# My computer gets too hot..



## lsatblu

Hi,

If this is in the wrong spot please move it to the correct forum. I have a custom built PC that I made with my uncle. I normally keep the side of my PC off and have a huge fan blowing at it to keep it cool. My friend said not to do that and to keep the side of the case on. I am doing so but I removed the side just to feel the video cards and they are boiling.

My motherboard died once and I replaced it and now one thing of RAM died. The computer won't run when the second RAM chip is plugged in.

AMD Athlond 64 X2 Dual
Core Processor 4600+
2.41 GHz, 1.00 GB of RAM (This used to be 2GB)
Win XP
2 nvidia 7800 cards

I am not great at computer modding. I bought another fan once to put inside my case because the one the case shipped with is so puny but I didn't and couldn't find anywhere to plug it in on the inside or anything to attach it to. So I resorted to having a huge fan blowing at the entire PC with the side off exposing the inside. 

Any suggestions? I want start playing games on it again but I don't want anything to overheat..


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## stressfreesoul

Antec Tricool fans are a popular fan. They can be slowed down when not gaming to preserve your eardrums (and patience). One thing you didnt specify; What case do you have? I only ask, as there are much more efficient and quiet fans in the 120mm flavour. So hopefully it has 120mm fan holes...


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## Tumbleweed36

I am also a fan :grin: of the Antec Tricool fans. They are quiet and really cool a rig if you have one in front of the case to pull in cool air and one in back to pull out the hot air. If you don't have a designated place to put one in, then drill some holes for the fan mount screws and try to get that case cool.


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## lsatblu

stressfreesoul said:


> Antec Tricool fans are a popular fan. They can be slowed down when not gaming to preserve your eardrums (and patience). One thing you didnt specify; What case do you have? I only ask, as there are much more efficient and quiet fans in the 120mm flavour. So hopefully it has 120mm fan holes...


Hi, I have this case:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147106


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## stressfreesoul

From what I have read, you have 80mm fan holes at the front. These are good, they are Tricolour as well as Tricool. Heres the 120mm flavour too.
Heres the page they are from, so you can see all the other colours too. Bear in mind, some of them are the Smartcool ones which auto adjust to a degree. These arent as appropriate as the Tricool ones.


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## dai

power supply
brand
watttage


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## lsatblu

Oh I forgot I also replaced my power supply and motherboard in the past. I think they stopped working because of the heat problem..

Motherboard:
ASUS Motherboard
Socket 393 for AMD CPU
NVIDIA nForce 4 SLI

Power Supply:
BFG Tech Power Supply
650 WATT ATX 12V 2.0


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## dai

which model 7800's


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## lsatblu

dai said:


> which model 7800's


Hi, I have two Geforce 7800 GTX 256mb cards.


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## dai

then you expect to find a quality 850w running the system we don't rate bfg in this catergory
http://www.techsupportforum.com/f210/power-supply-information-and-selection-192217.html


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## lsatblu

Hi,

The power supplies in that topic are all over 200 dollars. Are any of these fine to use?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817101029

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817189017

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817189015

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817202009

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817608007

I'd like to save the money if I can because I need to buy another stick of RAM.


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## dai

none are recommended
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371009
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256011
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341003


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## lsatblu

Thank you. I will order one and see how it goes..


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## lsatblu

Hi,

I have the new powersupply in and after an hour of using my computer it shut itself off. I can start it again but I am not sure why it just turned off. Is that to prevent itself from overheating?

How is it overheating with an 850watt ps? Would placing a small fan inside it do the trick?


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## Tumbleweed36

What psu did you buy? Also, what case cooling do you have, like what fans, where located, which direction are they blowing. If we know what you have, might be better able to guide you.


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## dai

what does the bios list the cpu temp as


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## lsatblu

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371009

I have the one fan that came with the case in it. It is on the back side under neath the powersupply. 

How do I check the bios cpu temp?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147106

Also, the first slot is missing on my case because I took it out and misplaced it. I can probably put tape or something there to block the gap. Maybe that is causing an air flow problem?


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## dai

on the advanced page of the bios look for hardware monitoring or some similar wording


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## lsatblu

It says:

CPU 52°C
M/B 37°C
CPU Fan speed 2812 PPM
CHA1 Fan speed 0 PPM
Chip Fan speed 6490 PPM
CPU Target temp 72°C


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## dai

redo the paste on the cpu with some arctic silver
http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm


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## lsatblu

How often do you have to redo the silver? I did it last year when I put in this cpu and I did just a small dot of it but now that I took the cpu out, there is no dot anymore but a large thin patch of it. I guess the heat made it spread?


