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Skype video chat making laptop CPU usage higher and fan kicks in...

7K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Azzy 
#1 ·
I've been doing Skype video chats for the last few months nearly every night now, as it's my main way of conversing to close friends far away. But I can't say I've had this problem up until the last few weeks.

Basically, once I start a Skype video chat, my CPU usage increases from a normal low % (like 10% or less) and shoots to anywhere between 40 and 60% (or around about those figures). Once this happens, my fan on my laptop revs up and makes a loud whirring noise as it spins. I don't think it's the loudest it can go, but it certainly increases in speed and noise once the video chat starts and runs.

It actually becomes a problem for the person I am talking to because they can hear the constant whirring of the fan. I also know that Skype is the problem because once I stop the chat, the CPU usage drops back down to its normal rate and the fan stops spinning so hard. I have tried exiting all other running processes that might be affecting the speed of the CPU, but it is definitely Skype causing the problem.

What could be the cause of this? I have recently started to take up a lot more space on my laptop with all the music I have, but could this be affecting the speed of it when it uses a Skype video chat? Or do I perhaps need to open the thing up and clean out any dust? I don't know what else could be causing it.

Many thanks for those that can help me here. It's much appreciated.

Laptop specs:

Acer Aspire 5920 Laptop
Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5450
(1.66 GHz, 667 MHz FSB, 2 MB L2 cache)
358MB Mobile Intel Graphic Media Accelerator X3100
2 GB DDR2
160 GB HDD

If any other info is required, please ask. Thank you.
 
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#3 ·
I would expect continuous real-time video capture and processing to raise the occupied cpu cycles to that which is reported. As for the extra fan speed, it could indeed be a little dust build up inside makes it just that little bit harder to cool without increasing the fan speed.

You can test that by rendering some video that will also raise the occupied cpu percentage to 40% or higher for an extended time and see if it does the same thing. If it does its a very normal reaction for the fan to increase speed to facilitate better cooling.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the reply, fairnooks.

When I render videos the CPU usage rises right up into the late 90-100% range and the fan is definitely louder and faster.

The only reason I asked this is because I don't remember the fan being so loud when I first started to do Skype video chats. It's become a constant nuisance as of late so I thought I would ask, and I wondered if my recent storing of so much music on my HDDs was the cause of it.

I haven't yet cleaned out any dust inside the laptop yet though, so perhaps that might solve the problem. If not though, I guess I will just accept it's a normal process. But like I say, I just don't ever remember it doing this originally.

Thanks again. I'll clean out the dust and give it a go then.
 
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