Question Weird issues with overheating. Randomly fixes itself after resetting but persistently returns

[Greatot]

So I have this very unusual problem with my CPU overheating in a way that makes absolutely no sense to me. Basically a few months ago I noticed my computer running very slowly, I have CoreTemp installed and checked that and indeed all cores were at 90-100 Celsius while gaming and wouldn't cool down when idle.

I have this CoolerMaster water cooling thing with a fan attached and another fan at the opposite end of my case, I lifted it, replaced the thermal paste, and then the temperatures were back to normal. That is, until a month later, when the problem re-appeared. I did the same thing despite the thermal paste being fine obviously and the cooler clearly not being detached but somehow it fixed it again, until a few weeks later, it kept coming back faster and faster and today I couldn't fix it the same way anymore.

I had checked everything three times today, each time cleaning all the dust with an air can, stretching the water cooler pipes in case that was it, let it cool off, but every time I started the computer again the temperatures would be at 65°C while idle and quickly shoot up to 90°C+ whenever I did anything.
I removed the glass side panel and felt the pipes for pressure, and I could feel the water coursing through it, so water cooling worked, both fans were spinning normally, albeit too slowly for the heat, and nothing was detached. So just what caused the overheating? I had no idea and simply turned the computer off.

A few minutes later I turned it back on just checking for a miracle, and yep, literally randomly fixed itself. NOTHING changed, I simply turned the computer off and back on again and somehow the temperatures were at 30°C. Literally nothing changed, I can see the fans spinning the same as usual, the water cooling pipes feel the same way when I pinch them, yet somehow everything is 30°C cooler.

So I mean, what could it be? The only thing clearly not working correctly is the fan, which didn't bother spinning any faster even while my temperature was 90 degrees, but right now it's spinning roughly at the same speed it was while overheating. It doesn't look it could have caused a 30°C difference. And if it is the fans, why do they randomly decide to work sometimes but sometimes don't? Any ideas?



EDIT: so it's getting weirder now. detaching it and re-applying the thermal paste still did nothing at all. But now there is a new nonsensical way to fix it. The only thing that has worked so far is if I:
1. detach the glass side panel
2. touch the fan with my finger so it stops spinning for a second
3. turn the computer off and back on again without the side panel

This has now lowered my temperatures from an idle 65°C to an idle 33°C, twice in a row. Simply turning the computer off and back on again has not worked multiple times, it's only when I took the side panel off and touched the fan. Could be a coincidence, I really have no idea

 

[Ralston18]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition (original to build, new, used, refurbished)? History of heavy use for gaming, video editing, or even bit-mining?

Disk drives: make, model, capacity how full?

"Running slowly"

Look in Task Manager, Resource Monitor, and Process Explorer to discover what the computer is doing (or trying to do) when it runs slowly.

Use all three tools but only one tool at a time.

FYI:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer

 

[Greatot]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition (original to build, new, used, refurbished)? History of heavy use for gaming, video editing, or even bit-mining?

Disk drives: make, model, capacity how full?

"Running slowly"

Look in Task Manager, Resource Monitor, and Process Explorer to discover what the computer is doing (or trying to do) when it runs slowly.

Use all three tools but only one tool at a time.

FYI:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer

Yeah I don't know most of those things, I'm more interested in why you would ask about the PSU in the first place, do you think it's a power issue? Again I don't know what the cause of the overheating is, that's the problem. The computer "running slowly" is probably due it hitting temperatures of 90-100 degrees and throttling

 

[punkncat]

How old is the AIO?

 

[Greatot]

How old is the AIO?

almost 5 years now

 

[punkncat]

almost 5 years now

If you don't already have, get an inexpensive air cooler and try it to see if temps act accordingly. Might be that the cooler you have now is done.

 

[Greatot]

If you don't already have, get an inexpensive air cooler and try it to see if temps act accordingly. Might be that the cooler you have now is done.

Well sure, the PC is overheating so obviously it's something with the cooler, but like I said, the water cooling pipes work, the fan spins, so what exactly is wrong with the cooler? And why does it randomly fix itself when I detach and re-attach it?

BTW as I am typing this my PC is overheating so I'll try and re-apply the thermal paste again, wish me luck

 

[punkncat]

IMO there has been something ongoing with the AIO for a while. You should not be having to do this. AIO are commonly known to fail as they get older and ~5 years seems to be a 'sweet spot' for said.

Confirming with an air cooler will solve the mystery, even if not the most ideal cooler size for the CPU, you should see improvement or a lack or this manner of overheating even outside of tasks. If it does overheat, then you start looking elsewhere.

 

[Greatot]

IMO there has been something ongoing with the AIO for a while. You should not be having to do this. AIO are commonly known to fail as they get older and ~5 years seems to be a 'sweet spot' for said.

Confirming with an air cooler will solve the mystery, even if not the most ideal cooler size for the CPU, you should see improvement or a lack or this manner of overheating even outside of tasks. If it does overheat, then you start looking elsewhere.

I don't think simply replacing the cooler will so much solve the mystery as just move past it. But honestly I have no idea what else could even theoretically cause overheating issues other than a faulty cooler, the question is, in why way is the cooler faulty?

