“My Toshiba laptop suddenly shuts down by itself without any warning. Sometimes it works fine for hours, sometimes it shuts down in 10-15 minutes.” This complaint we hear from our customers over and over again. About 15-20% of all Toshiba laptops we get for repair, suffer from an overheating problem. Yep, OVERHEATING!
This is one of the most common problems with Toshiba laptops we deal with.
Indications of laptop overheating problem:
- The keyboard and the bottom of your laptop are very hot when the laptop is working.
- The CPU fans are working all the time at maximum rotation speed and operate much louder than before.
- The laptop suddenly shuts down by itself without warning. When it just started, the laptop was shutting down after 1-2 hours and how it shuts down after 5-10 minutes of operation.
- The laptop works fine when it runs idle, but shuts down as soon as you start using any memory demanding applications (DVD player, image editing software, video editing software, etc.).
Solution:
If the CPU heatsink is not clogged with dust and lint completely, you can use canned air and just blow it inside the laptop through the openings on the bottom and on the sides. It’s nice as a precaution measure, but it might not work if your laptop already has a problem and the heatsink is completely clogged.
- Open the laptop case, so you can access the CPU fan and the heatsink. In some cases you can access the heatsink through the latch on the bottom of the laptop. Sometimes (for example Toshiba Satellite A70/A75) you have to open the laptop case all the way down.
- Carefully disconnect the fan cables on the system board and remove the fan. If the fan makes unusual sound when it spins (grinding sound), I would recommend to replace the fan.
- Clean the fan and the heatsink with compressed air.
- I would also recommend removing old thermal grease from the CPU and applying new grease for better heat conductivity.
UPDATE: I just received a nice tip from MC N’Colorado. I think it could be useful for all of you with guys:
I decided to use a shop vac to suck the dust out and it worked. I tested it by letting the machine run all night and it worked. It’s been a couple of weeks now and I’m glad I did it. I was ready to take the machine apart, now I’m glad I didn’t. I’d suggest you use a heavy duty shop vac to clean out the fan and heat sinks first.
I agree. Try to fix the problem without taking the laptop apart first but I would recommend using a powerful air compressor instead of a vacuum cleaner.
If your laptop is still under warranty, you can take it to any Toshiba Authorize Service Provider and fix the problem at no charge to you.
Toshiba laptop disassembly guides with pictures and instructions.
Toshiba Satellite A15 Clogged Heatsink
Toshiba Satellite A35 Clogged Heatsink
Toshiba Satellite P15 Clogged Heatsink. Absolute champion!
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April 12th, 2006 at 12:04 am
Hey Peter,
That is very strange that a fresh Windows XP load uses 100% of the CPU. Are you using an original Toshiba restore CDs? Most likely the video are choppy because the CPU is always busy. It’s not normal.
April 10th, 2006 at 1:48 pm
Thank you very much for this very helpful and informative website. I tried to find answer how to solve the problem with my Toshiba Satellite 1415-S173 notebook. WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER PLAYS CHOPPY VIDEOS.
I did clean reinstall of Windows XP and did not get any positive result. My computer works slowly and CPU usage is mostly 100%.
Is there the solution to above problems?
Thank you in advance for help.
Sincerely,
Peter
April 10th, 2006 at 1:00 pm
Thanks, the memory was in wrong. The heatsink was clean and yet I’m still having the shut down problem. In the past two days my AC connection has begun flickering and going off. The motherboard on my M35X has already been replaced twice–first right after I bought it and again 6 weeks ago.
IMPORTANT NEWS for everyone: I called Toshiba and they put me through to a customer service rep who told me that there is a big lawsuit against these models due to a grounding problem. They said that I will be contacted and compensated when it is over. In the meantime, all repairs will be free if I take the computer to an authorized repair center.
To all fellow Toshiba sufferers, make sure that Toshiba has your contact information by calling their warranty department at 800-240-7100.
April 8th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
Hi Jules,
I have no idea where internal microphone is located on Toshiba Satellite A70 and if there is a microphone at all. I think I repaired over a hundred A70 and A75 laptops but cannot memorize where it could be located. I never had a customer who complained about it; probably that’s why I do not know. I just went through the part list for Toshiba Satellite A70 notebook and didn’t find any.
April 8th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
Hi Rachel,
Try to clean the heatsink and the fan without laptop disassembly first. Buy a can of compressed air and blow inside the openings on the bottom of the laptop case and then inside the openings on the sides. If after that your laptop still overheats, it might be necessary to take it apart to clean the heatsink and apply new thermal grease on the CPU. You can find thermal grease and canned air in any local computer store.
In some Toshiba models fans have few rotation speeds. The rotation speed is higher when the CPU is hotter. In Toshiba Satellite A75 for example, when you turn on the laptop the fan start spinning very fast and then it slows down. If the heatsink is clogged then the fan rotation speed might stay on high all the time.
Try to eliminate the overheating problem first and you’ll see if your laptop has any other issues.
April 8th, 2006 at 5:57 am
any idea on internal mikes and how to et them working?
April 8th, 2006 at 1:39 am
PS – sorry just noticed this – when I plugged the AC cord in the fan immedietly went into high (and loud) mode. Was quiet and subdued when I was on battery power – but my battery doesn’t last too long.
Is this usual – or is there more to my overheating problem than I assumed.
April 8th, 2006 at 1:21 am
Thanks! I wish I’d found this site a year ago when my Toshiba first had this problem. It was under warrenty then and I could have told them to replace the fan for good measure. Now it’s too late.
I’m planning to do the do it yourself way – however – is it terrible if I’m unable to remove the old grease and put new stuff on? I’m in Japan and have no idea where i’d buy CPU grease. Can I get away without it?
April 7th, 2006 at 8:24 pm
Hi Jules,
If you blow off both fans regularly, let’s say 2-3 times a months, it is not necessary to dismantle the laptop for a routine cleaning. Just keep fans and heatsink clean all the time.
April 7th, 2006 at 2:18 pm
I have just bought a refurbished A70. Should I regularly blow both fans. Also if I do this would you reccomend a routine dissmantle? Say annually, to clean the sink and fans? Finally you may know this. Where are the internal mikes on the A70, I can get the external working but not the internal?? Any Ideas? Thanks Jules