Need some help...CPU temp is way extreme hot.

[jdturnbu]

Something is fairly messed with my home computer.

AMD 3200+
2x512 MB RAM
MSI motherboard (it is a POS), can give details if needed.
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro 128 (no fan)
normal 7200 RPM HDD (200 GB)
4 fans (4000 rpm max - one on CPU, one under HDD, one in PS, one below PS, above video card).

I can give more info if needed, like power supply, etc. Oh, where I live it is pretty low humidity (40% sometimes), don't know if that matters.

When I first got my computer, it was sweet. CPU at 50 C TOPS, with no overclocking. A few months later, it started overheating. Big time. Going up to 70 C under normal operation, hitting my temp threshold (yes, restarting, beeping and all that) if I tried to play any games, run computer simulations, etc. So I opened up the case, rearranged the hangy cables, etc. It was still hot. And it was getting worse. So...I....*sniff* downclocked it.



A bit. It was sweet again! I didn't notice any major performance issues. To make a long story a bit shorter, it kept getting worse, and I didn't have time to deal with it properly. Now it is running at 1.1 GHz and if I don't run anything, it sits at 70 C. It hits 80 C with basically any game. So I am making time to deal with it properly, and need advice. Does this sound like some kind of damage has been done, possibly being made worse by negligence?

(edit by Byte 2.0)

[Cricket]

Check out this thread.

Cricket

[jdturnbu]

Thanks a ton, it was the dust. Really brutal hidden dust. So much dust, the fan was basically doing nothing.

Here is a pic of what I found lurking underneath my cpu fan.

Now I'm running at slightly overclocked and it is staying at 40 C during regular use, and up to 50 C under high CPU load. Like new.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by jdturnbu Thanks a ton, it was the dust. Really brutal hidden dust. So much dust, the fan was basically doing nothing.

Glad that thread helped you out.

Originally Posted by jdturnbu Here is a pic of what I found lurking underneath my cpu fan.

Wow that's a lot of dust!

Originally Posted by jdturnbu Now I'm running at slightly overclocked and it is staying at 40 C during regular use, and up to 50 C under high CPU load. Like new.

That's good to hear.

Say, how long did it take that much dust to build up?

Cricket

[Stryker]

Wow!!! That is impressive (for lack of a better word).
I think that's the worst build-up I've seen under a CPU fan, and I've cleaned some pretty nasty cases. Good to hear it's running cooler now.

This does prove one thing though... small furry animals would make very inefective heat sinks. Their heat transfer is evidently quite poor.

Welcome to PC Mech, and keep it clean!

[TwoRails]

I've seen a number of PSs clogged up loke that, but never a HS! Wow, that's nasty

Glad it was a simple fix!

[jdturnbu]

I cleaned it properly last August. And I did a shoddy cleaning job in November (not unscrewing anything). I am loathe to vacuum behind my computer desk with all the cables though, so that also contributed to the build-up.

And yeah, a furry little critter would make a terrible HS once all the juices ran out.

[Puffie40]

That heatsink is PACKED! no wonder it was overheating!

Maybe you should look at puffing out the Power supply as well...

Gentlemen, Meet the Dust bunnys of hell!

[Odysseus]

WOW! have you or anyone nearby lost a cat?

[_shep]

The horror! The HORROR!!!!

[kisk]

holly crap!

lol that picture just made my night

[Darth Revan]

Ouch, yep only goes to show, by canned air.