PC Heat Stroke: What To Do When Your Computer Overheats
Posted on March 15, 2009 by admin
Does your computer ever just turn off for no expected reason while you’re in the middle of doing something? Has it been a while since you gave your computer a spring cleaning…maybe never, in fact? If you answered yes to both of these then chances are that your computer may be operating at a higher than normal temperature, which can greatly affect your CPU’s (central processing unit or processor) performance, even causing your system to crash.
I recently experienced this with my three-year old custom PC Desktop. It started to turn off all of a sudden during common tasks such as running software programs or watching a DVD. At the time I was not aware of diagnostic software programs, such as SpeedFan or Core temp, that are designed to monitor your computer’s temperature (though you can also check the temperature in the system BIOS without additional software). I did not even consider the possibility that my computer was overheating.
A wild goose chase…
Instead, I focused on things like scanning for viruses & adware, adjusting virtual memory settings, defragmenting, etc…to no avail! I eventually threw in the towel and performed a fresh install of my Operating System after painstakingly backing up all of my information (no small task). However, even after all of that, my poor computer was still mysteriously turning itself off.
Fans…
Most desktop computers have two fans inside: one that cools the power supply (usually part of the power supply), and another which cools the CPU and motherboard via the heat sink. Well, it just so happened that by chance I noticed that the exhaust fan for the power supply was not spinning at all! I quickly searched for and downloaded a diagnostic utility named Ai Booster (made for ASUS motherboards) and realized that my CPU was operating at temperatures exceeding 80°C, as compared to a normal low-to-high of 30-50°C. It’s no wonder why my computer was shutting itself off- it was saving itself from being fried!
PSU’s…
a typical PSU
At this point I decided to do a little research into power supply units (PSU’s). When buying a new power supply it is important to check for compatibility, efficiency, length of warranty, proper voltage, and the MTBF (mean time between failures) rating. Your computer’s manual should be able to tell you what is compatible, or you could always copy the specs of what is already installed just to be safe. Refer to my article “How to choose and install a new power supply unit (PSU) in your computer” for more information on how I found and installed my PSU.
Heatsink…
After installing the PSU I was not out of the woods yet. Upon close inspection of my motherboard, I noticed clumps of dust (about a small fist-full) wedged between the CPU fan and the heatsink (it is attached directly to your CPU
an older Zalman CPU fan & heat sink
to absorb and dissipate heat, keeping it cool). “Ah ha!” I thought to myself, “this can NOT be good.” I’ve always taken pride in cleaning the dust out of my computer, but I never thought to remove the CPU fan. It actually draws air (and dust, unfortunately) down into the heat sink to cool it, and that dust can accumulate over the years. However, cleaning your heat sink is not a procedure to take on lightly. For one, there is a thermal conductive paste or grease which needs to be removed with isopropyl alcohol and thinly reapplied between the CPU and the heatsink. Without this paste your CPU can fry! Please refer to my article “Clean Your machine: How to remove and clean a heatsink” for more information on how I removed and cleaned my heat sink.
Conclusion…
In the end, after installing the free diagnostic software, getting a new power supply ($35) and cleaning the heatsink ($7 for thermal grease), my computer went from 80°C + to a steady 35-45°C, even under heavy use! My computer flies now and the difference in processing speed is staggering!
Even if your computer doesn’t suffer from “PC Heat Stroke,” do yourself (and your computer) a favor and keep it clean. Sometimes a defrag or a reinstall of your OS just isn’t enough (or necessary at all). Remember, as a golden rule, never to attempt to clean the inside of your computer while it is on. If you must clean the inside of your computer, always touch a metal part of the case to ground yourself before attempting to handle any part of the mother board as the static electricity built up in your hand can easily destroy the delicate circuity.
For regular dusting, try carefully removing the dust inside with a small paintbrush and vacuum cleaner. Avoid being overly aggressive. Some components can easily break off, if the suction is too stark. Special brushes and attachments are a good investment for vacuuming inside the PC casing. Another option is to use compressed air from cans.
Remember that a clean computer is a cool & happy one 
Comments (1)
lol, I had overheat and kept turning off problem and after checking everthing one could check concerning this problem the only thing I had not checked jumped out an hit me i.e GRAPHICS CARD the damn built in fan had stopped working and the card was red hot, bought a new one and fitted PROBLEM SOLVED.