Great... another over-heating post

[dannyaa]

Alright I've got a NORTHWOOD p4c 3.2ghz running in the Abit AI7 mobo. Not overclocked. Stock heatsink & fan, bought from retail box. My case is Antec's Sonata "world's quietest PC-case."

I've had this thing since September and played plenty of games and done plenty of video editing and never had a problem. Well, Half-Life 2 is here, and after about 6 hours into the game I have now started having my first problems. I don't know why they are starting now, but I'll hear a beep/buzz noise and then my computer shuts off. When I restart I check the temp and its in the high 50s... I know that they cool quickly, and I have my alarm temp set at 62 and shut down at like 72. I didn't hear an alarm before things shut down, it seems it shut down at the alarm temp instead?

Anyway what can I do to cool this system down? I've down a little reading and saw stuff about the Artic Silver 5, is that a HSF combo? how much is it, and how much will it lower my temp? What else can I do? If I'd like to lower things by 10 degrees w/out spending a ton?

Thanks all...


P4c 3.2Ghz @ 800MHz Northwood / ABIT AI7 / 1GB Corsair XMS-Pro CL2 Pc3200 / 160GB Seagate SATA 7200rpm 8mb cache / BFG-Tech Nvidia GeForce 6800GT 256mb / Antec Sonata case w/Antec TruePower 380W PSU

 

[Schmide]

Check the front air filter. With the amount of air moving through those cases, a few months will clog it up nicely. Have you ran it with the case door open?

Dichromatic for your viewing plesure...

 

[slvr_phoenix]

From easiest to most extreme that don't require replacing the CPU's stock heatsink with something better:

1) Have you cleaned out the intake filter lately? If it is clogged up with dust then your airflow might be restricted to the side vents.

2) Do both of your side vents have enough distance from any obstructions (such as a wall or desk) to ensure a good air flow? Those side vents can mean a lot to that case.

3) Is your exhaust fan running on the 'fan only' lead from the power supply? If so move it to a standard power lead so that it doesn't get a reduced voltage. (The fan only leads are voltage regulated so that the fans produce less noise, which is why you shouldn't hook up anything other than a fan to those.)

4) Have you installed a 'front' (more like a middle) heatsink into the Sonata case? If not then buying a thermally controlled 120mm smartfan from Antec and dropping it into the rear fan slot (and moving the stock 120mm fan that came with the case into the 'front' slot) can help considerably. Or if you don't mind noise then a mid-to-high RPM fan will work.

5) If you really want to go for extreme airflow you can move the 'front' 120mm fan's bottom-most holes to the fan bay's top-most holes. (So that the fan is only held in place by two screws.) This puts the intake fan's height almost perfectly in line with the exhaust fan to create an air tunnel. Then take out the floppy bay covers (hopefully you have at least one floppy bay unused for this) and leave the front door of the case open. Now you're pulling air straight from front to back right through the CPU's heatsink with minimal resistance.

<pre><b><font color=red>"Build a man a fire and he's warm for the rest of the evening.
Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life." - Steve Taylor</font color=red></b></pre><p>