Yeah, like the title says. Got a laptop from my dad a while back when my older one gave out. Acer Aspire 5315 laptop overheats constantly. Not just getting really hot to the touch, but getting really hot to the touch then just shutting off. I tried cool-mats but they don't help. Basically my setup right now is propping the back corners up on 4 hockey pucks (2 on each side) and the front on two pucks (one on each side) and sliding ice-trays wrapped in a rag, then stuffed in a Ziploc freezer bag underneath until it cools down. That works, but this thing overheats CONSTANTLY. I don't overload it either. This thing will overheat in under 15 minutes then will get so hot it shuts off at about 20 minutes of start up if I don't have my ghetto chill-mat under it. I usually am running Firefox 2.0, MSN messenger, and AIM. Along with the factory system files, Vista, and Windows Live One Care.

This is my second Acer that has done this. The first one was my last computer and it didn't do that until about a year and a half. The other problem is I can't run the Zune software anymore, at about half-way loaded the computer temp spikes and decides it is time to die on me. This laptop is about 9 months old now. My last one finally burned up the CPU, and I mean I took it to a shop and they showed me on the board where the CPU connections had caught fire, which I guess is a perfect reason to explain the dying.

I was considering picking up another Acer here in the next 6 months, because they are inexpensive compared to other laptops, but if it over heats with that low of a load, I am scared to even risk running Creative Suite 3 (which is why I am looking at new computers anyways).

The operating stats on this one are:
2GB RAM
1.73GHz Intel Celeron 530

Any suggestions to get this computer to last for about 6 more months until I can pick up a decent laptop that won't have over-heating problems and will run the programs I want to run. I was looking at building a desktop, but I travel too much from house to house to have that be useful.

The fans are all working correctly?

I would try opening the case and cleaning out all of the dust with a can of compressed air. Then I would try to reattach the cpu heat sink with some thermal compound from radioshack. If that didn't work, I would underclock to 1.3GHz

Fans are working, but on both Acers I've had, they seem kinda weak. Will dust it out and check heatsink.

This.

The Acers I've seen have somewhat inadequate heatsinks, forcing the fan to do overtime whilst roasting the CPU. It does work, but if the heatsink or fan become only slightly clogged, you've got yerself a BBQ-puter.

So blow out all the crap in the heatsink and then reseat it using new thermal goop.

Is it one of those smaller size ones. I've seen people at college use them all the time. Just looking at them makes me think they would be prone to overheating.

Nah, it's a full size. 17.1" screen. I like the screen, but this damn thing is slow, had no real memory to speak of, and doesn't have enough of anything to run CS3.

I have one of those little laptops you speak of. It has no real heatsink/cooling... Mine runs at about 38-42 degrees.

Although this is the second acer I've owned, the other died 13 times in the first year of the warranty. They gave me my money back and I bought an asus($2500ish) its a beast.

I've been looking at a few Asus laptops as a replacement for when this one dies. Any complaints?

Asus are pretty good IMO. Decent build quality, reasonably priced and good design.

I only have 2 complaints.

1. they didnt reconnect my screen properly when they fixed it under warranty... (It got hit with a powersurge and roasted the mobo. They fixed it anyway even tho its not covered...)

2. It came with vista business 32bit. I'm still having problems chasing up the last few 64bit drivers. (32bit with 4gig ram = fail)

Other than that, Its the best computer I have ever owned.