Computer overheating...Help!

[RockLee]

Hi everybody,

 

This is my second post and my first new topic. I appologise if this is in the wrong forum, but I couldn't figure out which one to post it in. My computer is having problems. I just got Animation Master Last weekend, and My computer runs the program ok. When I do anything more taxing than web surfing, I get a message alert that beeps and says that the processor zone is overheating. I don't want to render anything untill I get this fixed or buy another computer.

 

Does Anyone have any overheating suggestions?

 

If I do need to get a new computer, does anyone have any suggestons as to what I should look for?

 

Any help would be apreciated,

Steve Ellinger

[ddustin]

Hi everybody,

 

This is my second post and my first new topic. I appologise if this is in the wrong forum, but I couldn't figure out which one to post it in. My computer is having problems. I just got Animation Master Last weekend, and My computer runs the program ok. When I do anything more taxing than web surfing, I get a message alert that beeps and says that the processor zone is overheating. I don't want to render anything untill I get this fixed or buy another computer.

 

Does Anyone have any overheating suggestions?

 

If I do need to get a new computer, does anyone have any suggestons as to what I should look for?

 

Any help would be apreciated,

Steve Ellinger

 

Steve,

Go to a computer store and buy a few cans of compressed air.

Remove the cover on your computer so you can see the components (power off first).

 

Use the compressed sit to blow out the fins on the CPU Heat sink, and any other component inside the case.

 

You will be surprised how much junk there is in there.

 

Measure the CPU running temp before and after to compare any benefit.

 

You are not overclocking are you?

 

Make sure all the fans are running, especially the CPU fan.

 

As a last resort, leave the side of the case off.

 

Hope this helps.

David

[Roger]

What ddustin said plus this:

 

Chances are if you have a store-bought pc (emachines, HP, Dell, Gateway, etc.) it came with a rather wimpy heatsink/fan combo.

 

The fan on the heatsink may have died, and if its a small heatsink it may not be able to radiate heat away from the cpu fast enough.

 

Try blowing the dust bunnies away from the heatsink first, if that doesn't help and/or the fan doesn't even spin up, remove the heatsink/fan combo from the cpu. Go to any computer store (Best Buy, Circuit City, Frys, Radio Shack) and get the largest heatsink and fan unit you can find for your processor and socket type.

i.e if its a p4 make sure you get a p4 heatsink/fan, athlon xp make sure to get that type. You may need to write down the model number of your cpu by looking at the top of the cpu or at the bios when the screen comes up and going to a KNOWLEDGEABLE tech at the store and asking for a heatsink that will fit that. Make sure you can bring it back if they tell you the wrong one. Also pick up some heatsink grease/compound. You should be able to find this at a Radio Shack or a smaller independent electronics supply store. You could probably also find it online.

 

Take the old heatsink/fan unit off, scrape off old thermal compound, and apply a little bit of new thermal compound. Then put new heatsink/fan unit on, hook it up to the appropriate power cable and you should be good to go.

 

Make sure that any cables are not touching the fan, as this can prevent the fan from spinning up.

 

I recently had a problem with this when I went to a small form factor case, my cpu heated up so hot that if the thermal shutdown hadn't kicked in I would have had a meltdown.

 

Alternatively, you could probably just buy a new fan to sit on top of the heatsink, but I would go with a whole new unit. It shouldn't cost more than $20 or so, and if its for a modern cpu it should feel heavy enough to bludgeon someone with. You could probably have the store do the installation for you, but be prepared to spend $50 or so for the hardware and install.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Roger

[Krazyman]

If he's lucky, it could just be the case fan that's knackered...

[Kamikaze]

I use scotch brite pads cut to fit and velcrod to the case air inlets (this varies from case to case.) To captute most of the dust, then I just remove the pads "often" and knock the dust off, this obviously helpskeep dust off most of the inner workings of the computer, I also use sheat sinks on my memory modeules, and additionl fans in andon the case wth ducting /air baffles to dirrect the air flow, alo I run temperature monitors reading built in monitors and my case moitors inside tepts as well as fan speeds,

Overboard? not to me, Ive burnt up one motherboard, not ever ain I hope....I also rum most of my A:M on a laptop, the one I have now has excellent self cooling, still have to use compressed air at times to dust internal vents, I also have a cooler attached to the bottom, but make sure if you use a laptop cooler that it doesnot interfer with the air flow of the specific laptop you use, if you use one........

 

Good Luck

Mike

[Stuart Rogers]

I use scotch brite pads ... this obviously helps keep dust off most of the inner workings of the computer

My PC used to sit on the floor and it used to get a bit dusty (but not too bad given that the floor was carpeted). My PowerMac has always lived on my desk, and that's almost as dust free inside as it was when I bought it two years ago. So, if you can afford the deskspace...