 

[punkncat]

AIO have a tendency to stop up and become less efficient, sometimes even lose liquid by forces I don't fully understand. I sense your skepticism, and you can choose to give it a try, or not. Just trying to offer a solution that should pin the issue to a specific cause.

GL with the issue.

 

[Greatot]

Just trying to offer a solution that should pin the issue to a specific cause.

That's just the thing, if I replaced the cooler that wouldn't pin it to a specific cause. Like I said the literal only, even theoretical, issue I can think of is "something with the cooler". You seem to know some other possibilities and that's exactly what I'm interested in. The PC's behavior is super strange, isn't it? It has to imply something more specific that just "the cooler" surely, right? That's what I'm wondering

 

[punkncat]

That's just the thing, if I replaced the cooler that wouldn't pin it to a specific cause.

I am not sure how you are coming to this conclusion, or else I have had a stroke and am completely misunderstanding the situation.

System overheats.
Move the computer into a strange position and/or repaste and it acts ok for a bit.
System overheats again.

If you remove the AIO and use an air cooler and the system no longer overheats you have pinned it.

Another issue could be the formation of air bubbles in the pump. There are a multitude of articles as well as videos on the like of YT about proper pump/hose/rad placement.

Hope you can figure it out.

 

[Zerk2012]

That's just the thing, if I replaced the cooler that wouldn't pin it to a specific cause. Like I said the literal only, even theoretical, issue I can think of is "something with the cooler". You seem to know some other possibilities and that's exactly what I'm interested in. The PC's behavior is super strange, isn't it? It has to imply something more specific that just "the cooler" surely, right? That's what I'm wondering

Something is wrong with the cooler, either to much liquid has evaporated or the pump is failing.
Yes the liquid evapotates through the hoses even though it's not leaking, this can cause air to get trapped making the cooler not work properly. The pump can also be failing making it not work sometimes. Not everything just stops working completely when it fails.

Nothing to do but replace your cooler.

 

[Greatot]

If you remove the AIO and use an air cooler and the system no longer overheats you have pinned it.

No, because it's an AIO? If I replace the AIO the fan goes, and the pipes too, and the heatsink. Unless I'm the one missing something, that's the opposite of pinning a problem down, you're saying another problem could be the pump, but isn't the pump part of the AIO?

 

[Greatot]

Something is wrong with the cooler, either to much liquid has evaporated or the pump is failing.
Yes the liquid evapotates through the hoses even though it's not leaking, this can cause air to get trapped making the cooler not work properly. The pump can also be failing making it not work sometimes. Not everything just stops working completely when it fails.

Nothing to do but replace your cooler.

But I can feel the pressure inside the pipes when I pinch them. And why would the cooler stop and start working at launch? It never just overheats randomly, only when I shut the computer off, and then the heating will be fine sometimes when I turn it back on, recently only if I remove the glass panel like I said in the edit

 

[Paperdoc]

There are two common causes of your symptoms with an AIO system of that age. One is a build-up of crud in the loop (dirt, oxidation, or algae) causing loose blockages. The other MORE likely is slow loss of fluid in the loop so it does not flow continuously around. In that latter case the common result is a bubble of air in the pump which prevents it from generating ANY fluid flow. But a shut-down and re-start may refill the pump TEMPORARILY with liquid to it can work until the bubble returns. The fact that you can "feel" the liquid flow in the tubes actually does NOT say it is working properly. Smooth flow with no problems is so smooth you normally do NOT feel any movement! So what you observe is consistent with turbulent flow from a system with lost liquid.

What to do? For either of those causes there is NO way to repair or re-fill the AIO liquid loop system. Those units are build sealed with no refill ports and no way to re-seal if you open them. The MUCH better solution is replacement of the entire AIO system. Because they are complete sealed loops, normally you can NOT replace only the pump. Another such complete system can be used but eventually will develop a similar problem. OR, if you do NOT actually NEED the high cooling capacity of an AIO system (most people do not), replace with a good air cooler unit as suggested by several posters above.

 

[Greatot]

There are two common causes of your symptoms with an AIO system of that age. One is a build-up of crud in the loop (dirt, oxidation, or algae) causing loose blockages. The other MORE likely is slow loss of fluid in the loop so it does not flow continuously around. In that latter case the common result is a bubble of air in the pump which prevents it from generating ANY fluid flow. But a shut-down and re-start may refill the pump TEMPORARILY with liquid to it can work until the bubble returns. The fact that you can "feel" the liquid flow in the tubes actually does NOT say it is working properly. Smooth flow with no problems is so smooth you normally do NOT feel any movement! So what you observe is consistent with turbulent flow from a system with lost liquid.

What to do? For either of those causes there is NO way to repair or re-fill the AIO liquid loop system. Those units are build sealed with no refill ports and no way to re-seal if you open them. The MUCH better solution is replacement of the entire AIO system. Because they are complete sealed loops, normally you can NOT replace only the pump. Another such complete system can be used but eventually will develop a similar problem. OR, if you do NOT actually NEED the high cooling capacity of an AIO system (most people do not), replace with a good air cooler unit as suggested by several posters above.

