Overheating PC

[#1]

My PC has been running a little slower of late and occasionally locked up altogether.
On Sunday morning I unplugged everything and took the box onto the kitchen table, opened it up, unplugged and detached the processor heatsink and fan.
Between the fan and heatsink was a good quality Axminster fluff carpet completely preventing airflow from the fan across the heatsink vanes.
Having removed the offending carpet and given the heatsink a good brush and blow I reassembled the unit with a fresh layer of silver heatsink compound.
Now the processor is running 30 degrees cooler and so much happier.
The moral of this story is it may be a pain of a job but it's well worth doing to keep your processor happy.

[#2]

Alternatively buy a good case with an inlet dust filter or fit one yourself

[#3]

That sounds too much like an extraction of money from my wallet, not an easy task.
However it's worthy of consideration when I replace my box
Thanks Jim.

[#4]

i hover my axeminster bout evey month due to having dogs.
Not once replaced the thermal paste and my runs at same temp still.
i use one of those camera sensor brushes with the air blower on to dust off the fans and heat sink

[#5]

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=701&catid=57&subid=795
Fan filters - cheap and effective (That was the first google link btw, you could probably find cheaper).
I should probably also add, you only really need these on the fans that are blowing in to the PC.

[#6]

Can you tell me how you check the processor speed Strat?

[#7]

As I build my computers I always get a case with excellent cooling and then fit a low noise high efficiency CPU cooler.
Just done a check idle CPU core temperatures about 35 deg C full load prime 95 test - see picture

[#8]

thats mine with enough of my dogs fur cloging the fans up at mo to make a woolie jumper
standard dell insprion case with enough holes an slots to post a letter through never mind dust

[#9]

Quote from: Oldjim

As I build my computers I always get a case with excellent cooling and then fit a low noise high efficiency CPU cooler. Just done a check idle CPU core temperatures about 35 deg C full load prime 95 test - see picture

Jim, where do you access the core temp screen from?  Also where are you reading the figures you quote?  Thanks.

[#10]

Two programs Coretemp (where the picture was from) or Speedfan
http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

[#11]

Thanks Jim.  Going out later but will have a look when I get back.  Will they also explain your temp readings?

[#12]

Not sure what you mean by explain - they are both monitoring programs only although Speedfan monitors rather more and allows some fiddling with fan speeds and overclocking the CPU.
If you want a more detailed explanation of what is happening just ask the questions and I will try to assist

[#13]

Sorry Jim for not explaining myself.  In your post you said, 'Just done a check idle CPU core temperatures about 35 deg C full load prime 95 test - see picture'
What I'm asking is where are these figures in the chart?  Sorry if it's an obvious question.

[#14]

They aren't - here are the idle ones - the screen dump only shows the current temperatures and CPU loading

[#15]

Quote from: Strat

That sounds too much like an extraction of money from my wallet, not an easy task.

Lol, glad I'm not the only scrooge around here. I've got into an unhealthy habit of freecycling all of my computer parts.. infact it got so bad I had to re-freecycle 10 P3s that were clogging up the cupboard upstairs.
I'm very tempted though to buy a quiet PSU and quiet CPU fan though.. I think that would be what... the 1st purchase in 3 years? lol