[Krazyman]

Not a good idea to keep your PC on the floor, as dust tends to settle to the ground and the computers fan acts like a vacuum cleaner.

The scotchbrite idea on the fans is a good idea for an intake filter, although it would reduce the air coming into your PC somewhat...

 

For added ventilation, I always remove a few of the metal plates that cover the card slots at the back of my towers...

[RockLee]

Wow!

I got a lot more replies than I thought I would. Thank you. I will try some of your suggestions. I already used compressed air, and that helped for a little while. I will try replacing some of the fans, especially the heat sink and fan module, or whatever its called. As soon as I can, I'll get to a computer store and ask them what they think. Thanks again for your advice, I'll let you all know what happens as soon as I try some of this stuff. I havent been able to do much with all the overtime being forced upon me at work. It may be a while.

 

Thanks alot!!

 

Steve Ellinger

[Rodney]

Here then is another (late night) suggestion to counter overheating.

 

First buy a really really big freezer...

[Stuart Rogers]

First buy a really really big freezer...

Oh it doesn't have to be all that big. A few years back I came across a web site describing an experiment that put a 25MHz 486SX machine inside a domestic fridge-freezer and managed to cool it enough to crank the clock speed up to 247MHz.... (link)

[Krazyman]

The case fans wont need replacing, unless they have stopped working. You can see if they're running by taking off the cover, starting up your computer and seeing if they're turning.

If the case fans work, the only upgrade that you'd need would be the 'Heatsink and fan' for the CPU chip, that ROGER described in his earlier reply...

 

[RockLee]

Hi everybody,

 

I thought I used the compressed air correctly the first time, but when I took off and examined the heat sink, it was still caked with dust bunnies. I blasted them out, and cleaned off the existing heat sink compound with rubbing alcohol. Then I spent two bucks on new heat sink compound, applied it to the newly cleaned processor, closed it up, and bingo. I believe that did the trick.

 

I rendered a seven second animation in about five or six minutes without a single warning. This is a vast improvement over heat warnings from surfing the internet.

 

I was able to fix my computer for the cost of a can of compressed air and a small tube of Heat Sink Compound. Now I can continue with the tutorials.

 

Thank you for all your help.

 

Steve Ellinger

[ddustin]

Hi everybody,

 

I thought I used the compressed air correctly the first time, but when I took off and examined the heat sink, it was still caked with dust bunnies. I blasted them out, and cleaned off the existing heat sink compound with rubbing alcohol. Then I spent two bucks on new heat sink compound, applied it to the newly cleaned processor, closed it up, and bingo. I believe that did the trick.

 

I rendered a seven second animation in about five or six minutes without a single warning. This is a vast improvement over heat warnings from surfing the internet.

 

I was able to fix my computer for the cost of a can of compressed air and a small tube of Heat Sink Compound. Now I can continue with the tutorials.

 

Thank you for all your help.

 

Steve Ellinger

 

DB's (dust bunnies) are a common problem on our machines, so we regularly schedule blow out times to clean them out.

 

Render slaves are particularly susceptible as they run hot while rendering.

 

Glad it worked out for you.

 

David

[Roger]

First buy a really really big freezer...

Oh it doesn't have to be all that big. A few years back I came across a web site describing an experiment that put a 25MHz 486SX machine inside a domestic fridge-freezer and managed to cool it enough to crank the clock speed up to 247MHz.... (link)

 

 

LOL I think that might be more than a little bit of exaggeration......but it was funny...also involved chilled vodka, if I remember.

 

Hi everybody,

 

I thought I used the compressed air correctly the first time, but when I took off and examined the heat sink, it was still caked with dust bunnies. I blasted them out, and cleaned off the existing heat sink compound with rubbing alcohol. Then I spent two bucks on new heat sink compound, applied it to the newly cleaned processor, closed it up, and bingo. I believe that did the trick.

 

I rendered a seven second animation in about five or six minutes without a single warning. This is a vast improvement over heat warnings from surfing the internet.

 

I was able to fix my computer for the cost of a can of compressed air and a small tube of Heat Sink Compound. Now I can continue with the tutorials.

 

Thank you for all your help.

 

Steve Ellinger

 

Ahhh, the cockles of my heart (what are cockles, anyway?) are glowing with a nice, warm fuzzy feeling now.

 

Glad I was able to help you. I was pretty sure that's what it was, because that was exactly what happened to me several years ago, only w/ a pentium 75.

[Krazyman]

Glad to hear your computers working, but be wary of static electricity when spring cleaning your PC. Always touch the case first, to dishcharge static from your body, or wear one of those wrist strap with a wire and a crocodile clip on one end. Used to earth yourself, attatching the crocodile clip to your case. Or get one that goes into the wall plug. (I think its called an earthing strap.)

 

Naturally of course, most peoples hands are all over the case when spring cleaning their PC.