dangerously high CPU temps

[Mr.Kalashnikov]

My roommate has a Pentium 4 3Ghz computer that he says is running at 60 degrees Celsius under normal conditions. At one point the temperature reached 85 degrees, and the internal alarm in the motherboard went off (it is set to go off when the processor hits that temparture). These processors, according to the Intel website, are supposed to run at 38 degrees Celsius. The case temperature is 31 degrees. The case, by the way, has a big 12 in. fan in the rear, which is working, and an air duct in the side panel. The CPU fan (retail Intel heatsink/fan) appears to be working fine. We have no idea what could be wrong. He wants to buy a new heatsink/fan, but I think that's not the best solution to this problem, because the processor isn't supposed to be running that hot, with the retail heatsink/fan/thermal paste, in the first place. Any suggestions?

 

[rosseh]

How dusty is it?

 

[Dancingwllamas]

It is likely a prescott core, which are known to run very very hot.

I would add another fan or two to the case and see if that solves the problem.

 

[WhiteZero]

Too bad... my Northwood is rated to go as high as 70c.


Anyway, buy some Arctic Silver 5 (thermal paste), use rubbing alcohol (100%) to clean the current paste off, and put on the AC5.

 

[Mr.Kalashnikov]

How dusty is it?

It was very dusty! I never thought dust alone could cause the CPU to run that hot... New thermal paste should help too. Thanks

 

[DEATH eVADER]

Too bad... my Northwood is rated to go as high as 70c.


Anyway, buy some Arctic Silver 5 (thermal paste), use rubbing alcohol (100%) to clean the current paste off, and put on the AC5.

I don't know the temp rating of my AMD 64 +3000, but I get readings of 25 degrees celsius, 31 degrees when playing CPU intentsive games for about 2 hours

 

[Fliko]

It was very dusty! I never thought dust alone could cause the CPU to run that hot... New thermal paste should help too. Thanks

I almost started my computer on fire due to dust.

 

[rosseh]

Yeah Dust is a nutter :<. I hate it.

My PC isn't too bad because of the dust filters on my case. But my room still gets pretty dusty and it finds its way in slowly >_<.

 

[Ren.182]

It was very dusty! I never thought dust alone could cause the CPU to run that hot... New thermal paste should help too. Thanks

Dust can make your PC actually explode! D:

 

[DEATHMASTER]

But de_dust isn't always bad, esp if you are on cts!...o nvm

 

[15357]

Don't worry, it can stand up to 110C.


Actually, be very worried, but it still can stand up to 110C.

 

[Chris D]

Yeah, so clear the dust out, remove the heat sink and processor, re-paste it, re-seat it and try again.

Also make sure the fan on the back of the case is blowing outwards and extracting the heat, not blowing inwards.

If it's still the same then it'd suggest that it's time to try a new heatsink and fan, and then if it's still the same after that swap-test the processor.

 

[Fliko]

Don't worry, it can stand up to 110C.


Actually, be very worried, but it still can stand up to 110C.

Err... I'd be worry at 70 C.
At 110, your computer would start melting.

 

[Mr.Kalashnikov]

And what about the newbies who don't know how to open thier Compaq pcs? Are their computers inevitable destined to burn some day because of the dust piled up in their heatsink/fan?

PS: I'll install homemade dust filters

 

[losermeetsworld]

A very long time ago, back in the days of the all-mighty Pentium 3, I found that my comp ran so hot that it would shut itself down after just 10 minutes or so of use, and it took forever but i finally figured out that it was because all my fans where set to suck air INTO the case. It's best for every fan sucking in, have one blow out.