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## dai

it spread when you attached the heatsink that's what is supposed to do
you probably just knoched the heatsink when installing the power supply it does not take much to disturb them


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## kodi

Your case can fit an 80mm fan in the front blowing air in and an 80mm fan on the side blowing air in. These will help circulate air and keep Temperatures down


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## lsatblu

Whats a good trick to getting the cpu in? I put it in and then I hook one side on but it seems impossible to get the other side locked in because the metal strip only goes to one side at a time. I tried just pushing down on both sides but I don't want to force it.

Edit: I meant cpu fan.


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## magnethead

lsatblu said:


> Whats a good trick to getting the cpu in? I put it in and then I hook one side on but it seems impossible to get the other side locked in because the metal strip only goes to one side at a time. I tried just pushing down on both sides but I don't want to force it.
> 
> Edit: I meant cpu fan.


brute force. 

If you don't believe me, this is about how much force it took to put mine on:



The 370/462's and 478's are just as hard. You really gotta force them.


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## lsatblu

I got the cpu in but I must have messed up a few things. I can't remember which the usb cable gets plugged into. I can put it in the USB78, USB56 or USB10 slot? I also have a 1394 cord that I don't ever remember being plugged in.

More importantly now I can't get anything on my monitor to display. I tried hooking the monitor up to both graphic cards and I tried changing the plugs that connect the graphic cards to the computer but no luck..

Edit: I thought maybe the hard drive wasn't connected correctly but I tried it in all 4 spots on the motherboard and still nothing displays on my monitor.

I am also trying it with only one video card now and still no luck :normal:


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## dai

get post before you connect the drives

set it up out of the case on a piece of cardboard with
cpu
video
ram
speaker
and see if you get post
check you have the correct amount of standoffs no more no less
that they line up with the holes in the m/board
usually 9


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## lsatblu

What do you mean by standoffs? Sorry I am not that advanced with computer building. I will try and build it outside the case like you suggested.


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## lsatblu

Hi,

I have my motherboard, cpu, one thing of RAM and one video card all connected on my desk and my case near it so I could connect the power button on the case to the mother board. I turned on the powersupply and case and all the fans blow and light up but nothing shows on my monitor. 

This is weird because it all worked before I took it out of the case.


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## dai

the standoffs are the brass legs that screw into the backing plate and the screws screw into when fixing the m/b
you have plugged in the aux power connector to the m/board


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## lsatblu

Yes I did so. Still nothing displays on the screen. I am thinking about getting it fixed at bestbuy tomorrow if there is nothing I can do on my own. Maybe the motherboard got messed up? If so I can replace that on my own. But I am not a 100% sure. It could be the graphic cards but neither card displays anything on the monitor when I plug it in. I guess that could be due to the motherboard, right? This is so weird.


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## dai

rest the cmos
cmos reset
turn the computer off
remove the power lead from the back
take the side off
remove the cmos battery
move the cmos jumper from pins 1 and 2 to pin 2 and 3 and the back to pins 1 and 2
reinsert the battery
put the side on
replug in the power lead
boot the computer

there can be 2 solder points you touch with a screwdriver
2 pins you touch with a screwdriver or use a jumper
a cmos clear switch or button
there will be a diagram and instructions in your manual

if no good see if you receive the bios beeps when starting with the ram removed


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## kodi

Reset the BIOS by removing the motherboard battery for ten minutes

*EDIT* looks like dai beat me to it (will have to learn to type faster)


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## lsatblu

How do I rest the cmos without being able to see anything on screen? My monitor says nothing is detected.


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## dai

follow the instructions i gave you for resetting the cmos
you remove the power lead from the computer
your not supposed to see anything on screen when resetting


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## lsatblu

I don't see any pins underneath the battery. I am also doing this away from my case. I will then put the battery back and connect one thing of ram and one video card. Is there a certain amount of time I should wait before placing the battery back in?


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## dai

the jumpers are not under the battery


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## lsatblu

I did the jumpers like you said then turned it on and nothing on my monitor. Then I started up without the RAM and no bios beep at all.


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## lsatblu

Hi it now works. I had a professional look at my computer and something was wrong with my cpu. The temp levels are much lower now. I still want to add an extra fan but an 80mm or 50mm fan are too large to fit on the side of my case, in the slot for a fan. I will need to try and find a smaller fan.

One problem, occasssionally when I turn my computer on I get a message saying the cpu can is to slow. I just turn the computer off and turn it back on and I assume it is fine because I don't get the message again. Is this something to worry about?


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## magnethead

the stock intel fan (or that i've seen, any PWM controlled fan) takes about 1 to 2 seconds to start moving. That's likely what it'd detecting.


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