

4/2/24, 10:27 PM

Sudden overheating problems might be caused by dust buildup or even some other blockage (like a piece of tape came lose and now blocks things). Did you check for that?

computer_hoarder

4/2/24, 10:53 PM

I did open up the laptop and vacuum out the vents and fan, but that didn't seem to do much. That said, I do live with pets so I'm not ruling that out. What would be the best way to clean it?

rtaft

4/2/24, 11:39 PM

pwmconfig is for 4 pin PWM fans, usually found on desktops.

computer_hoarder

4/3/24, 12:08 AM

@rtaft What would I use for laptop fans?

David

4/3/24, 7:07 AM

If it was me I would be taking it for repair.

rtaft

4/3/24, 1:01 PM

@computer_hoarder `thinkfan` seems to work well with IBM/Lenovo. `i8kfan` works well with Dells. Not sure what would work with Toshibas

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: Laptop suddenly overheating and shutting down

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