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[Seabass]

Something else I forgot to ask about - the thermal pads on the GPU heatsink - should they be replaced? Do they become inefficient after a while; especially if they have been heated up lots over the years (I've had my notebook for 5 years)....


Many thanks

[sasquash]

Hi Seabass,

do you have some freeze too under Safe Mode ?
did you try to disable the processor driver under the device manager ? It will put the CPU at his lower frequency and lower voltage so you can see if the freeze remain ...

Concerning the GPU : it seems soldered on the motherboard.

In my case, after thermal paste change the computer is more stable i can reach higher frequency and higher voltage but it is not enough to avoid all freeze ... i'm wondering if the processor have not been damaged by overheating ...
More I made a mistake, the thermal paste has gone a little on the small chips on the CPU. I try to clean it but it seems that i did not properly remove it cause since then the freeze came back at boot ... even if I'm going to try Arcticlean to clean the CPU I will try to find another CPU.

[Seabass]

HI sasquach; sorry about the delay - I didn't expect you to be so quick replying!

Yes - it can freeze under Safe mode, but I think it depends on how long - maybe 1 hour under Safe mode will be OK.

Which processor do you mean in the device manager? CPU I imagine - no I haven't tried that.

Heat damage due to bad thermal paste really could be the problem with mine. The first time I replaced it, it seemed very old and caked and bad.

So if you are going to replace the CPU that means replacing the whole motherboard, including the GPU? Right?

That sounds risky and expensive - what kind of price are you talking about here? I would guess motherboards are rare.

[sasquash]

Hi Seabass,

I just checked today what happened in his thread ... and you replied a few hours before that is perfect !

Yes I was talking about the CPU driver under device manager. In the device manager at the first level of the tree you should have a node named "Processor" (I don't know if it is the exact name cause my system is not in English language), under this node you should have a device node called "AMD Athlon 64 ....". If you deactivate this device the CPU cool 'n quiet feature will not be used (CPU at his lower frequency under the lower voltage) so the CPU temperature will not go to high and your system may be more stable ...
You can later reactivate this device.

Replacing the CPU don't mean replacing the motherboard, the CPU is on a ZIF (Zero Insersion Force) socket so can be easily replaced. I just bought a used Athlon 64 3400+ on ebay for about 30$ including overseas shipping fees. So it's worth it to test a new CPU before changing the motherboard that I have seen at about 160$.
Anyway I have to replace my CPU because it is totally dead; Computer don't boot anymore nothing appears on screen, but computer boot with a turion 64 CPU and bios informations are displayed ... telling me that this CPU is not supported by the BIOS .

Here is a list of all mobile Athlon 64 with their reference and caracteristics. I know that 3700+ is supported with at least Uniwill 258KA0 v1.05 bios (A1630 has the same motherboard), don't know if 4000+ is also supported. Anyway used 3400+ is more affordable.

Concerning ArctiClean, it works well. The thermal paste is easily dissolved. But in my case some silver particle remains on the green surface where there are the small chip. That may be why the CPU seems to be dead ... I understand now why on a lot of Athlon 64 CPU I saw on ebay there is a orange adhesive tape over these small chips !

[Seabass]

HI sasquash,

Thanks for all that - very useful! I will have a tinker around and get back to you. I have a feeling it's not going to make much difference, but you never know!

Yeah I am very careful not to get stuff on the chips on the motherboard; I'm not competent enough to sort out problems like that when they do arise.

Cheers

Seabass

[sasquash]

I received the used CPU I buy on ebay and installed it yesterday.
Windows boots fine but Cool'n'quiet is not working the CPU stay at 800Mhz (amdk8 driver is installed).
If I put the frequency to 2200Mhz with CPUMSR, Cool'n'quiet put it down to 800Mhz.
I try to uninstall the driver with all his files (.inf and .sys) and reinstall it but that didn't work.
I just found a workaround : I install the software CrystallCPUID, that can do allmost the same thing than cool'n'quiet.

Despite this problem, I don't have any freeze anymore ...

[Seabass]

OMG!!!

That worked! I can't believe it!

Every problem I had - the freezing after starting, as well as shut down issue have both disappeared. Normal mode is fine (for now, anyway! )

I can't thank you enough sasquash.

So it was the thermal paste gone bad causing overheating to damage the processor. I had had some overheat problems a few times before I replaced the thermal paste for the first time, so that figures.

So - I need to get my hands on a new processor. That sounds easy and cheap enough - maybe I can resurrect my notebook from it's grave. Even how it is at the moment is good for most of the 'normal' things I want to do.

I won't close this thread until I replace the processor myself - just so I can post a final conclusion reporting if the same works for me as it does for you.

[Seabass]

There are plenty of AMD Athlon 64 3400+ processors on UK ebay - just got to get the correct socket. For A1630 it's Socket 754, right?

[sasquash]

Hi Seabass,

I'm glad to hear that you manage to make it work !
You are right the socket in A1630 is 754.

The better you can find as an Athlon 64 3400+ is the AMN3400BKX5BU reference because it consum only 62 watts (81.5 watt for the other). Less watt = Less heat.

You can also have a look to a 3700+ AMN3700BKX5BU (62W too).

4000+ AMN4000BKX5BU exists but I don't know if it work on A1630 ...

Good shopping on ebay

[Seabass]

Dang it, I wish I had known about the AMN3400BKX5BU before I bought the new processor - I think I got the older version.

The new processor is winging it's way to me now - will install it within the next few weeks.

I had almost given up on my notebook, but now I am thinking it'll be back almost as good as new!