Avoid laptop overheating

aristofanes · 2023-06-16, 04:55

I have a laptop, AMD 5500U,, 2.10 Ghz (boost 4 GHz), 8 GB, 6 core.

I thought this computer could do som useful work when I am not carrying it around. However, whwn I run Prime95, the temperature is around 85 deg C and the fan spins like crazy. I know I can lower the CPU speed a little and I also tried running only one worker. But that didnt help much.

Is there a way to run Prime95 with a much lower speed/temperature and still have the computer responsive för other tasks? Even if it takes a month to do what my main computer could do in five days, still i could be a useful drop in the ocean.

retina · 2023-06-16, 06:41

You didn't mention your OS.

If you use Linux with systemd you can use the OS to limit the scheduling.

Code:

~ sudo systemd-run --scope --uid=1000 --property=CPUQuota=20% ./prime95.exe
Running scope as unit run-r4c2f3c4de18748a8bf2a8715651bb62f.scope.


   <! in another terminal to change the time slice !>
~ sudo systemctl set-property run-r4c2f3c4de18748a8bf2a8715651bb62f.scope CPUQuota=70%

M344587487 · 2023-06-16, 06:56

You want this or a similar tool to underclock and tweak settings like limiting boost: https://www.ryzencontroller.com/

If you let p95 run on a modern laptop 24/7 without taking power limiting steps it's possible it'll damage itself. I have a laptop which has physically bulged slightly above the cpu from where heat started warping the chassis. They want the cpu to suck power so it wins a benchmark to look good on paper, but they also want the laptop to be as thick as a piece of paper, so the coolers are entirely inadequate most of the time.

cxc · 2023-06-16, 07:36

There’s also control available within Prime95, using the Throttle option for the prime.txt file,

Quote:

If you are running on a laptop or in a hot room and you want to slow the
program down to reduce heat, then you can add this line to prime.txt:
Throttle=n
where n is the percentage of time the program should run. For example,
Throttle=40 means the program will run 40% and be idle 60% of the time.

retina · 2023-06-16, 07:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by cxc

There’s also control available within Prime95, using the Throttle option for the prime.txt file,

I found this option to produce thermal pulses rhythmically heating and cooling the CPU. I felt it was not good for long term reliability with the constantly changing thermal stresses. Maintaining an even temperature (no matter if high or low, just make sure it is stable) will help it to last longer and stay reliable.

aristofanes · 2023-06-16, 09:52

Thank you for taking your time to answer.
I am running Win 11.

I tried the throttle parameter. Both 30 and 40. With 40 the temp varies between 58 and 49 deg C with a period of 10 s. With param 30 the computer runs slightly cooler, maybe I should try to prevent that the processer will boost at 4 GHz now and then.

With these settings my laptop will complete a LL DC 72M range in about 8 days. Not bad I think.

But, as Retina wrote, it could be a long time problem with a temperature change of 10 deg C 6 times a minute. Any idea how to keep the temperatur more stable?

henryzz · 2023-06-16, 10:24

On windows I would probably use a power plan to restrict the max clock rate.
https://www.instructables.com/How-to...in-Windows-10/

I don't know if there is an equivalent in linux. This may be adjustable in some laptop bioses(reducing the TDP is the aim).

pinhodecarlos · 2023-06-16, 11:08

I use a cooling pad and a KLIM laptop cooler.

aristofanes · 2023-06-16, 14:17

Thanks for all input.
I had been fiddling with the power plans but it had not worked as I wanted. But after Henrys post I tried once again, and now it worked.
The trick was to realize that the base frequency was 2.1 GHz and the boost frequency 4.0. To get a low frequency likke 1.7 I had to fight the boost, i.e. I lowered the frequency to 33 %, the CPU tried to boost and finally I got 33% x 4.0 = 1.7 GHz.
So now the laptop is humming along with a constant 49 deg C, the speed is such that it will make a LL DC range 72M in about 10 days, hopefully unattended.

Thanks all!

mrh · 2023-06-16, 15:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by aristofanes

Thanks for all input.
I had been fiddling with the power plans but it had not worked as I wanted. But after Henrys post I tried once again, and now it worked.
The trick was to realize that the base frequency was 2.1 GHz and the boost frequency 4.0. To get a low frequency likke 1.7 I had to fight the boost, i.e. I lowered the frequency to 33 %, the CPU tried to boost and finally I got 33% x 4.0 = 1.7 GHz.
So now the laptop is humming along with a constant 49 deg C, the speed is such that it will make a LL DC range 72M in about 10 days, hopefully unattended.

