PC runs exceptionally hot after new PSU/GPU install.

[steven_15]

It's not literally a power outlet, but it looks like a small one. I have no idea why this is being sold in a US shop. I just got tired of fooling with it and ordered some case fans and a CPU cooler that use standard connections I know I have (4 pin/Molex). I can just refund this weird fan.

Also, while I was resetting windows and changing stuff I actually fixed the GPU makes everything overheat for a short time. Then it came back. No idea what's going on there but aside from the GPU fans nothing is moving meaningful amounts of air so the shipment should help.

 

[steven_15]

So I've definitely confirmed what the problem is. If I leave my computer entirely off for several hours, then turn it on it runs at normal temperatures. The trouble is once it heats it does not cool off, if I strain the GPU that heat will stay in there and overheat everything else including making the hard drive red temperatures (55-60 C). Everything includes my external hard drive which is sitting on the case outside of it. The heat's not being vented. I have case fans and a better CPU cooler inbound that should help, I'll just return this one with the weird electrical outlet because I'm not sure how it connects.

The slow boots persist no matter what I do with the software and hardware. I can't figure out how I get that 30-45 seconds back so I just got an SSD so I can make it about... 5 seconds.

Also learned you can't trust software voltage monitors at all, it was telling me my PSU was at 2/3rds capacity (as in the 12 V rail was 8 volts, etc). BIOS showed normal values though.

 

[Zkye]

Bad airflow makes sense. Look for tutorials on youtube about how to install the fans. You have to decide if you want pozitive or negative pressure in the case. Pozitive pressure means less dust inside, but a bit higher temps. Negative means lower temp, but more dust.
An ssd is a good investment. You'll be able to use it in a new pc when you'll build it.
When you're in bios, the components don't use much power. Apparently, your gpu is using 138 W in idle:
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2010/12/16/ati-radeon-hd-6950-review/10
And those programs are probably getting the data from BIOS.

 

[steven_15]

Going by what websites say, my entire computer uses about 384 W. Which is pretty funny given I theorycrafted a PC with much better parts and the power usage was within 10 points of that. Although that same link is telling me the GPU uses 256W under load which is a lot more than I was expecting. It recommended a 500W PSU, I have that but is it really enough?

Apparently software that monitors voltage is not accurate. If a 12 V rail was giving 10 it wouldn't even boot, so 8 definitely wouldn't. It was working though, just slowly.

I also found something curious.

There was some sort of four pin connector under the motherboard. It's small, thin, might go on a four pin fan connector. But the entire thing was hidden under the motherboard and was probably never connected. I have no idea what this is.

 

[Zkye]

Those websites are usually inaccurate. They don't test every component to see how much power they could draw under full load. And better parts doesn't mean they're going to use more power. Also, you'll probably never reach that under normal gaming conditions, so a 500W PSU is enough.

Trace the wire back to what it would power.

 

[steven_15]

Those websites are usually inaccurate. They don't test every component to see how much power they could draw under full load. And better parts doesn't mean they're going to use more power. Also, you'll probably never reach that under normal gaming conditions, so a 500W PSU is enough.

Trace the wire back to what it would power.

They really don't. I made a hypothetical machine with a i7-6700 and a gtx 980... the gold standard of not very long ago along with other components. It actually used less power, wtf. That's not really a 363W machine is it?

I have no idea what the cable powers, there's like an eighth-a quarter of an inch of clearance under the motherboard. I can't see or reach under that.

 

[Zkye]

Intel and Nvidia usually require less power compared to Amd.

 

[steven_15]

Makes sense.

Well, new status report. I got my fans. I installed one of them, that single handedly solved the heat problems. It also solved the load time problems, I'm getting the same sort of load times I was seeing pre PSU/GPU install. (SSD isn't here yet) Trouble is it has the noise of a giant fan, as well as the power and doesn't have variable speed which is why it's so loud. It doesn't seem that any form of software based fan speed control has any effect. I can change settings but it will still be on 6k RPMs. It also has a cable that looks like a female Molex connector that's designed for hardware based speed controllers (It also has a male one, that's for the power and it has a 3 pin connector for RPM monitoring but not control).

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Kingwin-Performance-Controller-Cooling-FPX-002/dp/B00DP9YQLM/

Would this work?

 

[Zkye]

Should work. Keep the fans on high while gaming, since your GPU is the main heat source.