My M11x R2 is acting very strangly (Random Lag, Random fan )

Win7 Home Premium
Model: Alienware M11xR2
Processor: Intel Core i5 CPU U520 @ 1.07GHz 1.07
Ram: 8.00 GB
System type: 64-bit OS
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 335M
Gotten December/2010
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Over the past few days I have been getting these large lag spurts in any game I play. I will use Team fortress 2 as an example. I play that game normally at max settings and maintain 120-40 fps. Now when I launch any game I still play at those rates for a good 10-20 minutes but will soon crash down to 20-2 fps for no reason what-so-ever. I tested this out in 2 other games completely different, just cause 2 and minecraft both giving same data, high normal fps but will drop to way beyond normal.

After researching the fan seems to be a possible cause but I can't seem to find 1 answer in all of google. 2 weeks ago my fan was a lot louder than normal, then it eventually went back to normal but then the fps problem started ( Amazing, just as I was typing it my fan just started making the loud noises again, maybe the problem just fixed itself?!?).

So could someone shed some light on these random problems of lag and the fan that can't make up its mind?

 

The fan is spooling because

a.) the hardware is getting to hott

or

b.) the system thinks its hott but its really not in fact.


What are ur temps while playing these games? Both on gpu side and cpu side?

 

Have you tried blowing the dust out from inside your system? It could be overheating because of it.

 

For temps Ill give you the max and min of my last session. Max was when I was gaming min was when I was idle.
CPU - Max 163F,170F Min -143F,156F ( I feel that my temperatures may be inaccurate. When I turned it on this morning after letting it sit in a 50degree room over night started at 120F. )
GPU -142F

I have cleaned out the fan with air before hand and it did actually lower the computer's avg temp but it was minimal.

Also, I was just playing a game and I found something out. The switch between lag and no lag is instant. Meaning like the computer is forcing it self to do less to avoid overheating and going back to normal the instant it crosses the "borderline".

 

If your idling at 120f (49C), thats way to hot. That should be your max temp with stress. Something might be wrong with your cooling. The problem with lag /no lag, is exactly what you think it is. To prevent overheating, the system severely underclockes the gpu/cpu to prevent overheating. Since it shouldnt be doing this, try cleaning out your fans and or reapplying thermal paste as it might have worn out from prolonged use. You can also call dell, they should be able to do something about it since these temps are not good for your system, and it shouldnt be getting that hot.

 

49C is fine for the cpu. Mine is at 49C right now from browsing the internet. The cpu can handle 100-105C. My overclocked cpu went up to about 78C running Prime95 for 10 hours with no issues. As long as his temps are all in Fahrenheit they are fine.

 

Please don't go to Crack or Adult websites for god's sake. You have virus(s) on your computer.
Random Lag may be due to virus eating cpu usage which increases the overall temperature of your laptop.
It's most likely your own fault how your laptop is acting..

 

on my r1 when my gpu is overclocked and my cpu, on the cpu my temps are 45c idle and gpu 49c idle. but during gameplay both go up to about 59-64c and thats NOT to hot. these can get to over 90c and they'd be ok.

 

Probable, yet slim chance. I always run the firefox ad-on "NoScript" and "Adblocker" on at the same time to stop any kind of random virus attack. Plus I also run avast. I do not go to those sites at all, just mainly youtube and gaming sites. Yet knowing the internet, there is always 1 thing that can bypass all of it.

Although this does fit the description of a virus, so I am running another virus scan for the heck of it even though it will probably run up clean. Is there something I can do to find a virus that bypasses everything I have now?


- Edit - Yea this definatly has something to do with the temp, mainly the fan. I was recording temperatures since I started,
CPU was always hot, Started at 107F and topped off at 175F idle ( also for some reason my second core is significantly higher than the first ).
GPU Started at 86F and went to 158F idle.

 

All day I have been going in and out of good temperature ranges. It really seems to fan has a mind of its own. Earlier today the fan was running nice and loudly and the temperature was a good 30-40F cooler than last night. Then after I booted up a game the fan shut itself off and started lagging a bit later, checked my temps and they were way back up again.

I have been reading how a lot of people have that problem with the fan going 100% of the time. Could there be a way to make the fan go 100% all the time? I don't mind the sound cause I always use a headset.

 

If it was fine in the past then I suggest you to call Dell and replace your motherboard.
However, replacing your motherboard may bring you further/more problems so I suggest you to think carefully before you request...
I had to have my motherboard changed a multiple times due to new problems showing up (e.g. Unusually high GPU temperature, Beeping sounds).
Another problem may be due to your OS or your hard drive disk.

 

I have BIOS version A02 and I have no problem of fan going 100% of the time.
Which BIOS version are you using?

 

I have BIOS A03.

Edit - Also my temperatures are weird right now. My cpu has 2 cores and both temps are a rough 20F away from each other, one being 98F other 125F. Its a nice temp but the second I start up a game the fan turns itself off causing overheating thus lag. After going idle for awhile it will turn the fan on again continuously.

 

True, 49C for idle is perfectly normal, I get 50-60C with just the messenger, youtube, itunes, etc. 70-80C while gaming, all this in a plain desk with ambient temperature...

 

If thats the case then what is causing the issue with my random lag if the temperature is normal? Do remember that I did not have this problem a week ago ( I probably should system restore back to then but I installed too much (a lot of updates for games and drivers, validated Microsoft office, etc. )) it just kind of rose up out of no where.

 

I hate to bump up this thread, but the issue is still present. From the looks of the temperature data I am collecting, the computer is underclocking itself when it hits 80C ( both CPU and GPU were 80-85 when it started underclocking ), which according to what people said is normal gaming temperature.

Now my question is would a cooling pad with built-in fans help at all? I am been using this pad which feels like it had heat-sensing beeds inside that turn soft when they warm up. The pad literally does nothing and sometimes makes it worse.

And all of that is assuming that heat is the issue. I still have yet to do a deep clean ( I was away for a week and didn't take it with me ), from the inside of the computer and I did do a malware/spyware scan that only removed a few adware cookies.