Performance CPU problems

[adz32]

I have a 2.4 Ghz Sony VAIO PCG-VRZ515G

It has really bad performace problems, I am a musician and so run some intensive software, and need the laptop for live performance.

When I start to run my music software, Cubase SX or Ableton Live, the computer slows down to a crawl - if I check, in Control Panel -> System the actual CPU speed, it starts at a normal 2.39 Ghz, and after running the software for a minute its slowed down to 882 Mhz. If I quit the software and go back its then 2.39 Ghz again.

I have been advised to clean out the air vents with compressed air, which I did, but this has only stopped it overheating, not the performance problems.

If I could afford it i'd sell it and get a Centrino, but for now I need to try and solve this with what i;ve got. A 2.4 Ghz processor should be flying along, but it seems slower than my old 700 Mhz Athlon machine.

Any help here much appreciated,
thanks,
adam.

[adz32]

With big apps and VST plugins you really should consider getting the big 1GB of RAM

True-say .... one more on my list of things I need to spend money on .... (would mean getting two 512 boards as both my slots are filled with 256 boards!)

I checked last night with MobileMeter, the temp was going up to 72 degrees when running hard and cpu started slowing down to about 1.7Ghz.

So, think i'm gonna get me a laptop cooler.
Thanks for the advice!

[kee-lo_]

Good luck :smileygrin:

[nick_pan]

72 degrees,,, thats ridiculous..

im actually suprised that your laptop didnt shut down as a result of such a temperature, tho i reckon the motherboard shuts it down at about 75-80.

sounds like a temp problem, so yep get a laptop cooler..and read through that k series temp post for other ingenious cooling solutions. not that many will be applicable in a club..

poor design on behalf of sony

[kee-lo_]

I think it's 80 degrees before it turns off.

[nick_pan]

oh right when all the parts are nicely fried and need replacing? hehe anyway thinking about, im not sure a laptop cooler is gonna solve his problem..especially as he uses such demanding software

[kee-lo_]

Well, it's better than nothing.
Not many alternatives I can think of.

[adz32]

Well,

I got my Antec cooler this weekend, and boy does it make a difference ... I can actually get on with making music rather than banging my head against the table with frustration.

Have to say it is a bit a of joke that sony designed a laptop that needs a cooler underneath just to operate normally.

At least I can get on with it now.

[nick_pan]

great to hear that your problem is solved..

as im interested in laptop cooling, can u please give me the temp of your laptop using that program?

u last told us it reached 72 degrees, so if that was after an hour of usage, please give us a temp under the same condtions with the cooler

thx + dont even go there..when it comes to sony laptops and cooling

[adz32]

Well before it was going up over 72 degrees, now it slowly climbs up and max I got was about 68 degrees, most of the time it stayed around 61.... the difference in performance is amazing though.

Just read on the ableton forum that its a good idea to take out the heatsink and clean the crap off it. Think I'm gonna try that aswell ... anyone know if this is an easy task or not...???

Cheers
A.

[kee-lo_]

Thats an 11 degree difference, pretty good :smileygrin: