Question CPU Cooler - Not stable - PC crashing

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geeksy

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Jul 24, 2008
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Hi,

My PC keeps freezing and restarting at random intervals. Most of the time, doesn't even get to the bootup screen, at this time, can clearly hear the CPU/Fan is not making the usual noise when trying to startup. Power off and power on sometimes makes a noise that CPU/fan is starting, gets to the windows login screen and then freezes and restarts. Rarely, lets me login to windows, then restarts again.

Doesn't give much time to run any diagnostics, so opened the case and noticed the CPU cooler is not stable and moves from one side to other when checking. Please can you suggest best course of action. I have removed the cooler and left it as it is for now.

Pictures below after I took the cooler off by detatching the two hinges on the sides.

https://flic.kr/p/2oqbytd
View: https://flic.kr/p/2oqbytd

https://flic.kr/p/2oqbRU8
View: https://flic.kr/p/2oqbRU8



Thanks,
Gaja
 
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To add, even if clean, apply new thermal paste and put the cooler back, it is still going to move from side to side as hinges doesn't make the cooler tight to the CPU.
 
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If the fan isn't spooling up properly, plug it into one of the standard 3-pin fan headers on your motherboard. That will cause the fan to spin at full speed at all times. While I don't know what is causing the fan to not spool up, this will at least let your PC run again (even if it is a bit noisy).

Clearly your PC isn't new (judging by the LGA 1151 motherboard) so, is this a new thing that suddenly started happening out of the blue? Did you change your CPU cooler recently?

If worse comes to worse and you can't figure it out, just get a basic Intel CPU cooler and see if that works. If that doesn't work either, then something else is wrong because while Intel stock coolers aren't very good, they are always functional.
 
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Hi Avro Arrow,

Thanks for the reply. It happened all of a sudden. The noticeable difference from the previous time I opened the case (to fit a PCI NIC) and now is that the fan is very wobbly.
What I am unsure is if the cooler needs to pretty much fixed in its place or allowed some movement.
Am I right in thinking, from what you said, the fan is not working which I guess causes CPU to heat and not booting/freezing?

Thanks,
 
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The way that cooler is attached isn't helping you here, it's the kind of attachment that made many a tech damage a motherboard with a screwdriver and you can't really adjust its tightness. That is dependent on that retention bar staying springy enough, which is probably why you can feel the cooler moving.

I'd repaste it but I'd also get a more modern-attaching cooler. That way, you can feel how tight the cooler is because you're turning screws, not pushing down on a screwdriver to get a year 2000 style retention clip attached. If that has lost some springiness, you'll feel the cooler move.

New cooler that screws on and a repaste, I reckon you're good to go.
 
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@ John Chesterfield

Thank you. Fan is firmly attached to the cooler, no issues there. As you said, it is the latch type attachment that is not tight enough to hold the cooler firm with CPU. Makes sense, old style style retention clip has lost its rigidness so will look to get a new one.

By looking at the image, please could you suggest a cooler, I have no idea how to spec this.

Thanks,
 
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Sorry all I can remember now is, it is Intel (not sure dual or quad) with 16G RAM. Trying to fix this after a year and used as a spare, so can't remember.
I can find out tomorrow, if needed.
 
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geeksy said:
Hi John,

It is Intel Core i7 2600.

Thanks,
Click to expand...

Well, I don't know which country you're shopping in, but I'll assume the US. Otherwise, just reference the cooler itself and do a search in your country.

If your case allows for coolers of this height, I'd get this:

https://www.amazon.com/Thermalright...80261331&sprefix=socket+1151+,aps,152&sr=8-29

However, if your case isn't so deep and needs a smaller cooler height, maybe something like this would be better:

https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NH-D9...80261725&sprefix=socket+1151+,aps,152&sr=8-21

Both are far better than any Intel stock cooler, but if you want one of those, they can also be bought for $15 on Amazon US and would suffice, although at stock/default speeds only. I only mention that one as you don't seem to want to overclock anything. However even if you don't want that, the two options I gave would be far quieter than the stock Intel cooler.

The Peerless Assassin is an incredible cooler for the price and if you did get that, you'd easily be able to transfer it to a new upper midrange gaming build in the future if you wanted.

I'm glad I asked which CPU you have now, because the recommendations would have been much different had this been about an i3 or i5. I'm also assuming you're not looking for any kind of water cooling given what you currently have, you simply appear to want a good replacement of that and you'd be happy. Personally on that rig, I'd stick with air cooling if not intending to clock the chip, although the Assassin at least could easily handle a bit of clocking.
 
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