What would be the best (but affordable) cooling for a processor like this, the standard fan has it at 60+ degrees and overheating as soon as i do just as small as open Firefox and Windows Media player.
Tekheads.co.uk this one is pretty good,Thermalright SLK-800-U 478 all copper heatsink, stick a fan on it ur all good. it will fit your socket 478. Only compatible with Motherboards fitted with mounting holes!!
So if i would remove the old plastic mounting i would be able to install this one? I would assume that i have to put a fan on it but the one i have on it now is just old..
I now realize it's a UK website I don't really feel like paying those shipping costs etc. So any other advice?
Something aint right.... Unless you are over-clocking this CPU it should not reach these temperatures doing such simple tasks. Stock cooling should be ample even for some fairly demanding jobs. Have you fitted this CPU and heat-sink yourself or is this an already built system? How are you monitoring the temperatures and what motherboard are you using?
This was an already built system. It's just this is the prescott version of the Pentium 4 which already has the tendency to overheat more that the northwood & willamette. Monitoring temperatures with Speedfan & Through the Bios. It's already heating up as soon as i pretty much turn on the computer (hitting 60 / 61) as where my current (Celeron 330) processor heats 51 / 52. cleaned off the heatsink & cpu fans so there wouldn't be any dust maybe that was it but i guess not.
Given - Prescotts run hotter than Northwoods but they should not overheat with the stock cooler. That is what it was built for. To keep the specific CPU in the correct temps range. I too own a Prescott, the 3Ghz, 1Mb version. I have it installed in a Foxconn mobo which I am convinced is not giving me the correct readings. With older systems, the cases tend to get dusty and fans tend to clog with crap. Depending on the age of the system, it could very well be that the thermal medium between the CPU and the cooler has done its job and needs refreshing. If you are already considering replacing the cooler, it may be cheaper to try and re-apply the thermal medium first (personally would recommend Arctic Silver - metal based or Ceramiq). The point is that you need to prove that the issue is with what you got before changing the cooler and staying with the same issue. Personally I would do the following before anything else - Ensure that there is enough flow of fresh air into the case, or that enough hot air is leaving the case. In other words case fans are doing their job. Case tempreture can be a major factor. If you are unsure, place a thermometer inside the case for a while and see what it says, does it match what SpeedFan is telling you? Is Speedfan using the correct sensor type (Thermistor Vs Diode). Try and find the best set-up for your mobo. Perhaps via their forum. Place your finger as close to the base of the heat-sink as possible. If you can comfortably keep your finger on the heat-sink, then you may not have an issue at all. If after all this you still wish to better your cooler I would recommend Three good-value-for-money coolers - Freezer 4 from Arctic Cooling, XP-120 from Thermalright and Zalman. For Zalman there are, I think, four veriations for 478 - 90mm fan Aluminium and copper or 120mm fan, again Aluminium or copper. Both the XP-120 and the Zalmans need space consideration so you need to check they can fit in your system. I have the Freezer 4 and it is an amazing cooler. It does what the stock cooler does and better, without the noise....
Alright i see, Im totally new at the whole cooler thing so bare with me I took a look at my heatsink and when i turn it around i see this big orange "dot" so too say... and i assume that i shouldn't see it but instead i should have thermal paste / grease on there right? Do they have something similair at Walmart / Target?? I really don't feel like driving an hour to get some.
Wow... Arctic Silver 5 did the trick Went to radioshack here in town luckily they had it 49 degrees now... beats 65+ for sure.
Wait, what, the heatsink didn't have any thermal paste or thermal pad attached? That's crazy. Good call on the Arctic Silver 5 though.