Overheating or not?

G

Gary1984

Geek Trainee
Hi - sorry if I have posted this in the wrong part of the forum, but I am slightly concerned whether my pc is overheating or not.

The configuration is the following:

Custom case with fan lights, 4 fans (1 on the side, one on the back, a cpu fan and of course the power supply fan)

250GB sata hard drive, Gigabyte titan series p4 motherboard @ 3GHZ cpu 800mhz fsb.

The problem is, I have a feeling that the pc is overheating. When I checked in bios (as soon as switching the pc on without loading windows) it said the cpu fan temperature was 59c in a matter of seconds. The warning threshold options start at 60c in which it would beep if that was reached - but this option is set to off.

After switching the pc off the power supply box remains warm-very warm to touch but not boiling for about 10 minutes after, yet it heats the top of the case. PC has recently just come out of repair coz of damaged memory, but they did not pick up a problem with the overheating (if it is the problem)

also, it says that the voltages are okay, but it detects the cpu fan as being 0rpm...yet everything is working okay. When trying to burn a cd this morning, the windows cd burning wizard took a while to load up (it was working instantly up until now) but the reason I say that is because it was what happened when the memory went wrong before (or could that just be windows?)

Regards

Gary
 
Depending on which P4 3ghz you have Intel gives a thermal specification of between 66-70c. If your hitting 60c in BIOS you must have a hot one!

I always knew prescotts ran hot but until recently I didnt think so many people had problems with them. I take it you know for certain that the cpu fan is spinning. To be honest you would be hotter than 60c is it wasnt! 0rpm is read probably because the fan doesnt have a third wire which simply gives a rotation reading. Mines on 0rpm too! And my case fans!

I wouldnt worry too much about you PSU, they do get really hot. This computer has only been on for 10mins and the top of the case is warm from the PSU. Its not ideal but not uncommon. The case heating up may be down to thin sheet and even the coating.

I dont know what to suggest that doesnt involve spending money!
3 options, the cheapest would be to buy some thermal paste and replace the stuff you have on there now. This can make quite a difference if the thrermal paste you have now isnt doing its job properly. People seem to have different opinions about thermal paste, I personally saw most difference on my Northwood with cheap coolermaster stuff and have bought that stuff ever since.

The next would be a new HSF. I couldnt advise you on that one, I bought a coolermaster master replacement for the stock northwood HSF once which made a huge difference but this may not be the one for you.

One factor which wont cool your processor by any more than a degree or so is an extra fan or two inside your case. Its good to have a stream of air flowing through your case. The fan which will make most difference to your cpu temperature is the side fan, which you already have. The fact that you hit 59-60c soon after yuo switch your computer on says the ambient temperature isnt really a factor.

Id go from the cheapest option up.
 
Hi and thanks for the reply. Indeed it is running a prescott processor, but unfortunetly I really can't afford to spend any more on this pc. If I wouldn't of stuck up for myself I would of had to pay 155 for brand new memory, but seems the computer was only a few weeks out of warranty when it went wrong, they knocked the price down.

On the front of the machine I have an lcd showing me the temperatures of the pc.

Reading by this it says the cpu is 37c, sys temperature is 47c (which is high) whilst the hdd is 28c. Now in bios the temperature has gone upto 64c and it hasn't even been on 4 minutes. I'm scared it may damage my memory or other components again.
 
Its rare to have a system temperature higher than your CPU, especially with a prescott. It may be that someone has got their wires crossed somewhere down the line. Nothing to worry about as long as you know which reading is which on the front panel.
http://hmonitor.net/hmonitor.html Try this and try and work out which temp is which on your front panel.

Also it might be worth checking for dust in your heatsink and fan for your cpu. Compressed air will move a lot of dust but I use a hoover!
 
Hi mate, very warm thankyou for helping me out. The problem is - the computer is in high demand from me, since I use it for my career (being music) so obviously I will be very unhappy if it was to break again. I tell you what I can do - is take some picture and post them on photobucket. It is better that you can see for youself. Give me 15 minutes and I'll have them for you. I'm sure the front panel is right though, since it tells you what temperature is which.
 
Hi - unfortunetly I can't get the pics coz the camera aint picking up the screenshots / light too good. Whilst I appreciate you cant do much from being there, I'm thinking I'm gonna have to take this pc back for another look.

System temperature is now definitely 50c, whilst the cpu temperature is 70c, yet the front panel keeps displaying it as being 38c.

Weird stuff.
 
Id definatly take readings from BIOS over the front panel. Regardless of which temperature is which you have a min of 50, but possibly 70! for your case which is sky high! I never go go over 25c and the computer im sat at now which runs very hot doesnt go far over 30. Maybe your PSU is producing too much heat.

If it was a self build it would be a chore to sort out! Because you can take it back; I would.

If you have had this computer built for you dont let em take money off you. Its up to them to build a computer to the right specs. Music apps are demanding (so much so many people use dual xeons etc) but temperatures over 60c shouldnt be put up with. Especially when Intel gives a max of 66-70. Most people will agree 66-70c isnt a max operating temperture but a temperature at which you should turn your computer off and start fault finding over!
 
Gary1984 said:
Hi - unfortunetly I can't get the pics coz the camera aint picking up the screenshots / light too good. Whilst I appreciate you cant do much from being there, I'm thinking I'm gonna have to take this pc back for another look.

System temperature is now definitely 50c, whilst the cpu temperature is 70c, yet the front panel keeps displaying it as being 38c.

Weird stuff.
Click to expand...

well the first thing i wud do is with ur computer running, touch the cpu heatsink and the mobo heatsink, do they feel very hot to touch and is that temeperature really as hot as the bios or front panel reads. it cud be a bios that is reading the temperature incorrectly. i know sumone whose computer reads 75*c as soon as the computer is switched on although the heatsink is really cool. if thish is the case, get a bios update.

30*c isnt HOT, most computers have a system temp of around 40*c. ive got a heatpipe on my mobo and temp is around 35*c.
 
My cpu reads 9c :) A couple of weeks ago it read 50 odd. It definatly can go wrong.
 
Guys, Something weird is happening.

Last night the problem seemed to fix itself, the psu heat seemed to be alot lower, the sound crackling stopped and I got audio quality back, I tested the cpu under my usual load and it didn't go above 37c. I left the pc running for 8 hours, woke up this morning and it's a cool as. There is no way the cpu could now be 70c, or the system temperature 51c, it would feel like an oven blowing from the sides. Why did it do that though/ - I presumed the memory had gone again - as it started behaving abnormal. It's weird as now it seems perfectly alright. Maybe the casing is not well ventelated seems as the fan to draw in air is directly under the psu box, and the exhaust fan is on the side of the case (blowing the air out).

I think I might need to save up for some super sub zero cooling.
 
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