I have a laptop that normally powers down when I am compiling some 
software. I guess it is a feature when it overheats. Other than that it 
works fine (and has been on 99.99% of the time for over 6 months).

Any suggestions on how I can get it to run slower? I am guessing if there 
is a way to make it slower it wouldn't overheat.

I know I can build on another system.

Also is there any way to get the temperature?

I have:

glacier:/home/reed$ envstat -l  
acpiacad0 connected
acpiacad0 disconnected
acpibat0 present
acpibat0 design cap
acpibat0 last full cap
acpibat0 technology
acpibat0 design voltage
acpibat0 warn cap
acpibat0 low cap
acpibat0 voltage
acpibat0 charge rate
acpibat0 discharge rate
acpibat0 charge
acpibat0 charging
acpibat0 discharging

Here is the system:

Copyright (c) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
    The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
    The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.

NetBSD 3.99.24 (JCR20060802) #0: Mon Sep 25 12:22:43 CDT 2006
	reed@new-host-8:/usr/src/sys/arch/i386/compile/JCR20060802
total memory = 97852 KB
avail memory = 88712 KB
timecounter: Timecounters tick every 10.000 msec
timecounter: Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 100
timecounter: selected timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 100
BIOS32 rev. 0 found at 0xfdad0
PCI BIOS rev. 2.1 found at 0xfdaf1
pcibios: config mechanism [1][x], special cycles [x][x], last bus 1
PCI IRQ Routing Table rev. 1.0 found at 0xf7a20, size 176 bytes (9 entries)
PCI Interrupt Router at 000:17:0 (VIA Technologies VT8235 (Apollo KT400) PCI-ISA Bridge compatible)
------------------------------------------
  device vendor product pin PIRQ IRQ stage
------------------------------------------
000:16:0 0x1106 0x3038   A  0x00  10  0    already assigned
000:16:1 0x1106 0x3038   B  0x01  10  0    already assigned
000:16:3 0x1106 0x3104   D  0x04  10  1    already assigned
000:17:5 0x1106 0x3059   C  0x02  11  0    already assigned
000:17:6 0x1106 0x3068   C  0x02  11  0    already assigned
000:18:0 0x1106 0x3065   A  0x00  10  0    already assigned
------------------------------------------
mainbus0 (root)
cpu0 at mainbus0: (uniprocessor)
cpu0: VIA C3 Nehemiah (686-class), 1200.59 MHz, id 0x698
cpu0: features 381b13f<FPU,VME,DE,PSE,TSC,MSR,CX8,MTRR>
cpu0: features 381b13f<PGE,CMOV,PAT,MMX>
cpu0: features 381b13f<FXSR,SSE>
cpu0: "VIA Nehemiah"
cpu0: I-cache 64 KB 32B/line 2-way, D-cache 64 KB 32B/line 2-way
cpu0: L2 cache 64 KB 32B/line 8-way
cpu0: ITLB 128 4 KB entries 8-way
cpu0: DTLB 128 4 KB entries 8-way
cpu0: 8 page colors
vesabios0 at mainbus0: version 3.0,  
vesafb0 at vesabios0: VESA frame buffer
vesafb0: fb 1024x768x16 @0xd8000000
vesafb0: VBE/PM 1.0 [standby] [suspend] [off]
wsdisplay0 at vesafb0 kbdmux 1: console (fb, vt100 emulation)
wsmux1: connecting to wsdisplay0
text at vesabios0 not configured
acpi0 at mainbus0: Advanced Configuration and Power Interface
acpi0: using Intel ACPI CA subsystem version 20060217
acpi0: X/RSDT: OemId <AMIINT,VIA_P6  ,00000010>, AslId <MSFT,00000097>
acpi0: SCI interrupting at int 9
acpi0: fixed-feature power button present
timecounter: Timecounter "ACPI-Fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 1000
timecounter: selected timecounter "ACPI-Fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 1000
