The computer, or the game?

[Byrthnoth]

So, I got a laptop through my school a while ago and was constrained to Dell (and having them basically quote it for me.) I ended up with:
i5 2.4GHz x4, GeForce310M, 6GB RAM, and 64 bit Windows Professional - Dell Vostro (business line) 3500

Anyway, I have constant overheating problems when dualboxing FFXI on the lowest possible setting (640x480, no animations, low resolution, bump mapping off, mipmaps=2, sounds off)to the extent that they have replaced my motherboard, heat sink, and fan twice. I play it on a ceramic tile table that (to me at least) seems like it would disperse the heat pretty nicely.

Should dualboxing FFXI with this computer cause overheating? I know FFXI has always been a resources hog, but it's 2011 and the game was a resources hog in 2003.

[The Stig]

On that machine, it shouldn't overheat. Especially a Vostro at this day and age. I'm very surprised.

I dualboxed on a XPS m1210 (Core 2 Duo, 2.0ghz x2, 2gb ram, 64mb GeForce 7400) and it took just over 2 years before I did overheat it and damaged the integrated (soldered on) graphics card. This is with a cooling fan too.

When I dualboxed on the m17x, this time on a Q9000 (2.0ghz x4) it was flawless and there was no performance difference between switching to the motherboard graphics (which is similar to a GeForce 9400) than switching to the dedicated GeForce 280M (1gb)

Ceramic Table wise, while it sounds like it would disperse heat, I think that because your laptop is not physically touching it, it won't disperse that much heat. You might fare better in investing a laptop cooling pad which depending on your laptop, will suck air from underneath it and push it to the base of your laptop (assisting its internal airflow with its own fan) or one which will suck air from beneath your laptop and blow it out. I'm unsure which way a Vostro 3500 goes.

So, your computer me thinks.

EDIT: Try to monitor your CPU and GPU using CPU-Z and GPU-Z.

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

For comparisons sake, on my XPS m1210, the machine would idle at 60c. With the laptop pad, it will idle at 23-35c depending on room/environment. Under dualbox'd load with the same settings as you, the machine will dance around 60c. The day it overheated I wasn't so sure but I assume something must've tipped it over and I wasn't always monitoring.

[Byrthnoth]

Right now it's running 84C on the GPU (Speedfan doesn't work for i5s for some reason). In the past it has crested 100 before I shut one of the accounts down, as 105 is the max temp for the GPU. I will install those programs and try them when I get home from work.

[Mafai]

I'm not sure how laptops GPUs work, but try getting Riva Tuner and see if you can boost your GPU fan speed (do laptops even have a fan dedicated to GPUs?).

[Dmitry]

I'm not sure how laptops GPUs work, but try getting Riva Tuner and see if you can boost your GPU fan speed (do laptops even have a fan dedicated to GPUs?).

The couple I've taken apart looked like they just had heat sinks leading to a fan elsewhere instead of on the actual GPU.

[Byrthnoth]

The couple I've taken apart looked like they just had heat sinks leading to a fan elsewhere instead of on the actual GPU.

This is how it works for the Vostro 3500. I've sat there and watched them replace it twice. It's a heat sink that connects the CPU and GPU and leads to the fan casing, I think.

[Byrthnoth]

So, update, I got a new desk instead of crouching over my coffee table and my problem has pretty much gone away. Apparently the little tiles were well insulated from each other by the grout.

Now the GPU runs around 80C with two accounts open on minimum settings.

[Mafai]

Have you considered a cooling pad? You might be able to bring it down lower

[The Stig]

80c with no cooling pad seems about right in respect to my old Dell XPS m1210, different machine, I know, but I used to monitor the temp like in a OSD way. One or two accounts doesn't seem to make a major difference.

You'll be able to somewhat extend the life of the laptop with a pad now, if you want.