Overheating

[Fifty]

I bought my laptop (cheapest one they had) in August of 2005.

Here are the specs:
-Compaq R4000
-ATI Radeon XPress 200M
-Windows XP
-228MB RAM
-1GhZ AMD Sempron Processor
-40GB Hard Drive

Horrible yeah I know, but I mainly just use it for internet and word processing. However, I like occasionally playing games, old games, but my computer can't handle ANYHING.

I tried installing Diablo 2 and its expansion today, which has the following sys rec:

Pentium 233 Processor or equiv.
64MB Ram
8MB Video Card
1GB HD Space

Yet I can't run it! I can play it for maybe 15 mins before my computer gets hot and everything gets choppy and unplayable. Its like this with a lot of games (even some internet flash games). Why can't my computer play anything? How can I keep it cool? I try propping it up so there is more air flow underneath, but that only slightly helps. Should I take it apart and dust it? Is there any method of getting this thing to stop heating up so fast?

 

[Cutlass]

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-Laptop-R9-NBC-ADAS/dp/B0009WPSEC

 

[Fifty]

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-Laptop-R9-NBC-ADAS/dp/B0009WPSEC

Do they sell those sorts of things at like Best Buy, or do I have to order it online?

 

[lutzj]

You only have 228MB of RAM, and WinXP/ background programs are probably eating most of it up. I wouldn't be surprised is Diablo doesn't have the 64MB it needs after that. You should dust the laptop, but don't expect it to play anything more advanced than Pong.

 

[Cutlass]

Do they sell those sorts of things at like Best Buy, or do I have to order it online?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...ooler&lp=2&type=product&cp=1&id=1186003682177

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...ooler&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1193234476472

 

[taper]

I'm using a very similar HP V2000 right now. Slightly faster processor, and I threw in another stick of RAM(768MB total), and it handles everything up to and including Morrowind. Internet is a breeze. It does sound like a heat problem. Dust can do it, get a duster can and blow everything out. Are your fans spinning? You should hear and feel the air blowing out. You could try something like Motherboard Monitor to look at your temps. You'll probably only get cpu temp though, and this looks more like a gpu temp problem. If you have something like a busted fan or heatpipe, a chiller mat won't help that much.

 

[Fifty]

I bought a Targus dual fan chill mat, and it appears to be working! Thanks everyone.

 

[lutzj]

Do they sell those sorts of things at like Best Buy, or do I have to order it online?

Most electronics stores should have them; I recently saw several models in a Staples.

EDIT: Nvm, you already got it...