CPU overheating really quickly ..

[Boca]

...I have a a problem here that I'd like to throw to the forum...

Now, I have this motherboard. http://www.asrockamerica.com/Products/939DSATA2.htm  and have only a AMD64 3800  skt 939 single core processor on it ( with stock cooler)... and as you can see, it's hardly cutting edge...but it does the job as well...

..but over the last couple of days, whenever I'm gaming to ANY extent...or on Flightsim for more than 10 minutes... my CPU apparently overheats and shuts down the screen. I can still hear the power running , and all the fans. I have the side off the PC so I can observe the fans still working...

So I reboot,,click onto Everest to check,,and my temperatures are just coming down from the high 80c degrees...  ( before yesterday..they never ventured over around 55-58 c )

If I stop gaming and just watch Everest ..I can actually observe my temperatures decending down to around 40-45 whilst idle.

So my question is..why..all of a sudden is the thing overheating when it didn't before...I haven't installed anything new...I haven't fiddled with anything hardware...I don't overclock either... and I live in Scotland...so you can rule out high room temperatures..lol.

P.S.  I've checked the heatsink to see if it's loose..it's not.   I'm not a doofus when it comes to PC's , I've checked all the obvious possibilities , but I can find no apparent answer for this.

So I throw it over to the genius's of this forum.

[Celtman]

and I live in Scotland...so you can rule out high room temperatures..lol.

Same And my CPU temps are always cool

Could be your thermal paste, I had to replace mine on a X2 3800+ not long ago, it really helped the temps (it was near melting point I think). Also, check where your temperature sensors are (mine are red and white wires, yours may be different). They may have moved or got stuck somewhere, causing inaccurate CPU readings (just a suggestion, I'm clutching at straws really)

[Boca]

It's really weird, mate. Because one minute it didn't do it, next thing...it's doing it.  I am struggling to play even modest games now without it getting hot.  :'(
I did a clean out and removed a lot of dust, but it doesn't seem to have made much difference. It's no problem when I'm browsing the web...but gaming with it sends the temps up.  :-/

If it was set up wrong or whatever..or the stock cooler wasn't doing the job...then surely it would have overheated long ago ?   I'm sure this would rule out the 'thermal paste' idea you put forward.

For what it's worth, it has encouraged me to buy a new and better cooling fan.  I'm a little undecided as to what to get just yet but it'll be better than stock cooling, that much is true.  

I'd also thought that maybe there was some trojan or virus that caused incorrect readings of the sensors, maybe. I'm now grasping at those straws of yours.

[Celtman]

I think the thermal paste is still the most likely cause of the problem, although one of the "gurus" (e.g. Nick ) will probably say I'm wrong. My guess would be that your thermal paste could have "degraded" over time (happened to mine), and perhaps has got to the stage where it is coming off of the processor. if you wanted to check this, remove the heatsink (fan) from your processor and check that the surface is covered in thermal paste (a silver substance). If not, there is your problem.

If it is covered, then it's back to clutching at straws agains (perhaps those nasty gremils are living in there again )

[Boca]

I think the thermal paste is still the most likely cause of the problem, although one of the "gurus" (e.g. Nicl ) will probably say I'm wrong. My guess would be that your thermal paste could have "degraded" over time (happened to mine), and perhaps has got to the stage where it is coming off of the processor. if you wanted to check this, remove the heatsink (fan) from your processor and check that the surface is covered in thermal paste (a silver substance). If not, there is your problem.

