Rather odd request regarding running SL effectively

OK, most folks want to know how to get their SL client running as fast or efficient as possible, max FPS, etc. I find myself in the unique position of needing SL to run slower, so to speak.

My laptop is currently under a "silent recall" due to insufficient heat sinks and breakdown over time of the heat sink material that holds the heat sink to the CPU. Therefore, often after running the SL client for anywhere from 15 minutes to maybe hours, my processor will finally overheat and the laptop will shut down.

Until I get a replacement laptop, I need some tips on how to reduce the load of my client on the computer's processor. I'll often switch away from the client for a while (read the forums, etc.) as I noticed CPU cycles decrease when I do that and the processor gets a chance to cool off a bit (I have a monitor program showing the CPU temp all the time in the taskbar).

Running Windows XP Pro SP2, single core processor, 1.5G Ram, ATI Radeon Mobility X600 video with 128 MB RAM.

I'd just put up with it, but I'm involved in a wedding tomorrow night (escorting the bride down the aisle) and would rather not have the occasion ruined by a processor shutdown.

Thanks in advance!

Edited to add: Currently running the Nicholaz BE-v client.

A good start would be taking all of your graphics related settings down to a bare minimum...SL may look a bit cheesey, but it should help reduce the load on your processor (remember to check the terrain detail to low, reduce your draw distance to 64m, etc).

Also, check to make sure SL is using as much video memory it can - it usually does pick this, but make sure (also in your preferences) - if your laptop has dedicated video ram, this might help lighten some of the load too.

I already run at 64m draw distance, but good point on reducing the sliders. Since I'm not photographing the wedding, won't need the full effect.

I also seem to remember there's a command line switch to reduce the processor load, or something. Might have to look that one up, too.

One thing I can do, is make another application have focus. I noticed that I'm watching half my SL client window in the background (monitoring chat history) while reading the forums and processor use for the client is about 1/2. Processor temps have dropped accordingly. Might watch the wedding in the background when I'm not necessarily having to move or type.

May I ask what Brand of laptop? Yes, I am lazy tonight and don't want to search

Do you have a laptop cooler?

Sue: Dell Latitude. BTW, we've had varied luck in getting replacements at work. Two replacements have mysteriously gotten lost in shipment (two different carriers), so I don't hold out much hope in having a replacement without spending money.

Robot: I don't now, but having borrowed one, it only marginally cooled the unit down.

you can disable so much in the ctrl-alt-d menues.
not rendering textures and particles should work wonders.

Run SL full-screen, not in a window (checkbox on, I believe, the General tab in preferences.)

Turn off music streaming (tho you may need it for walking the bride, turn it off otherwise).
.

You can make your draw distance lower than 64 (I've run at 4 by going into Debug Settings and typing "RenderFarClip" (I believe), it will still show as 64 in the newer preferences, but be 48 (this doubled my FPS and makes new areas render much faster).

ctrl-alt-9 will stop rendering of objects, so if you aren't moving around and don't need to see skirts and hair, LOL

My laptop fan turns off when SL is minimized but streaming music can still play (although it feels rude to me to let the "Away" display during a performer's show).

Thanks for all of the accumulated advice. I plugged along fine with 64m draw distance, no voice or music and during the inevitable boring parts of the ceremony, just let SL sit in the background (which always reduces processor by half) where I could still see chat history and caught up on my forum reading.

BTW, to update my first post, I wouldn't technically term the laptop issue as a "Silent Recall" as much as it is apparently a little less expensive from a time standpoint for them to have offered us replacement laptops in exceptional cases based on the fact that we paid (a lot) extra to get 3 year on-site replacement warranties.

Didn't want to start a run on folks trying to get an upgrade for their laptops.