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Overheating

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
My PC has been overheating (reached 89C earlier on!) in a big way, and I seriously need to sort the problem. The second it has trouble keeping up with anything the temperature of the CPU rockets! What would be the best way to cool it down? I've got a CPU fan, side fan and PSU fan currently, and I think the only space for another would be at the front. I've also looked into water cooling systems, can anyone give any info on this?

Is there such a thing as refridgerated cases? Thanks for any help given!

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There's not much need for watercooling unless you are overclocking.... But still, those temps are way way to high, maybe dangerously. I would say your CPU fan is shite and not doing the job!

    You need a decent fan like a Zalman or Gigabit Pro like I have, with good thermal paste like artic silver 5 between the plate and the CPU. With settings to low RPM i can easily achieve 35C, with Higher mid to high 20's, and that's with an overclock.

    If your CPU is an old one, then it might be hard to keep the temps very low, but 40-50 should be achievable. You may have damaged the chip thouugh running high temps like that often.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Is there such a thing as refridgerated cases? Thanks for any help given!

    Yes there is, but like water cooling system they are needed only for overclocking. Refrigerated ones are also quite expensive.

    Asetex - Vapochill

    Normally just switching your fan to more efficient one should do the job.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nash wrote:
    You need a decent fan like a Zalman or Gigabit Pro like I have, with good thermal paste like artic silver 5 between the plate and the CPU. With settings to low RPM i can easily achieve 35C, with Higher mid to high 20's, and that's with an overclock.


    Where would I be able to get hold of one of these? I currently have and AMD Athlon....are they compatible? The CPU fan I have is the one that came with it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Unless you're doing stuff like overclocking, the chances are you've got a problem with the CPU fan - and that is either the fan has stopped spinning or the metal bit behind it is full of dust.

    You should be ale to see how fast the fan is spinning - and you'll be expecting 3-8 thousand RPM. If that's OK, the fan will usually unscrew, and you can try a vacuum cleaner on the metal bit.

    Some of the Athlons did run quite hot - mine was never below 60 degrees, but they were designed with that in mind

    Do you have a temperature for the inside of the case - there's not much point increasing case ventilation if this is below 30 degrees
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    take it apart and give it a clean :) might help a small amount
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It sounds like the heat sink on the CPU fan and/or the contact between CPU housing and the heat sink are dirty.

    If you're confident with fiddling about, remove the CPU fan and heat sink from the motherboard. Give the heat sink and fan a clean with a hoover, or compressed air in a can works best (to blow all the dust out). You need to wipe the CPU casing so it's completely smooth, and the same for the bottom of the heatsink. These need to make as big a contact as possible in order to conduct maximum heat. Also, if you can be bothered try and get some heat conducting paste. Apply that between the two surfaces before you fix them together, and it will increase the thermal transfer, hence cooling the CPU as much as possible.

    In terms of your case fans, the ideal situation is to have air coming IN at the front, low down, and OUT at the back, near the CPU. This would give maximum cooling effect. I'd suggest having the side and front fans sucking air in, then the PSU can blow out near the CPU.

    The reason your CPU is heating up so quickly once it comes under full load is because the heat can't be dissappated quick enough. My fan is gigantic, and keeps the CPU running at about 27-30C. It's well worth investing in a decent CPU fan and thermal paste to use with it if you want low temperatures! Here is mine: http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=799
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ^^^ That's the one I have and it's great! Looks sweet in a clear case too!

    Either clean your current fan and get some thermal paste or invest in a 'more upto the job fan'.

    www.overclockers.co.uk
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nash wrote:
    ^^^ That's the one I have and it's great! Looks sweet in a clear case too!

    Either clean your current fan and get some thermal paste or invest in a 'more upto the job fan'.

    www.overclockers.co.uk

    Yeah awesome isn't it! My case is lit up like a christmas tree... :lol:
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