CPU Overheats when playing games, comp shuts down.

[Rking7]

I have a custom built computer(friend built it then moved and gave it to me so don't know all specs well). It is about 2 years old and was built for gaming and usually runs most games on high or ultra without much trouble. Recently the computer randomly has been shutting off(while playing games,reason unknown at first) but I downloaded speed fan and opened a game and watched the CPU temp rise non stop until it overheats and the comp shuts off. Any game (even the start pages of games) instantly cause the core temp to rise non stop. It sits idle around 41C and I can watch youtube videos and browse the internet with little to no rise in temp, however when I open ANY game it instantly shoots up to 80C+ till it hits 105C and shuts down the comp instantly.

The case I have has many fans(2 top 1 large side 2 front 1 back), and the GPU and CPU fans all work, however in games the thing below the CPU fan gets really hot.
Please help!

Specs:
OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Manufacturer MSI
System Model MS-7642
System Type x64-based PC
Processor AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 955 Processor, 3200 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. V1.6, 4/30/2010
SMBIOS Version 2.5
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 4.00 GB
Available Physical Memory 2.27 GB
Total Virtual Memory 8.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 5.91 GB
Page File Space 4.00 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

 

[Azn Cracker]

Open up the computer and see if the cpu cooler if properly attached. While you are at it, reapply the thermal paste on the cooler. If that doesnt fix it, then you need to buy a new cooler.

 

[Pepto]

Open up the computer and see if the cpu cooler if properly attached. While you are at it, reapply the thermal paste on the cooler. If that doesnt fix it, then you need to buy a new cooler.

Because it is a AMD CPU, the mount for those heat-sinks usually don't get lose like the intel ones, but its possible.

you said you have had this computer for 2 years, so it may just need a good cleaning. The heat-sink on the CPU may be super packed with dust. I recommend you clean your computer once a month, or at least once every 6 months. Just use canned air or a air compressor.

 

[Azn Cracker]

Open up the computer and see if the cpu cooler if properly attached. While you are at it, reapply the thermal paste on the cooler. If that doesnt fix it, then you need to buy a new cooler.

This, or you said you have had this computer for 2 years, so it may just need a good cleaning. The heat-sink on the CPU may be super packed with dust. I recommend you clean your computer once a month, or at least once every 6 months. Just use canned air or a air compressor.

Oh yea that too. I assumed that everyone cleans the dust out once in a while. Kind of a basic thing to do. OP would have noticed all the dust when he opened it up anyways.
----

Also the cpu cooler might have just died so make sure the fan is spinning when you open up the case

 

[Rking7]

Open up the computer and see if the cpu cooler if properly attached. While you are at it, reapply the thermal paste on the cooler. If that doesnt fix it, then you need to buy a new cooler.

Because it is a AMD CPU, the mount for those heat-sinks usually don't get lose like the intel ones, but its possible.

you said you have had this computer for 2 years, so it may just need a good cleaning. The heat-sink on the CPU may be super packed with dust. I recommend you clean your computer once a month, or at least once every 6 months. Just use canned air or a air compressor.

Yea sorry forgot to mention, I cleaned it just yesterday with air, and got most of the dust out so it is pretty clean inside(as clean as iI could get at least). An yea to Azn Cracker I the fan is spinning fast the entire time. The copper tube parts below the fan get really hot and the CPU temp rises till shut down.

 

[Azn Cracker]

Open up the computer and see if the cpu cooler if properly attached. While you are at it, reapply the thermal paste on the cooler. If that doesnt fix it, then you need to buy a new cooler.

Because it is a AMD CPU, the mount for those heat-sinks usually don't get lose like the intel ones, but its possible.

you said you have had this computer for 2 years, so it may just need a good cleaning. The heat-sink on the CPU may be super packed with dust. I recommend you clean your computer once a month, or at least once every 6 months. Just use canned air or a air compressor.

Yea sorry forgot to mention, I cleaned it just yesterday with air, and got most of the dust out so it is pretty clean inside(as clean as iI could get at least). An yea to Azn Cracker I the fan is spinning fast the entire time. The copper tube parts below the fan get really hot and the CPU temp rises till shut down.

Well thermal paste degrades after many years of use. I would first try reapplying that since its cheaper. If it doesnt work then get a new cooler. If THAT doesnt work then at least you have a new cooler for your new build. No losses here 😀

 

[jnkweaver]

Which cooler do you have?

 

[Rking7]

Well thermal paste degrades after many years of use. I would first try reapplying that since its cheaper. If it doesnt work then get a new cooler. If THAT doesnt work then at least you have a new cooler for your new build. No losses here 😀

Yea I may have to try that soon then, I played a game most the day yesterday though, and then when I went to play a game today it happened, would the paste randomly start 1 day? or slowly fade in.

 

[Rking7]

Which cooler do you have?

Not really sure how to tell and I didnt build it, however the cooler fan says AMD on it? Could it possibly be stock that came with the CPU?

 

[jnkweaver]

Well thermal paste degrades after many years of use. I would first try reapplying that since its cheaper. If it doesnt work then get a new cooler. If THAT doesnt work then at least you have a new cooler for your new build. No losses here 😀

Yea I may have to try that soon then, I played a game most the day yesterday though, and then when I went to play a game today it happened, would the paste randomly start 1 day? or slowly fade in.

The paste may take up to 5 days to finally set but if you cleaned it yesterday you may have knocked the cooler loose. Make sure it is tight. If it is tight and still overheats you may need to reapply the thermal paste. You can clean off the old paste with rubbing alcohol.

 

[jnkweaver]

Which cooler do you have?

Not really sure how to tell and I didnt build it, however the cooler fan says AMD on it? Could it possibly be stock that came with the CPU?

It is very likely the stock cooler and that would be your problem.
This is a very popular budget cooler that will work and is on sale for $20 after $10 MIR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

 

[Rking7]

Alright ill go get some thermal paste and try it out and post results, Thanks for the help all.

 

[chat0n]

Hey guys, maybe there is NO thermal paste. I mean, your friend did not apply it, then he sold this crap PC to you thinking it was broken and you would never launch a game and all. This is abnormal indeed, the copper tube should not be overheats like that.
Either there is no thermal past, either the cooler is not well fixed : The copper doesn't touch the CPU.
Sorry if my english is not very well.

 

[Azn Cracker]

Hey guys, maybe there is NO thermal paste. I mean, your friend did not apply it, then he sold this crap PC to you thinking it was broken and you would never launch a game and all. This is abnormal indeed, the copper tube should not be overheats like that.
Either there is no thermal past, either the cooler is not well fixed : The copper doesn't touch the CPU.
Sorry if my english is not very well.

Well OP said it was working a few days before so that cant eb the problem. Also my thermal paste degradation theory is dead since paste degrades over time.

So now I think either the cooler is loose or that its broken

 

[Rking7]

Hey guys, maybe there is NO thermal paste. I mean, your friend did not apply it, then he sold this crap PC to you thinking it was broken and you would never launch a game and all. This is abnormal indeed, the copper tube should not be overheats like that.
Either there is no thermal past, either the cooler is not well fixed : The copper doesn't touch the CPU.
Sorry if my english is not very well.

Yea my friend that build it gave it to me(for free cause he went into military) like 5 months after he built it for a lot of money so he built it correctly, plus I have been playing games on it for years now with 0 problems till recently. He said when he built it it came with thermal paste on it, and the cooler is fixed very solid from what I can tell(unable to wiggle it at all). I'm waiting to go buy paste to see if this solution will fix it, however does the paste affect the heat of the copper tubes? Because they get to hot to touch(burnt my finger).

 

[Rking7]

Which cooler do you have?

Not really sure how to tell and I didnt build it, however the cooler fan says AMD on it? Could it possibly be stock that came with the CPU?

It is very likely the stock cooler and that would be your problem.
This is a very popular budget cooler that will work and is on sale for $20 after $10 MIR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

Ill check into that thanks.

 

[Rking7]

Hey guys, maybe there is NO thermal paste. I mean, your friend did not apply it, then he sold this crap PC to you thinking it was broken and you would never launch a game and all. This is abnormal indeed, the copper tube should not be overheats like that.
Either there is no thermal past, either the cooler is not well fixed : The copper doesn't touch the CPU.
Sorry if my english is not very well.

Well OP said it was working a few days before so that cant eb the problem. Also my thermal paste degradation theory is dead since paste degrades over time.

So now I think either the cooler is loose or that its broken

Yea cooler appears to be fitting very tightly, and fan is spinning fast could it still have internal things not working correctly that cause it to heat up?

 

[chat0n]

So now I think either the cooler is loose or that its broken

Hey! It could also be the consequences of a bad overclocking. I had an overcloked PC that worked very well until it begun to shut down randomly in games. Then I pushed the clear cmos and it re-worked well.
I just noticed he said the idle temp is near 41°, this is a normal temp... I think my theory should be verified.

 

[chat0n]

Yea my friend that build it gave it to me(for free cause he went into military) like 5 months after he built it for a lot of money so he built it correctly, plus I have been playing games on it for years now with 0 problems till recently. He said when he built it it came with thermal paste on it, and the cooler is fixed very solid from what I can tell(unable to wiggle it at all). I'm waiting to go buy paste to see if this solution will fix it, however does the paste affect the heat of the copper tubes? Because they get to hot to touch(burnt my finger).

Yes, if the problem is the paste, the copper tube will be much cooler. This heat means there is nothing cooling the processor between it and the copper. Consequence of what the copper tube is overheats.

 

[Pepto]

To be honest, to me it sounds like a overclock that the stock CPU cooler can't handle. I believe Hot copper pipes means that the heat is being transferred from the CPU to the heat-sink, but the heat from the copper pipes isn't being dispersed by the aluminum fins quickly enough. The only thing that I can seriously think of its, again, a overclock that is causing this. :l

 

[jnkweaver]

To be honest, to me it sounds like a overclock that the stock CPU cooler can't handle. I believe Hot copper pipes means that the heat is being transferred from the CPU to the heat-sink, but the heat from the copper pipes isn't being dispersed by the aluminum fins quickly enough. The only thing that I can seriously think of its, again, a overclock that is causing this. :l

I agree with this which is why I suggested the Hyper 212 as a replacement for the stock cooler. It is well known that if you overclock at all the stock AMD cooler just can't handle it.

 

[Rking7]

To be honest, to me it sounds like a overclock that the stock CPU cooler can't handle. I believe Hot copper pipes means that the heat is being transferred from the CPU to the heat-sink, but the heat from the copper pipes isn't being dispersed by the aluminum fins quickly enough. The only thing that I can seriously think of its, again, a overclock that is causing this. :l

As far as I know the system has never been overclocked the previous owner(he built it) never did either,could something I DLed have some how overclocked it? If so how can I check. Thanks.

 

[chat0n]

As far as I know the system has never been overclocked the previous owner(he built it) never did either,could something I DLed have some how overclocked it? If so how can I check. Thanks.

Launch CPUID (CPU-Z, google it, it's free) and take a look at the specification case. You will read something like "amd cpu xxxxx @4.2ghz <-- if this value is higher than your cpu original clock, it means it's overclocked.
You can also go into the windows configuration pannel then system and security then you choice "show the quantity of memory". You will see CPU @3.4ghz @3.4ghz (or higher). the first value is your original cpu clock, the second is your actual cpu clock. if one of the two is higher it means it's overclocked.

 

[Rking7]

I left and bought a new CPU fan and heat sink, and put new thermal paste on, and so far it seems to have fixed the problem. Thanks all for you're help it was very much appreciated!!