CPU overheating all of a sudden

[Guest]

I have an A7V266-E/XP 1900+/Asus TI4400 puter. It was running fine until I put a Pinnacle AV/DV video capture card in, at which point I began having random lockups. I assumed it was IRQ problems and promptly did everything I could relating to that. However, even removing all my PCI cards except my video card did not resolve the problem. I chose then to format my hard disk and upgrade to XP. Again, I had the same computer lock up problems as before. I had numerous fans in the case and since the CPU was happy running at 60C average and 73C under heavy use, I assumed it was ok.

Well, amazingly I figured it out, but I don't understand it. I removed all the fans in the case (other than CPU heatsync fan, and memory fan) that were getting in the way, and just put a 10 inch desk fan pointed at the CPU. With the fan, the CPU runs at around 48C with spikes up to around 58 under heavy work.

But why is heat an issue all of a sudden? The CPU ran at that temperature before with no problems. And why did the problem start when I added a Video Capture card? I suppose it would make sense that my CPU has some fault in it now that is susceptable to heat, but I've never had this happen before. Can anyone explain this? Is the CPU just bad?

Ron

 

[Guest]

Here's a follow-up question. Is 60C-75C too hot? Could I have burned the motherboard or CPU? I have seen some people mention their 1900+ CPUs only get as hot as around 48C. Did I fry my motherboard or CPU?

Ron

 

[buddry]

If you fried them I think you would know, and it wouldn't boot up.

<b><font color=green>Garbage Can?</font color=green></b>

 

[xxsk8er101xx]

How about getting a new heatsink and fan for the cpu? are you using the stock fan? May i suggest the global wincak38? it's loud but does the job.

ALso your case probably has poor ventilation. May i suggest the Antec sx1080B or the older sx1040B?

Those two combined would help the heat issue a bit.

good luck

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=9933" target="_new"> My Rig </A>

 

[4Ryan6]

Try taking out the card that caused the problems, or seeing as how that card is pretty expensive and you probably want to keep it, get your self a top of the line heatsink, the kill range for the XP is 90c, according to information I previously ran accross when I was trying to decide what heatsink fan to go with myself, so with the temps you've shown you probably haven't hurt it, however if it runs cooler it performs better, I also am running a 1900+ and its very stable at low temps my temps under heavy load are at 37c, I'm running a Swiftech MCX462, got it for $72.00 Dollars US from www.inflowdirect.com, and you can check out the Specs. at www.swiftnets.com.

 

[thelastguardian]

70c huh............becareful it will shortant ur cpu's life with that kind of temp

I know what you did last summer when you install amd, and now its time for punishment!! -Intel

 

[Smokey]

You didn't hurt it. My XP2000 has gotten to 78C (using MBM 5.0) and didn't flinch, but its not the greatest idea to leave it like that. Could that card be inhibiting your case ventilation in some way? Some easy steps include new HSF and rounded cables, but it sounds like you're trapping heat in that box due to bad caseflow. I have two 80's blowing in from the bottom and 2 out from the top + PS fan. I had similar problems until I streamlined the airflow. Good luck.

<font color=green> $1,300 for new PC + $150 for OC cooling = I get fragged smoother in RTCW</font color=green>

 

[slickstaa]

60 to 75 is a little hot...be sure you have good contact between the cpu and heatsink and not too much thermal paste

 

[noko]

My T-Bird after some 8 months temp started to rise and cause W2L to lock up. Upon troubleshooting I found that my CPU cooler was clogged with dust, mostly deep inside. Took cooler out and washed it in water. My cpu temperture went down 7 degrees Celsius afterwards.

 

[thelastguardian]

... electric air cooler?

I know what you did last summer when you install amd, and now its time for punishment!! -Intel

 

[Guest]

I replaced the Volcano 6 with a Volcano 7. I couldn't find anyone that had the 7+ in stock, but surprisingly, the Volcano 7 has better stats from what I could see, anyhow. I looked at a few others, but the Volcano 7 had the best flowthrough according to specs of the CPU coolers that were available to me without ordering, and I needed it fixed yesterday.

Anyhow, upon removing the heatsync and fan, I realized that all of the thermal compound had caked up around the OUTSIDE of the CPU surface, and was hard as clay. It was as if the pressure of the cooler on the CPU forced the compound to the sides. There was almost nothing between the CPU and heatsync. This is the only puter I built where I tried using thermal compound instead of the Thermaltake film that came with the heatsync. The thermal compound I used must have been junk. I replaced the heatsync with the Volcano 7, and amazingly, my CPU temperature dropped to 46C under standard usage, and 56C under HEAVY duress. Even turning on the large fan that I had pointed at the CPU cooled it only another 2 degrees.

But BEST of all, not one single crash whatsoever playing every game for hours. The Volcano 7 also has a pretty quiet motor and fan as well. But it keeps it way cool. I don't like the Volvano 6 and will not recommend it to anyone. While the other machines I built using the Volcano 6, that used the Thermaltake film did not lock up, they ran hotter than I'm comfortable with. They've since been replaced with Volcano 7s and have had similar cooling stats.

Anyhow, thanks again for all the help peops.

Ron