Thanks all!

That seems like a good approach. Before I built machines dedicated to mprime, with crazy cooling capacity, I was always fighting with trying to find the best clock. Generally turning off any boost was the best approach. In most cases you are limited by memory bandwidth, so running the cpu faster just makes heat, without much gain. I worry about memory temp as well. I don't know if this is an issue on laptops, but on my systems for doing P-1, with lots of memory, I make sure there is a lot of airflow over the DIMMs.

Also, a machine that runs 24/7, ingests a lot of dust, so w/o good filters it is good to take them apart once in a while and clean out the junk.

aristofanes · 2023-06-16, 19:05

Using my laptop is just a small sideproject. On my main computer I also tried to change my clock speed. 5% OC just gave 1% better throughput and some extra heat. But for the memory (DDR4) I got a strict proportionality, i.e. 10% more speed gave almost 10% throughput.

Thank you for sharing tour experiences, I am rather new in this exciting project.

2023-06-16, 04:55	#1
aristofanes May 2023 Sweden 1011₂ Posts	Avoid laptop overheating I have a laptop, AMD 5500U,, 2.10 Ghz (boost 4 GHz), 8 GB, 6 core. I thought this computer could do som useful work when I am not carrying it around. However, whwn I run Prime95, the temperature is around 85 deg C and the fan spins like crazy. I know I can lower the CPU speed a little and I also tried running only one worker. But that didnt help much. Is there a way to run Prime95 with a much lower speed/temperature and still have the computer responsive för other tasks? Even if it takes a month to do what my main computer could do in five days, still i could be a useful drop in the ocean.

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2023-06-16, 06:56	#3
M344587487 "Composite as Heck" Oct 2017 2·5²·19 Posts	You want this or a similar tool to underclock and tweak settings like limiting boost: https://www.ryzencontroller.com/ If you let p95 run on a modern laptop 24/7 without taking power limiting steps it's possible it'll damage itself. I have a laptop which has physically bulged slightly above the cpu from where heat started warping the chassis. They want the cpu to suck power so it wins a benchmark to look good on paper, but they also want the laptop to be as thick as a piece of paper, so the coolers are entirely inadequate most of the time.

2023-06-16, 09:52	#6
aristofanes May 2023 Sweden 11 Posts	Thank you for taking your time to answer. I am running Win 11. I tried the throttle parameter. Both 30 and 40. With 40 the temp varies between 58 and 49 deg C with a period of 10 s. With param 30 the computer runs slightly cooler, maybe I should try to prevent that the processer will boost at 4 GHz now and then. With these settings my laptop will complete a LL DC 72M range in about 8 days. Not bad I think. But, as Retina wrote, it could be a long time problem with a temperature change of 10 deg C 6 times a minute. Any idea how to keep the temperatur more stable?

2023-06-16, 10:24	#7
henryzz Just call me Henry "David" Sep 2007 Liverpool (GMT/BST) 3×23×89 Posts	On windows I would probably use a power plan to restrict the max clock rate. https://www.instructables.com/How-to...in-Windows-10/ I don't know if there is an equivalent in linux. This may be adjustable in some laptop bioses(reducing the TDP is the aim).

2023-06-16, 11:08	#8
pinhodecarlos "Carlos Pinho" Oct 2011 Milton Keynes, UK 2×5×11×47 Posts	I use a cooling pad and a KLIM laptop cooler.

2023-06-16, 14:17	#9
aristofanes May 2023 Sweden 13₈ Posts	Thanks for all input. I had been fiddling with the power plans but it had not worked as I wanted. But after Henrys post I tried once again, and now it worked. The trick was to realize that the base frequency was 2.1 GHz and the boost frequency 4.0. To get a low frequency likke 1.7 I had to fight the boost, i.e. I lowered the frequency to 33 %, the CPU tried to boost and finally I got 33% x 4.0 = 1.7 GHz. So now the laptop is humming along with a constant 49 deg C, the speed is such that it will make a LL DC range 72M in about 10 days, hopefully unattended. Thanks all!

2023-06-16, 19:05	#11
aristofanes May 2023 Sweden 13₈ Posts	Using my laptop is just a small sideproject. On my main computer I also tried to change my clock speed. 5% OC just gave 1% better throughput and some extra heat. But for the memory (DDR4) I got a strict proportionality, i.e. 10% more speed gave almost 10% throughput. Thank you for sharing tour experiences, I am rather new in this exciting project.