Computer Overheating - any ideas

[ShadesWolf]

Its quite warm in the UK at the moment and I seem to be having quite a few problems with my PC and overheating.

This is my problem, I have just purchased a new AGP 512MB graphics card and installed it into my PC, it takes up two power supply adaptors. So I have had to unplug my second DVD drive and my floppy drive to get it to run.

What I am finding is the card is working great and the graphics are far better than I could ever expected.

HOWEVER, my PC fan(s) are constantantly coming on and for a split second my machine freezes. On every fourth or fifth time AOL freezes as the fan starts up and I lose my connection.

Any ideas, is this due to the extra power being needed by my machine, or is my motherboard overheating, or is it just that its very hot.

Currently I have taken my PC off the floors, opened the side up and have a large fan blowing cold air onto the inside in an attempt to keep it cool.

Any suggestions would be a help !!!!

[LeftEyeNine]

Opening the case prevent the vacuum effect of the fans and hence the internal aerodynamics, probably giving out no difference or making the overheating worse. However you said that there is a large fan in front of it, that makes sense.

Since you'll not be giving up that powerhouse graphics card, the overheating is a constant issue for you already. And so you need a specialized new case with bigger fans and better design for airflow. You said that it is your GFX card that is overheating, then I can't make sure if you can add/replace a fan inside that will substantially cool down the GFX card's heat -that's why I recommended you to get a new case.

However if it is your CPU overheating, you can make cooldown improvements by replacing your regular CPU fan with a Thermaltake, Zalman or any other special, branded CPU fan.

[drone]

So your internal fans are not running all the time? Can you change this so they are always on? With the large draw for the new video card, I wonder if they are glitching your power supply when they get turned on. What are your PSU specs?

[ShadesWolf]

Opening the case prevent the vacuum effect of the fans and hence the internal aerodynamics, probably giving out no difference or making the overheating worse. However you said that there is a large fan in front of it, that makes sense.

Since you'll not be giving up that powerhouse graphics card, the overheating is a constant issue for you already. And so you need a specialized new case with bigger fans and better design for airflow. You said that it is your GFX card that is overheating, then I can't make sure if you can add/replace a fan inside that will substantially cool down the GFX card's heat -that's why I recommended you to get a new case.

However if it is your CPU overheating, you can make cooldown improvements by replacing your regular CPU fan with a Thermaltake, Zalman or any other special, branded CPU fan.

Thanks for the help.

I had considered getting a larger fan to see if that would help. You are right I have no intention of getting rid of the new Graphics card.

But so far, since I put the LARGE fan blowing cold air into the case it hasnt crashed once. So maybe it is a new fan that I need.

The system requirements on the graphics card say

A minimum 400W system power supply.

What would happen if I upgraded my power supply to a larger beast. Would that help ?

[ShadesWolf]

So your internal fans are not running all the time? Can you change this so they are always on? With the large draw for the new video card, I wonder if they are glitching your power supply when they get turned on. What are your PSU specs?

whats PSU specs ?

[drone]

whats PSU specs ?

Power supply specs, which came up in your response to LEN. The quality of the power supply is often overlooked, but can be the root of many problems. If your supply rating is too low, or the manufacturer of dubious quality, I would recommend an upgrade.

[Boohugh]

The main PSU (power supply unit) figure you want is its overall output (i.e. 400W). If you look inside your case at the PSU, the label will tell you its output somewhere on it.

To me it sounds like your PSU basically can't pump out enough juice to run your new graphics card and fans at the same time, so your fans stop working, causing the PC to overheat and crash. This weather obviously doesn't help matters, but I'm concerned you have an underlying problem that is just being exacerbated by the weather. If your PSU is less than 400W, I'd seriously consider getting a new one.

Edit: Looks like drone beat me to it

[LeftEyeNine]

If a new PSU is needed, ShadesWolf, watch out for the ones with "true power". The regular ones pretending to be 400W generally do not reach that level of power.

[ShadesWolf]

If a new PSU is needed, ShadesWolf, watch out for the ones with "true power". The regular ones pretending to be 400W generally do not reach that level of power.

Thanks guys, On my way home from work tonight I will pop to the shops and get a new power supply.

[CBR]

Thanks guys, On my way home from work tonight I will pop to the shops and get a new power supply.

