dtgreene: (Note: Using Linux here, so the programs mentioned here are Linux programs.)
Still haven't tried to fix it.
I've been using the cpupower program to limit the CPU speed to 1.4GHz, which works fine if I don't do things that are too taxing; if it's overheating, I can lower the maximum as low ad 800MHz, which is usable with patience, and is definitely more usable than the ~230MHz that it throttles to.
Another useful trick is to use the pkill command to send the SIGSTOP signal to processes that are eating a lot of CPU (like chromium at times); this prevents chromium from using any CPU at all, so the system has a chance to cool down, and I can then just send it SIGCONT when I'm ready to have it run again.
Incidentally, compiling isn't entirely CPU bound, so during the time the computer is doing disk I/O, the system has a chance to cool down a little, delaying the time when it throttles. (One interesting question I have: For long running tasks, is it better to run the CPU at high speed and have it throttle, or will the job complete faster if I lower the max CPU frequency to prevent (or at least reduce) throttling? I've heard about the "race to idle" approach, but that assumes that the system doesn't produce enough heat to throttle.)
Not sure what is faster but is widely accepted amongst the "gaming" comunity that having a high temperature is bad, not that common sense is always right, or that simplistic.
Hitting the thermal limit may indeed get some reliability problems. The CPU itself is freaking hard to kill but as it heat up, it will heat the motherboard and other components, specially if the computer case is very small. Temperatures are very hard to read acurately and fast, wich means if the CPU is heating faster than it can read at the sensor, will shoot the temp well above "safe limits".
With this in mind I would personally prefer to run it on low, stable clocks so it wont throttle to 230MHz...
If you want and your computer allow it, have a look at
undervolting, is a technique similar to overclocking but completely safe, wich reduces heat and power significantly, very common on laptops.
Also, If your computer doesn't have any internal fans, beside the CPU one, may be a good idead to stuff a usb fan, somewhere to help a little.
Sorry to polute the thread. -> quietly leaves the chat...