If it is covered, then it's back to clutching at straws agains (perhaps those nasty gremils are living in there again )

The only time I'll be removing that stock heatsink will be to stick a nice Zalmann or something similiar in it's place. No half measures.  I might even part with a little more money and go dual core..although I hear it has little effect in Fs9, it might help in general computing.  As a matter of fact, I was at the PC shops around the Barras today but to no avail. I think I'll need to head down to Kingston Road to get any joy.  ;)

[Celtman]

Dual core is good I have a socket 939 3800+ dual core, basically your processor dual core. It overclocks well, and stays very cool
If you go dual core, rebuild your sysem and buy an intel although dual core has NO EFFECT IN FS9, although it has in FSX with SP1. It does help with general computing though (at least I think it does )
As for buying PC parts in the Barras.......... Probably not fully "legal" if you get my drift

[Boca]

Well I seem to have solved my own problem, mate..I simply replaced the cover..I have fans on the backplate of my system, and I opened up the grooves behind them on the case to increase airflow from behind the PC..I took a hoover to the interior too..then I replaced the side so that the airflow was directed towards my heatsink ( which I cleaned ) and not out into the room.
So, by enclosing it, I actually made it cooler.

Now, I'm sitting at around 48 - 52 centigrade  full load.  :)

It's amazing, a little thought and care can knock 25 degrees off your temps.

This is about a minute after a session on Fs9.  :)

[Nick N]

Its amazing what a little unrestricted air will do

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 85157891#1

[Boca]

Its amazing what a little unrestricted air will do

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 85157891#1

Hmmm...thats interesting... I've posted a pic of what I've done... I took pliers and opened up the slats a little more...(there's two 80mm fans behind the red circles I've added to this pic )... do you think I'd be better taking wire snipers and removing the slats altogether ?  I think I might, it could bring the temps down even further.  I've also left a redundant CD drive bay open to exhaust all the hot air.
(buying a new case is not an option, unfortunately.  :( )

Sorry for the focus.

[Celtman]

I would cut those out, I have on my case, and added a fan grills, much lower temps!

[Ivan]

Just cut the slits out, leave the screw holes and put the fingerguard on that side (watch out for the cables inside then... dont let these end up in the fan as it makes macaroni of them (or they kill the fan)

Even better suggestion: dump that 'made in china' tin can and get something better... it looks like a really cheap and crappy case

[Boca]

Just cut the slits out, leave the screw holes and put the fingerguard on that side (watch out for the cables inside then... dont let these end up in the fan as it makes macaroni of them (or they kill the fan)

Even better suggestion: dump that 'made in china' tin can and get something better... it looks like a really cheap and crappy case

If you're gonna be an A**hole, don't bother replying.  ::)

[Ivan]

Just cut the slits out, leave the screw holes and put the fingerguard on that side (watch out for the cables inside then... dont let these end up in the fan as it makes macaroni of them (or they kill the fan)

Even better suggestion: dump that 'made in china' tin can and get something better... it looks like a really cheap and crappy case

If you're gonna be an A**hole, don't bother replying.

[Boca]

Just cut the slits out, leave the screw holes and put the fingerguard on that side (watch out for the cables inside then... dont let these end up in the fan as it makes macaroni of them (or they kill the fan)

Even better suggestion: dump that 'made in china' tin can and get something better... it looks like a really cheap and crappy case

If you're gonna be an A**hole, don't bother replying.  ::)

Disclaimer: this is said by someone who has 2 bigtowers that cost 200 bucks each
Whats wrong with that suggestion... apart from that you said before that you wouldnt buy a new case.

And what do you want ? A round of applause ?  A room full of your peers shouting "Bravo" , "my hero"...etc.??.  ::)

It's amazing how you can tell from one out-of-focus close up something that I told you I deformed myself, deliberately, with pliers, what kind of case I have..

I'd already told you buying a new case was not an option.. but you ignored that... I'd already told you that I'd deformed the areas within the photo myself with pliers...but you ignored that too..

...not only did you ignore it, you come out with some smarta*se comments designed to say "I've got a better case than you , yours is cheap and crappy"

If that's your attitude ( and thankfully not the attitude of most of the people on here ), don't bother talking to me again. I have no desire to trade comments with the likes of you.


P.S.  Thank you Nick N and Celtman for being polite and helpful.

[Celtman]

P.S.  Thank you Nick N and Celtman for being polite and helpful.

Most Welcome