Hm but you didnt have problems with crashes since you put in that large fan? My CPU is currently running nearly 10 C higher than normal. You new video card would generate more heat, and with the hot summer we have right now that would seem to be your problem more than a weak PSU.


CBR

[Mikeus Caesar]

You appear to have the same problem i had last year - PSU can't provide enough power during hot weather (last year was quite a scorcher, wasn't it?) and thus your PC craps out on you. Trust me, i recommend getting at least a 500W PSU, plus a fan upgrade. If you don't, then you can suffer catastrophic failure, and possibly Hard-drive corruption. I did...

[ShadesWolf]

OK this is now really confusing me.

I have put a new 500w power supply into my computer and it does not seem to have made any difference.

What I have noticed is when the fan comes on my CPU usage goes up to 100%. I have a programe running in the background called 'climate prediction' and this is the strange bit. If I deactive this progam while online my computer no longer crashes. I have been online today for 6 hours and I havent dropped once.

This is very strange. I have a P4 running at 3gig and 1 gig of memory. So what the hell is going on. Any other ideas guys ?

[orangat]

List your specs including psu and video card. Anything overclocked? More info on climate prediction, is it a utility?

[_Martyr_]

I think he's talking about a BBC climate prediction distributed research model (similar to folding or whatever...). It could be that its causing some problems. Try reinstalling it, or if the problem persists, good intentions aside, you might have to just get rid of it if its causing heat or stability problems.

[ShadesWolf]

List your specs including psu and video card. Anything overclocked? More info on climate prediction, is it a utility?

AGP 512MB graphics card
PSU 500W
P4 3 Gig
1Gig Mem

What else do you need ?

When I suspend Climateprediction while online my problem seems to go away, I need to do some more test samples to confirm this is the cause. But at the moment this seems, to me, to be the problem.

[orangat]

AGP 512MB graphics card
PSU 500W
P4 3 Gig
1Gig Mem
What else do you need ?
When I suspend Climateprediction while online my problem seems to go away, I need to do some more test samples to confirm this is the cause. But at the moment this seems, to me, to be the problem.

I was looking for the type/brand of video card and psu eg. 7800gs/7300gs/x1300/x1600. Did you run Climate prediction previously without problems? The 500W rating of a psu means little these days, unreliable psu brands like Aspire/Xconnect/Powmax/Deer are not recommended whatever their rating might be. But even a cheap 500W should probably be sufficient so maybe its a heat issue.

Climateprediction is basically making use of spare cpu cycles and running your cpu at full tilt all the time and might be putting out extra heat. Check your heatsink and case for dust and tidy up the cables for good airflow.

[ShadesWolf]

BLISS 7800GS AGP
The powerpack was only a cheap thing Jeantech JNP-500AP (peak load 500w)

Climate prediction ran fine before I got the new graphics card. But also its a little cooler now as the warm weather does seem to have broke. So the fan is not coming on so often. Last week its was on every 5 minutes or so.

Currently, im only allowing Climateprediction to run while im at work, when I get in and start to us my PC I suspend all work, and it seems to be working fine now.

[orangat]

do you know the voltages/temps of your pc. Everest is a useful utility to find out.
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail...e/1086844970/1

[DukeofSerbia]

OK this is now really confusing me.

I have put a new 500w power supply into my computer and it does not seem to have made any difference.

What I have noticed is when the fan comes on my CPU usage goes up to 100%. I have a programe running in the background called 'climate prediction' and this is the strange bit. If I deactive this progam while online my computer no longer crashes. I have been online today for 6 hours and I havent dropped once.

This is very strange. I have a P4 running at 3gig and 1 gig of memory. So what the hell is going on. Any other ideas guys ?

Which CPU you have? If you have Intel Pentium 4 Prescott then you are in great trouble. Prescott boil easily. Default fan on Prescott is problematic.

[ShadesWolf]

Which CPU you have? If you have Intel Pentium 4 Prescott then you are in great trouble. Prescott boil easily. Default fan on Prescott is problematic.

OK silly question, how will I know if I have got a prescott

[DukeofSerbia]

You need free program like CPU-Z for cpu indentification. Install and you will know.

But, do you have Intel or AMD?

Maybe there is no sillicon paste on cpu? Who knows...

[ShadesWolf]

OK guys latest from the overheating.

Since I have suspended 'climateprediction' while I am online, the problem as gone away. This is a strange one.