Intel Integrated gfx = overheating?

[brasfild]

I am experiencing frequent (as in, every time I play for ~10-20min) crashes. Not crashes to desktop, mind you, but my laptop turns off as though unplugged. I suspect that a thermal sensor gets tripped, though I do not know for sure because no log/dump has been created by XP. I have not had this problem with EU3 or even with the Demo, but it has occurred with several 1c titles. Maybe software developed in cool northern climes just doesn't agree with my temperate laptop.

I'm using a thinkpad x200, P8600 (core 2 duo processor) with integrated series 4 gfx. I am running xp32, so the last 4 of my 8gb of ram are wasted--though not in linux I have never had a shutoff problem in linux, but WINE is unhappy with me right now, so that isn't a viable option.

idle: CPU 39C
Last record before crash: CPU 68C

I'll note that the intel spec sheet for my processor seems to say that it should be okay until 105C.

Troubleshooting I have tried:
cleaning my chassis, heatsink & fan
running with battery removed
reinstalling DK9c & drivers
turning off trees

Dangerous troubleshooting:
running with a block of ice in a "non-leaking" container (ha, condensation always forms) surrounded by a microfiber towel under my CPU/GPU. that seemed to work, but I didn't want to tempt fate by playing around with water and electronics for too long.

Is there anything else I should try? Or is this game, unfortunately, not going to run on my rig?

Thanks for your help!

logs attached
View attachment DxDiag.txt
View attachment system.txt

 

[AndrewT]

From your description it is definitely an overheating issue. Did those measures you tried reduce the temp at all?

There is nothing else that can be done in-game, I'm afraid. All I can suggest is an external fan or a cooling pad.

 

[brasfild]

Without the battery, the temp rose less quickly, but I can only get (at most) 20min of gameplay in until a crash.

On the ice block, everything was stable at ~57c, but the idea of keeping my laptop in a pool of melting ice seems unwise. I mean, back in college I jury rigged a swamp cooler with ice and a fan, but I kept the wires far from the inevitable pool.

I think that a sensor must be bad, as the thermal trip is far below the max operating temps and I get no alarm, log, or even throttling, which is supposed to kick in as a thermal precaution. Alternatively, perhaps something is buggy w/ xp, as this doesn't happen in linux. I mean, recompiling my system while watching a movie must place a similar load on the system!

Thanks for the quick response. Please let me know if you think of anything else!

 

[jdrou]

EU3 is heavily loading the CPU and GPU.
Have you tried a standard laptop cooling pad as Andrew suggested?
Are you using tpfancontrol to manage the fans? When I run Paradox games on my Thinkpads I normally use tpfancontrol to force the fans to maximum normal speed.