Overheating computer with 7 fans

[metalmoto]

As I mentioned in another thread. I was given a home-built computer. The owner died, so I don't know anything, about this overheating problem.
The case is a Thermaltake Xaser 3, with 7 fans installed. It has the temperature and fan speed controller installed.

When I received it. The owner removed the plastic side panel, and replaced it with a piece of window screen. I did not like this, because of the noise from the fans, and the screen was held in with duct tape.

So I decided to cover the large opening with a piece of aluminum. Also made a opening for one side fan, that would otherwise be covered, with the aluminum cover I made, to replace the screen.

Now, if I put the left side cover on, the computer overheats and shuts down, after an hour or so,

A few things I noticed. He installed the 32 bit version of Windows 7, but the motherboard can support the 64 bit version.

The interior wires are just a mess, just hanging everywhere, obviously blocking clear airflow.

The CPU appears to have a large round copper heat-sink, with a large fan inside it.

Not sure the builder knew much about computers/electronics, it doesn't appear so. May he rest in peace.

I am wondering if he even used heat-sink grease, between the CPU and heat-sink?

Otherwise, would the 32 bit version on Windows 7 be part of the problem?
Perhaps it can't handle several programs running at once?
I'm not using for gaming, like he used to...

I never had a computer overheat before, unless it was so full of dust and pet fur.

Any ideas of what I should look for?

I plan to disassemble the unit completely, blow out the dust, and move the wiring to the sides.
Still it should not be overheating, with 7 fans installed!

Any ideas or help will be appreciated.

Thank You!

 

[Paul NZ]

I would clean the inside up. Or if it doesnt have good cable management, replace the case

 

[getochkn]

If the thermal paste has gone bad, and there isn't good contact between the CPU and the heatsink, than all the heat from the CPU is staying on the die and cores and not being removed, and thus 1000 fans aren't going to remove the heat when it never leaves the CPU to being with.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Any ideas or help will be appreciated.

Full system specs please.
And photos of the system also would be useful.

 

[synphul]

It would help to know the components, mostly cpu and gpu (if there's a dedicated gpu) as well as the power supply make/model and wattage rating. For intel cpu's consider downloading and running a program called realtemp, for amd cpu's consider using amd's overdrive software. For the gpu, msi afterburner is a decent program. Make note of the temps for the cpu and gpu so it can be determined if they're overheating or not.

That would address the thermal paste and cpu cooler questions, if the cpu isn't overheating then it's not the problem. 7 case fans seems a bit overkill. There's no real info to go on until getting those temp readings, they may not be overheating at all. It could be an older power supply, one of low quality, both, it could be the power supply fan is failing or something has gone bad in the unit causing the power supply to shut down after it overheats. Seems odd the system would overheat with the side cover on, wire mess or not unless it was a solid wall of wires. Not with 7 fans cooling it.

32bit vs 64bit windows isn't the issue, it wouldn't matter if it was windows 95, xp, win10, linux or anything else.