Rebooting since purchase

[Artti]

My computer keeps rebooting. It's two years old and it has done it since I purchased it. Is the problem overheat? EVEREST Home Edition tells that there's about 130 farenheits inside. Is it too much? The problem is not MSBlast, I'm sure of it. I can't run any virusscans because the computer reboots always before end. Help me, I haven't done anthing with my computer in two years. And that's a damned long time.

[rizla115]

130 farenheit, which is around 54 celsius, is way to hot for a pc

most computer should run in the mid 30's to mid 40's degrees celsius which is around 89 - 113 degrees farenheit

[Artti]

I don't think so. People in other forums tell that 80 is high, but 50-60 c is normal.

[Catweazle]

People in other forums haven't fully understood the situation. 80C is far too hot in anybody's terms, because for most processors it's a level at which the thing will burn up and die.

Processors are a bit like people in that every individual has its own characteristics and tolerances. Not every processor of the same type and speed will perform identically with regard to overclockability or heat tolerance. As a general 'rule of thumb' however, when a processor gets above 60C it's most certainly time to look into the matter with some sense of urgency. If your processor is reading at 54C when it is idling, it would almost certainly be rising above 60C when under load.

Could you provide the following information from the Computer - Summary tab of Everest Home Edition:

CPU type
Motherboard Name
System memory
Video Adapter

From the Sensor tab:

Motherboard temperature
CPU temperature

CPU cooling fan speed

All temperatures in Centigrade please

I'd also like to know if this computer was bought preassembled from a store, home-built by yourself or home-built by someone else for you.

[Artti]

CPU type: AMD Atholn Xp, 166mhz (12.5 x 133) +2000
Motherboard name: Gigabyte GA-7VAXFS (5 PCI, 1 AGP, 1 CRN, 3 DDR DIMM, Audio, LAN)
System memory: 256 MB (PC2100 DDR SDRAM)
Video adapter: Nvidia GeForce4 MX 440SE with AGP8X (64MB)

Motherboard temperature: 39 C, 120 F
CPU temperature: 57 C, 135 F (Idling, two mozilla windows open)
Fan speed: 3668 RPM

The computer was bought from a store.

[Catweazle]

I'd be very concerned about that CPU temperature. It's unusually high. I'm also curious about the statement you made regarding the fact that it has done this since purchase. Did it reboot like this IMMEDIATELY after purchase, when it was still in new condition, or did you use it for a while before this behaviour showed up. If it did this from new state it should have been taken back to the supplier to be fixed, as it was not in a usable state. Bit late to be worrying about it after two years :eek:

I'd suspect that the processor heatsink/fan has been carelessly fitted. Sometimes, if the heatsink is moved sideways as it is clipped down, the pad of thermal material between processor and heatsink can 'tear', leaving a poor contact and allowing excess heat buildup. Perhaps that is what has happened on your system?

I'd suggest you replace the current heatsink/fan with an aftermarket one. The best of the still currently available for price/performance, in my view, is the Coolermaster Aero Jet 7+, and the best thermal paste to use is Arctic Silver 5.

You'll find description of the procedures necessary in my article here, although the recommendations for heatsink/fan and thermal paste in that article are now out of date. Replace them with the recommendations above.

You should also be attentive to internal cleaning, airflow and the tidying up of internal cables. You'll find more information about that in this article.

[Artti]

Overheating may be the problem, because when I start games, it usually crashes. The processor can't run it? It have been hoovered from inside twice, but the crashing doesen't stop. You say it's late? I'm just too lazy to take it to the supplier.

[Catweazle]

Dude, if that thing is idling in the high 50s it's DEFINITELY running hot! No 'maybe' about it I reckon.

I've seen Athlon XP processors which refuse to work stable once they reach 60C