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Monitoring Your Laptop's Health?

Posted by Cliff on from the digital-vitals dept.

paulius_g asks: "I have an eMachines laptop running Windows and I would like to know how today's geeks monitor their laptops caracteristics (CPU temperature, fan speeds, SMART, etc.) There are software to monitor normal motherboards, but laptop motherboards are usually unsupported on these kinds of software. I am in desperate need in such a software as my laptop overheats a lot while the fan is running at a low speed. So, what do you use to monitor your laptop?"

5 of 67 comments (clear)

  1. SMART by DustMagnet · · Score: 2, Interesting

    There have been lots of good replies here, but so far no one has talked about SMART. SMART has warned me of serious hard disk problems before a crisis a number of times. I did a hard search and the only SMART monitoring program I could find for Windows has been spammed on USENET. I won't buy from spammers.

    --
    'SBEMAIL!' is better than a goat!!
    1. Re:SMART by confused+one · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Most manufacturers have a SMART monitor utility. Otherwise, look for smartmon tools.

  2. 2 words: by epsilon720 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Smoke detector.

    Yes, my laptop is fine now, but it was a rough couple of weeks.

  3. The question is not how, but why? by fm6 · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Why do you even worry about your laptop overheating? Standard consumer and business systems are designed to be OK provided the environment doesn't exceed 85 degrees F. (At least that's what it says on the A+ exam.) The only people who need to worry about their systems overheating are people who customize -- case modders, overclockers, or people who've replaced fans and power supplies with quieter versions.

    I once considered doing that last thing myself, so I did a little Googling and found a couple of gadgets that let you stick a temperature prope through a case slot so you can check for overheating. You'll have to find them for yourself.

    In any case, suppose your laptop is overheating. What are you going to do about it?

  4. maybe he lives in texas by dj_virto · · Score: 2, Interesting

    where it's above 85 half the year. :)