ACPI-Fast 24-bit timer
LNKC: ACPI: Found matching pin for 0.17.INTC at func 5: 11
LNKA: ACPI: Found matching pin for 0.16.INTA at func 0: 10
LNKB: ACPI: Found matching pin for 0.16.INTB at func 1: 10
LNKD: ACPI: Found matching pin for 0.16.INTD at func 3: 10
LNKA: ACPI: Found matching pin for 0.18.INTA at func 0: 10
apm0 at acpi0: Power Management spec V1.2
acpibut0 at acpi0 (PNP0C0C): ACPI Power Button
acpilid0 at acpi0 (PNP0C0D): ACPI Lid Switch
PNP0A03 [PCI/PCI-X Host Bridge] at acpi0 not configured
PNP0C02 [Plug and Play motherboard register resources] at acpi0 not configured
PNP0200 [AT DMA Controller] at acpi0 not configured
attimer1 at acpi0 (PNP0100): AT Timer
attimer1: io 0x40-0x43 irq 0
PNP0B00 [AT Real-Time Clock] at acpi0 not configured
pcppi1 at acpi0 (PNP0800)
pcppi1: io 0x61
midi0 at pcppi1: PC speaker (CPU-intensive output)
sysbeep0 at pcppi1
npx1 at acpi0 (PNP0C04)
npx1: io 0xf0-0xff irq 13
npx1: using exception 16
pckbc1 at acpi0 (PNP0F13): aux port
pckbc1: irq 12
pckbc2 at acpi0 (PNP0303): kbd port
pckbc2: io 0x60,0x64 irq 1
fdc1 at acpi0 (PNP0700)
fdc1: io 0x3f2-0x3f5,0x3f7 irq 6 drq 2
com3 at acpi0 (PNP0501-1)
com3: io 0x3f8-0x3ff irq 4
com3: ns16550a, working fifo
lpt3 at acpi0 (PNP0401)
lpt3: io 0x378-0x37f,0x778-0x77b irq 7 drq 3
ACPI Object Type 'Power' (0x0b) at acpi0 not configured
ACPI Object Type 'Power' (0x0b) at acpi0 not configured
ACPI Object Type 'Power' (0x0b) at acpi0 not configured
acpiec0 at acpi0 (PNP0C09): ACPI Embedded Controller
acpiec0: io 0x62,0x66
acpiacad0 at acpi0 (ACPI0003): ACPI AC Adapter
acpibat0 at acpi0 (PNP0C0A-1): ACPI Battery (Control Method)
PNP0C0F [PCI interrupt link device] at acpi0 not configured
PNP0C0F [PCI interrupt link device] at acpi0 not configured
PNP0C0F [PCI interrupt link device] at acpi0 not configured
PNP0C0F [PCI interrupt link device] at acpi0 not configured
PNP0C01 [System Board] at acpi0 not configured
PNP0C02 [Plug and Play motherboard register resources] at acpi0 not configured
pcppi1: attached to attimer1
pckbd0 at pckbc2 (kbd slot)
pckbc2: using irq 1 for kbd slot
wskbd0 at pckbd0: console keyboard, using wsdisplay0
pms0 at pckbc2 (aux slot)
pms0: Synaptics touchpad version 5.0
pms0: Palm detect, Multi-finger
pckbc2: using irq 12 for aux slot
wsmouse0 at pms0 mux 0
pci0 at mainbus0 bus 0: configuration mode 1
pci0: i/o space, memory space enabled, rd/line, rd/mult, wr/inv ok
pchb0 at pci0 dev 0 function 0
pchb0: VIA Technologies VT8623 (Apollo CLE266) CPU-PCI Bridge (rev. 0x00)
agp0 at pchb0: aperture at 0xe0000000, size 0x10000000
ppb0 at pci0 dev 1 function 0: VIA Technologies VT8633 (Apollo Pro 266) CPU-AGP Bridge (rev. 0x00)
pci1 at ppb0 bus 1
pci1: i/o space, memory space enabled
VIA Technologies VT8623 (Apollo CLE266) VGA Controller (VGA display, revision 0x03) at pci1 dev 0 function 0 not configured
uhci0 at pci0 dev 16 function 0: VIA Technologies VT83C572 USB Controller (rev. 0x80)
uhci0: interrupting at irq 10
usb0 at uhci0: USB revision 1.0
uhub0 at usb0
uhub0: VIA Technologies UHCI root hub, class 9/0, rev 1.00/1.00, addr 1
uhub0: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
uhci1 at pci0 dev 16 function 1: VIA Technologies VT83C572 USB Controller (rev. 0x80)
uhci1: interrupting at irq 10
usb1 at uhci1: USB revision 1.0
uhub1 at usb1
uhub1: VIA Technologies UHCI root hub, class 9/0, rev 1.00/1.00, addr 1
