Gateway NX860XL problem

[SetecX]

OK so check it out, I just got one of these last week and I thought it was quite sweet and it basically is. Here are the specs:




Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7200 (2.00GHz, 667MHz, 4MB L2)

Hard Drive: 100GB 7200rpm Serial ATA hard drive

Memory: 2048MB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (2-1024MB modules)

Optical Drive: 8x Multi-Format Dbl Lyr DVD Writer(DVD±R/±RW/CD-RW)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Media (32-bit)

Application Software: Microsoft Works 8.5

Video Card: nVidia 7900 GS 256MB GraphicsCard (for Sonic-C)

Network Card: Integrated Intel 802.11a/b/g Draft-N Wireless Networking

Bluetooth: Bluetooth Wireless Networking Module

Memory Card Reader: 6-in-1 Digital Card Reader

Sound Card: Integrated High Definition Audio

Modem: Integrated Modem

Display: 17.1" WUXGA TFT Active Matrix (1920x 1200 res)
Keyboard/Touchpad/Pointing Device: Full size 86 key keyboard and Gateway EZ Pad® touchpad with vertical scroll and 2-button design (left/right mouse programmable)

Battery: Primary 8-Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Dimensions: 16.06-inches (W) × 10.89-inches (D) × 1.24 to 1.42-inches (H)

Weight: 7.81 to 8.42 pounds (Weight will vary due to component options)





The problem is, and I dont think I am alone here, is the fans basically do not run while the unit is running on battery power. So I could be browsing the web and the unit keeps heating up until it gets to about 70c before the fans will even do anything.

If I plug it in the fans come on immediately. If I unplug it the fans immediately stop. It seems like the bios is not really designed well enough to handle the fan control and when they should come on.

It has the latest bios and I talked to Gateway support and they basically had nothing to offer. I cannot find a single fan control prog that will work with this unit.

So I guess my question is, are there any fellow NX860XL owners that have this same bs problem? Or does anyone know of a fan control prog that works? I am debating returning the unit because hitting 70c while basically idle is retarded. Does anyone have any recommendations on what to get instead with similar specs that does not turn into a blast furnace? Thanks for any responses.

 

[Charlie91c8]

I have the same machine.

On battery power both fans kick on and off as needed. High performance setting seems to run them all the time.

 

[escon]

SetecX,

You’re not alone with this problem. A little web search will find plenty of discussion on this subject. If you decided to return the unit, I hope you had better luck than I did. After a little pressure, they agreed to a refund (total purchase price). But then, since they were trying to tell me they had never heard of this problem, they offered a replacement unit. I stupidly agreed. When the replacement did the same thing, they told me I had given up my option for a refund when I agreed to take the (also defective) replacement. If Gateway ever gives you a chance to bail, TAKE IT.

But life goes on….Here’s the deal:

Before I sent the original unit back, I did a wipe disk. I powered up, pulled the AC (now on battery) and the GPU fan stayed on.
Conclusion: Not hardware; not BIOS; probable cause – either Vista or the nvidia driver.

Both original and replacement 860s came with driver v7.15.10.9759, 1/13/2007.
With battery power and under load, this version would start the GPU fan at 78C.

I’ve since tried two different driver revs, the older .9755, 12/20/2006 rev, and the newer .9816, 3/12/2007. Both of these versions start the fan at 60C, but only under load (nvidia NVPerformance Benchmark test). When the test is stopped and the GPU is basically idle, the fan stops and the temp climbs. I do not know at what temp the fan comes on at GPU idle – it’s at least 70C.

Charlie,

Are you using the default settings under the vista high performance power settings?

I have not found any settings that change the GPU fan operation. Gateway and NVIDIA are no help. Gateway just denies the problem and offers no alternative. And third-party video control software is no longer able to adjust the fan speed in Vista machines.

From the RivaTuner release notes:
"Currently RivaTuner doesn't provide driver-level 2D/3D fan speed control features under Vista due to NVIDIA Vista driver's limitations."

Charlie, if you have any special sauce in your machine, there are a lot of people that would like to know what it is.

What nvidia driver version are you using?

Is there some game or graphics-intensive software that you commonly run when using battery power?

Do you have any software currently installed to monitor GPU temperature?
If not, would you be willing to install something like NVIDIA nTune or RivaTuner?
(Both are free downloads.)

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

-escon