[gallinka]

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up. I had a computer problem Sunday afternoon. I thought it would be a good idea to tell everyone about it in the hope that it will be helpful:


My computer would unexpectedly and inexplicably shut off while using it. There was no clear reason for this. I would be using it and it would completely turn off. I quickly eliminated it being a problem with a program or even the OS (I have been lazy and still use Windows XP, it is unable to completely shut off my computer, i have to use the power button). So, not sure how to proceed I opened up my AMD overdrive program and set it to log temperatures and voltages. I then left the computer on. After about 30 minutes the computer still had not shut down. Still not sure of the problem and not able to reproduce it anymore, I reviewed the logged data. I quickly found that the CPU had heated up to 100° C! I checked the current status and confirmed that both cores where currently at 100° C. I quickly shut the computer down.

I have built every desktop computer I have owned, this one no exception. I had just cleaned the case intake fans the day before. I suspected that the processor fan had failed and took the case off to investigate. With the only the power cable connected to the back of the computer and the hard drive power cable disconnected, I restarted the computer. I observed the CPU fan, a stock retail HSF, spin up and function properly (AMD Phenom II x2 Black edition retail package, if you are familiar with that HSF). This led me to take a closer look. The heat sink was indeed very hot. The fan seemed to be spinning as fast as I observed before (I do not thermal throttle the fan). With the case still off, I hooked the cables back up and booted windows. After verifying that the overheating problem still existed I decided to simply clean the surface of the heat sink exposed to the fan. I unscrewed the fan from the heat sink and cleaned the dust off the surface of the heat sink with my finger. This worked. I did this carefully while the computer was on. Even before I had the fan completely screwed back on the heat sink, the processor temperature dropped back down to a normal level (around 50° C, 45° C at idle). Problem solved.

I want to reiterate that the innerards of computers need to be cleaned periodically. This may seem obvious but is easy to forget to do. When was the last time you cleaned the dust from around the fans and heat sinks in your computer? It only takes a can of compressed air but MUST BE DONE every 3-6 months in order to keep the cooling system in your computer in good working order and able to cool your computer's hot components.

[Unbound]

No surprise with amd since they are always hot. I used a vacuum after I used the comp air. Helps later on in keeping things cool.

[river33]

This is why I chose an Intel over an AMD when I built my computer.

[Unbound]

This is why I chose an Intel over an AMD when I built my computer.

AMD hasn't failed me yet. It's cheap and I like the performance for what I paid.

[river33]

Cheap until it ruins your motherboard because it melts. And yes, I have had to replace a motherboard in a friends computer because of that.

[Rokkrwolf]

Minerealm*

FTFY: Title was mis-spelt but I got you

[Tee]

It only takes a can of compressed air but MUST BE DONE every 3-6 months in order to keep the cooling system in your computer in good working order and able to cool your computer's hot components.

Agree - but only if a system isn't built correctly in the first place.

Where most people go wrong is by setting up their case with more exhaust fans than intake fans, and/or not running intake fan filters. For example, many popular gaming boxes have 1x PSU fan (exhaust), 1x rear 120mm fan (exhaust), 2x top 120mm fans (exhaust) and 2x 120mm front fans (intake) ... that's a total of 4 exhaust fans and 2 intake fans, if all spots are populated. This results in negative pressure (suction) within the case that will result in air being drawn in through ANY opening in the case.

A better solution is to have more intake fans than exhaust fans, so that you are pressurising the case. This way you can ensure that the only air entering the box is air that has passed through the intake filters.

This is my workstation after a year of 18/7 use, sitting on a carpeted floor in a house that has two dogs running around - about the worst possible environment for a computer. I clean the external filters every couple of weeks and they are always covered in dust. The inside was just about perfect though, with * fluff and just a thin dust film on upper surfaces. Even the fan blades were almost completely clean. This PC has 3x 120mm front intake fans (filtered), a 140mm PSU exhaust fan and a single 120mm rear exhaust fan, so it is definitely running positive pressure.

[Bu1ld0g]

This is why I chose an Intel over an AMD when I built my computer.

Intel have dust repellents now?

[gallinka]

Where most people go wrong is by setting up their case with more exhaust fans than intake fans, and/or not running intake fan filters. ...

I only have one exhaust fan, the one on the PSU. I run a 90mm fan in the front (bottom) and a 120mm fan on the side, directly over the north bridge. I have had cooling problems with passively cooled north bridges in the past and the fan is big enough to cover from the center edge of the video card (near the voltage regulators on my perticular video card) up to near the CPU HSF to purge warm air from that.

My problem with dust is that I have NO filters at all. I built the computer on a tight budget about 3 years ago and did not fit any filters into it (the case is about 10 years old, got it for free from my boss).

Excellent suggestion BTW. A computer will still need routine cleaning. However, intake filters will greatly reduce the amount of cleaning needed and even allow you to go longer between cleanings.

This is why I chose an Intel over an AMD when I built my computer.

All I can say is that when I built this computer the fastest intel processor (top of the line i7) was $1000, the fastest AMD (also a 6 core) was $200. They had about a 15% performance difference if my memory serves me. AMD does not have a corner on heat, just look at the Pentium 4 prescotts. You could barely keep them cool enough that the computer would not crash.

[WMBOClan]

Maybe a psu failure? Or a broken wire leading to the cpu fan. If I were you id leave the side case off and run the computer to see if the fan fails. The computer should shutoff if the cpu gets above a set temp.