uhub1: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
ehci0 at pci0 dev 16 function 3: VIA Technologies VT8237 EHCI USB Controller (rev. 0x82)
ehci0: interrupting at irq 10
ehci0: BIOS has given up ownership
ehci0: EHCI version 1.0
ehci0: companion controllers, 2 ports each: uhci0 uhci1
usb2 at ehci0: USB revision 2.0
uhub2 at usb2
uhub2: VIA Technologies EHCI root hub, class 9/0, rev 2.00/1.00, addr 1
uhub2: 4 ports with 4 removable, self powered
pcib0 at pci0 dev 17 function 0
pcib0: VIA Technologies VT8235 (Apollo KT400) PCI-ISA Bridge (rev. 0x00)
viaide0 at pci0 dev 17 function 1
viaide0: VIA Technologies VT8235 ATA133 controller
viaide0: bus-master DMA support present
viaide0: primary channel configured to compatibility mode
viaide0: primary channel interrupting at irq 14
atabus0 at viaide0 channel 0
viaide0: secondary channel configured to compatibility mode
viaide0: secondary channel interrupting at irq 15
atabus1 at viaide0 channel 1
auvia0 at pci0 dev 17 function 5: VIA Technologies VT8235 AC'97 Audio (rev 0x50)
auvia0: interrupting at irq 11
auvia0: ac97: VIA Technologies VT1612A codec; headphone, 18 bit DAC, 18 bit ADC, KS Waves 3D
auvia0: ac97: ext id 201<AMAP,VRA>
audio0 at auvia0: full duplex, mmap, independent
VIA Technologies VT82C686A MC-97 Modem Controller (miscellaneous communications, revision 0x80) at pci0 dev 17 function 6 not configured
vr0 at pci0 dev 18 function 0: VIA VT6102 (Rhine II) 10/100 Ethernet
vr0: interrupting at irq 10
vr0: Ethernet address: 00:11:5b:3b:b6:5d
ukphy0 at vr0 phy 1: Generic IEEE 802.3u media interface
ukphy0: OUI 0x0002c6, model 0x0032, rev. 8
ukphy0: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
isa0 at pcib0
isapnp0 at isa0 port 0x279: ISA Plug 'n Play device support
isapnp0: no ISA Plug 'n Play devices found
timecounter: Timecounter "clockinterrupt" frequency 100 Hz quality 0
Kernelized RAIDframe activated
ral0 at uhub2 port 1
ral0: Cisco-Linksys Wireless-G USB Network Adapter, rev 2.00/0.04, addr 2
ral0: MAC/BBP RT2570 (rev 0x03), RF RT2526
ral0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
ral0: 11g rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps 6Mbps 9Mbps 12Mbps 18Mbps 24Mbps 36Mbps 48Mbps 54Mbps
wd0 at atabus0 drive 0: <HITACHI_DK23FB-40>
wd0: drive supports 16-sector PIO transfers, LBA addressing
wd0: 38154 MB, 77520 cyl, 16 head, 63 sec, 512 bytes/sect x 78140160 sectors
wd0: 32-bit data port
wd0: drive supports PIO mode 4, DMA mode 2, Ultra-DMA mode 5 (Ultra/100)
wd0(viaide0:0:0): using PIO mode 4, Ultra-DMA mode 5 (Ultra/100) (using DMA)
atapibus0 at atabus1: 2 targets
cd0 at atapibus0 drive 0: <QSI CD-ROM SCR-242, , CHAA> cdrom removable
cd0: 32-bit data port
cd0: drive supports PIO mode 4, DMA mode 2, Ultra-DMA mode 2 (Ultra/33)
cd0(viaide0:1:0): using PIO mode 4, Ultra-DMA mode 2 (Ultra/33) (using DMA)
uhidev0 at uhub1 port 2 configuration 1 interface 0
uhidev0: Creative Labs Notebook Optical Mouse, rev 1.10/0.00, addr 2, iclass 3/1
ums0 at uhidev0: 3 buttons and Z dir.
wsmouse1 at ums0 mux 0
boot device: wd0
root on wd0e dumps on wd0b
root file system type: ffs
wsdisplay0: screen 1 added (fb, vt100 emulation)
wsdisplay0: screen 2 added (fb, vt100 emulation)
wsdisplay0: screen 3 added (fb, vt100 emulation)
wsdisplay0: screen 4 added (fb, vt100 emulation)

  Jeremy C. Reed