CPU Temps...

[Fozzer]

Hello Chums... ....

Sometimes, if I leave the Computer running a program unattended for long periods it occasionally locks-up, with the keyboard, mouse, etc, disabled, which then involves a Computer re-set.

The Warm Summer months are approaching, and I am wondering if my Central Processor is suffering from high temperatures... ...!

My Trusty Processor is the good-old, Socket A, AMD Athlon XP Thoroughbred 2600+ MMX, 2.1 GHz.

Processor idle Temp = 61*C (142*F).
Motherboard Temp = 41*C (106*F).

The Socket A, AMD Athlon 2600+ Thoroughbred Processor is renowned for running at high temperatures, but I am wondering if this is excessive, even with careful ventilation, eg; heat sink/fan cleaned, and application of correctly applied, good quality, heat sink paste, and a very well ventilated Desktop Case?

I have great difficulty in reducing this temperature whatever I try!

What do you reckon, dedicated "AMD Socket A" Enthusiasts?... ... ...!

Paul....G-BPLF....FS 2004...and getting overheated...as usual!... ... ...!

The delights of my Trusty System.... ....:

Processor = AMD Socket A, Athlon XP Thoroughbred 2600+ MMX.
Motherboard = Gigabyte, nVidia nForce. (PCI + AGP).
Video Card = AGP, nVidia 7800 GS 256 MB
Sound Card = Creative Labs 1024 Live!
Memory = 2.3 GB.
PSU = Storm 700 Watt.
Desktop Case. Desktop mounted. Lots and lots of very noisy exhaust Fans!

Computer tech details Aida32:

* http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/A ... -6969.html

P.S. .....by the way...it runs FS 2004 totally maxed-out!...so there!...... ...!

[NickN]

Are you sure you do not have any power management settings in play here?

Check your power properties and verify none of the drives or the system is set to power down in any way. Disable the hybernate function in Windows too buy unchecking it under the same properties. With older systems sometimes the power properties in the BIOS can also lead to such things. I would verify them too as well.

Video or USB drivers usually end up being the culprit when resuming from any partial power state and I have seen some screensavers cause strange things over the years. If you are using a screensaver perhaps disabling that completely for a test may shed a clue

If all that checks out then I would install a CPU temp monitor software that writes a constant log and enable it when you are getting ready to walk away for a good period of time. When it locks up, reboot and check the log for the last recorded temp.

I have never needed to use log features however I do believe CoreTemp and RealTemp bot offer the feature which can be manually enabled.




So you graduated from a Timex Sinclair eh Paul?

[Fozzer]

[quote]Are you sure you do not have any power management settings in play here?

Check your power properties and verify none of the drives or the system is set to power down in any way. Disable the hybernate function in Windows too buy unchecking it under the same properties. With older systems sometimes the power properties in the BIOS can also lead to such things. I would verify them too as well.

Video or USB drivers usually end up being the culprit when resuming from any partial power state and I have seen some screensavers cause strange things over the years. If you are using a screensaver perhaps disabling that completely for a test may shed a clue

If all that checks out then I would install a CPU temp monitor software that writes a constant log and enable it when you are getting ready to walk away for a good period of time. When it locks up, reboot and check the log for the last recorded temp.

I have never needed to use log features however I do believe CoreTemp and RealTemp bot offer the feature which can be manually enabled.




So you graduated from a Timex Sinclair eh Paul?

[NickN]

Yes that is actaully a bit warm Paul

I was just going down the list to be sure .. sounds like you have everything else covered.

So I would say at this point you probably do have a proc getting hot.

The heatsink type and the application of thermal compound will make a difference.. the rest is in how well the tower can breathe. Wires retained and out of the way of the motherboard, perf metal fan ports block up to 50% of the airflow from fans and I always cut those out and replace with wire grill covers

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811998059

Those will allow a tower to drop as much as 10c

The fans themselves.. they need to be able to push CFM. Assuming they are all running without restriction the only other element is ambient temp. As long as the tower is not next to any heating duct or shoved under a desk where it can not breathe then the temp should be in line.

[Fozzer]

I'm one of the "Old Fashioned" PC type of Blokes from the 1990's...

My favourite Computer arrangement....

A horizontal Desk-Top Case sitting beside my Keyboard and Monitor, and far away from a dusty floor/carpet, etc...

....with a quick-remove lid on the top, offering quick, easy access to all its innards, and all the drives, etc, in front of me... ...!

..none of this crawling about on hands an knees on the floor, in semi-darkness, trying to fiddle with things in a Tower!......!

..and another benefit of a Horizontal Desk top arrangement...all the heat from the individual components rises clear away, vertically.....not accumulating upwards, and adding the the heat of all the components mounted above them in a Tower arrangement!.... ...!

Imagine what the poor-old Power Supply Unit at the top must be suffering!... ...!

Paul.... .... 8-)...!

P.S....they don't call me "Captain Sensible" for nothing!..............!!