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Suggestions for CPU overheating

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  • Computers
  • CPUs
  • Shutdown
Last response: in CPUs
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April 3, 2013 9:55:48 PM

Today, my computer shut down for no apparent reason, but in the past it has periodically accumulated dust that has lead to overheating. After waiting a bit and rebooting, CoreTemp showed a temperature in excess of 70C so I shut the computer down and cleaned all of the fans and the heat sink and restarted. Under relatively light browsing, CoreTemp rapidly went from 65C to over 80C even with a 12 inch floor fan on the highest setting blowing directly into the CPU and MB area from a distance of about 6 inches (I opened the case). My son who is generally pretty knowledgeable didn't come up with any good suggestions other than perhaps the CPU had started to malfunction.

If anyone has some ideas that would allow me to avoid purchasing new components, I would love to hear them.


CPU-AMD 720 X3 Black not overclocked with stock CPU fan and heat sink
MB-Biostar TA 790 GX 128M
Video-HIS 6850 1GB; PCI 2.1
Memory-4GB G.Skill Memory
Drive 1-WDC 640 GB
Drive 2-Samsung HD103SJ 1 TB
DVD-Pioneer DVD
Monitor- HP 25"
LianLi Case
OS-Windows 7 Home Premium

More about : suggestions cpu overheating

a b à CPUs
April 3, 2013 10:08:40 PM

You could try applying fresh thermal paste. Clean the CPU with rubbing alcohol, then reapply the paste.
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a b à CPUs
April 3, 2013 10:08:53 PM

Have you jostled the heatsink at all? It couldave unseated, you can take off the heatsink clean it along with the CPU and apply a new thin layer of thermal compound and test it again.
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a b à CPUs
April 3, 2013 10:11:08 PM

Oh a few seconds late :p , try to avoid using rubbing alcohol unless its over 90% and you polish it afterwards with a microfiber cloth of somekind (rubbing alcohol has oils in it just like your fingers do)
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a c 185 à CPUs
April 3, 2013 11:43:13 PM

My two cents:

I totally agree that re-applying thermal paste should help enormously. Carefully read instructions on how to do this.

Other notes:
- some CPU coolers are difficult to remove without breaking
- consider replacing with a different cooler
- motherboard FAN CONTROL solutions (motherboard and motherboard software for optimal control) are VOLTAGE or PWM. Read your motherboard manual if you plan to buy a new cooler (i.e NCIX) and make sure to get one with the proper fan (PWM or Voltage). Even an inexpensive $20 cooler is superior to the stock cooler and should come with the thermal paste as well.
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