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What's wrong with my computer?


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Hi,

 

This question is not related to OSx86 hardware but seeing as this is the only hardware forum, this is the best place to post it.

 

My computer has cooling issues.

 

Specs:

  • ASUS P5ND2-SLI Motherboard
  • Intel Pentium D 830 3GHz Processor (stock cooler, not overclocked)
  • 1GB A-Data DDR2 533 RAM
  • ATI Radeon X1650 Pro 512MB Video Card
  • 250GB Samsung Hard Drive

Here are some pics of the computer case:

Front of Case

 

front.JPG

Case Front Top

 

casetop.JPG

Case Front Bottom

 

casebottom.JPG

Side

 

side.JPG

Side Zoomed

 

sidezoom.JPG

Inside

 

inside.JPG

Inside 2

 

inside2.JPG

Angled (whole case)

 

caseangle.JPG

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

I know that its clogged with dust but even after I clean it, its like 48-50 C idle and 55-60 C at 60 or 70 percent load.

 

Right now, its about 60 C idle and 75 C at almost full load.

 

Is this how everything is supposed to be? I don't think so. Could it be a bad airflow case? The case is cheap junk, can't even find a brand name on it. On the box it says "Sportek Case"

 

The Case has the PSU fan, GPU fan, CPU fan, a 80mm side fan, and a new 80mm fan on the back all functional.

 

Please help

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Well there could be a few reasons. Firstly I would suggest to make sure all you have some ventilation room around the case. Is there a smooth flow of air through the case? IE Air is pulled in from the front and pushed out the back? Dust traps heat better than anything, I know you said you tried to eliminate it, but try to get out as much as you can. Also and most importantly, how warm is the ambient air? How cool it can get depends on how warm the ambient air around it is. If the room is relatively warm don't expect the computer to cool as well.

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. . the key is extraction/exhaust, & ideally using large [120mm] low-speed fans to do it. A modern efficient PSU will extract relatively little air compared to older models with constant-speed, high-volume (& noise) 80mm exhaust fans.

 

Have a browse through www.silentpcreview.com & enclosures designed from the get-go for efficient flow - (say) the Antec P180/182

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The key is having a Pentium D 8xx CPU. To be honest, those temperatures aren't too surprising, especially if the fans are clogged with dust. A 120mm exhaust fan would certainly go some way toward bringing those down, as would a decent 3rd party CPU cooler, like the Thermalright Ultra 120 (although that may be a little too expensive...)

 

Perhaps it's no condolence, but those temps are relatively safe for the CPU. LGA775 chips don't throttle 'till 80c, so presumably Intel calls less than that 'safe', else they'd have set the throttling lower (I know that's not their official word, but I've never heard of a chip running at those temps being harmed) although I like to keep my C2D shy of 55c (my Prime95 load temps are about 51c on stock cooling, and 'real load' - something like Handbrake encoding - about 48c, but I have overclocked my E6320 to 3.15GHz, so it's probably a substantial thermal load compared to it's stock speed.)

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Yeah its always been that hot. Its OK for normal use, but when using Mac OS X or playing graphics intensive games the temps go way too high and the computer becomes unstable. The only thing I can think that is blocking airflow would be the bunch of power supply wires draped over the CPU. And yes I checked the airflow after installing the new fan. It didn't do much help to reduce the temps.

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Your computer is set up badly for cooling.

 

That case is {censored}. Replace it with something without a side window or side fans, but with a decent front air intake and 120mm fan exhausts. I'd suggest Antec. If you can't or don't want to, take out that side fan and tape the hole up; it shortcircuits air flow and lets noise out. Ensure that the front vent is open, which might take modding (removing metal/plastic obstructions). Cases are just there to hold the parts together, so as long as you can mod it to be less obstructive to airflow, and you don't mind sharp edges, the case doesn't matter much. A new case with a dust filter might help you.

 

Replace the rear fan with a 120mm fan. There's lots to choose from. You're having heat issues, so a faster fan and a fan speed controller might help. Otherwise, an upgrade to 120mm will either halve the noise, double the airflow, or something in between. Nexus or the slow Yate Loon for quiet, panasonic and scythe for in between, and I know Sunon makes crazy high-flow fans.

 

You're using the OEM Intel cooler. It's surprisingly good from a historical perspective, but obviously not enough for modern cooling. Replace with a Thermalright tower or Zalman cooler. Thermalright is more expensive and the fan is extra, but it can often run passive, and the fan is replaceable.

 

Your PSU is likely {censored}. Replace it with something Enermax, Antec, Zalman, something like that. Best to have a single 120 to 140mm fan, not two 80mm or anything like that; two small fans in parallel, like your PSU setup, double the noise but not the airflow. I believe a PSU fan can act as a case exhaust, but don't rely on it. The more efficient the PSU is, the less energy wasted as heat, so the less noise and overheating problems. A brand name PSU should be far more reliable and efficient (look for >80%) than whatever came with the cheap case.

 

Try a speedstep kernel and turn speedstep on dynamic CPU. It won't be any safer for the hardware, but it'll make you feel better to see even lower idle temperatures and lower energy bills.

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