Interesting, this very well could be it. But when you say "temporarily", is it normal for it to be this kind of temporarily? Meaning for as long as I don't shut my computer off? Something I didn't mention because I didn't think it was relevant, but back when the problem started reappearing every day, it stopped reappearing for 3 days or so because I simply never shut my computer off after getting it to fix itself. Would this happen if there are air bubbles, like the air bubbles can't get themselves back into the pump as long as it's turned on? The moment I would turn the computer off and on again the problem would come back, until I did the thermal paste replacement which is when it would work again.

 

[Zerk2012]

But I can feel the pressure inside the pipes when I pinch them. And why would the cooler stop and start working at launch? It never just overheats randomly, only when I shut the computer off, and then the heating will be fine sometimes when I turn it back on, recently only if I remove the glass panel like I said in the edit

And that still changes nothing, it's simple the cooler is failing.
You can wait till it just no longer works and your PC is down or be proactive and get a new cooler.

 

[Greatot]

And that still changes nothing, it's simple the cooler is failing.
You can wait till it just no longer works and your PC is down or be proactive and get a new cooler.

That really doesn't matter since I am literally broke and can't afford a new cooler. My only option is to figure out the cause and fix it

 

[PEnns]

"Weird issues with overheating."

99% of the time (if not 100%!!) means the cooler is not doing its job..

Please listen to the advice people here are telling you.

 

[punkncat]

That really doesn't matter since I am literally broke and can't afford a new cooler. My only option is to figure out the cause and fix it

There simply isn't a "fix it" with a failing AIO. There is no remedy for it.

A simple air cooler can be purchased very inexpensively, and particularly if used. Even decent new ones can be had ~$25 give or take a few. You never mention your CPU type.

What is it and where are you located?

 

[Greatot]

There simply isn't a "fix it" with a failing AIO. There is no remedy for it.

A simple air cooler can be purchased very inexpensively, and particularly if used. Even decent new ones can be had ~$25 give or take a few. You never mention your CPU type.

What is it and where are you located?

No I mean I quite literally have zero dollars to my name lmao (temporary situation, but still). Living with friends. I suppose I could borrow 25$, but as I am typing this my computer is sitting at 35-40°C again as it stays the entire day whenever it decides to. I had a similar thing happen around 2 years ago, same situation on the same computer, would be fine one day, overheating the next, I kept fixing it like this until it literally just went away and simply stopped overheating. Now 2 years later this problem has re-appeared, it's not new, something I didn't want to mention in my original post since the thing was too long already. Point is, it has seemed broken like this before, and it fixed itself, so maybe it can be fixed again. If I could just narrow down the exact cause I could determine that

 

[Greatot]

UPDATE: So now the second day in a row I tried starting the computer without its glass side panel. And... the temps are fine. Around 30 degrees. You guys are telling me it's a failing water cooler, so why is this happening now? Does it indicate it could be something else, or has the cooler just decided to fix itself, but only if my glass side panel is taken off? This is some machine spirit <Mod Edit>.

I haven't yet done enough to verify this is the cause, could obviously just be a coincidence, not to mention it makes no sense to me. Any ideas?

 

[Paperdoc]

The problems caused by loss of fluid in the loop, producing an air bubble inside, are very unpredictable. There is no clear repeating pattern. When the bubble ends up in the pump, that pump cannot force any fluid to flow around. When something moves that out of the pump - like, you moving the pump for a re-paste job, or tilting the entire case - the pump is filled with fluid and CAN create fluid circulation. For some unpredictable time that bubble may be temporarily "trapped" in the loop somewhere by the local forces of flowing fluid. That is, until the bubble gets moved around the system enough to get back to the pump. (Stopping the system so there is no fluid flow may allow the bubble to move a little to a new unstable position.) Then it all happens again.

For the near term you can continue to fight this by moving and re-starting your system every time it happens. But you MUST keep very close eye on the CPU temperature and intervene to fix it as quickly as possible whenever the temp goes high. Any lengthy time running too hot reduces the CPU lifetime. And having it run noticeably SLOWLY because the CPU already is over its temp limit and forced to slow down to protect itself is NOT the way to operate. NOTE that you have avoided trouble by leaving it running even when you are not there. BUT that also risks having the problem suddenly re-occur when YOU are not watching! So that is a very risky strategy.

As son as you can arrange it, you must replace the CPU cooler system. As several have suggested, an air-cooled system (heatsink and fan combo unit) is the least expensive type, and it does not have to be extra powerful or fancy. You might ask around among friends or a shop that sells used computer parts. Someone may have a stock cooler that came with their CPU chip, but they replaced it with another or with an AIO system so the original unit is unused, cheap or maybe even free.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I haven't yet done enough to verify this is the cause, could obviously just be a coincidence, not to mention it makes no sense to me. Any ideas?

Can you list specs of your system? Include precise/full model name of your AIO cooler.
(this should have been done in opening post already)

Can you show a photo of your system with side panel removed?
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

Depending on pump location, not all radiator placement options are valid for proper operation.
Pump can not be in highest point of the loop. Or air bubbles will accumulate in pump, reducing liquid flow effectiveness and eventually killing the pump.