My gaming PC is crashing every now and then and I think it's my CPU overheating

Shark1202 · Mar 31, 2015

Last year I did my research, and put together a gaming PC from parts I had assembled on the PCPartPicker site.

At first it worked amazing, and I could play any game I wanted on it.

But recently the CPU fan has gotten very loud, and sometimes the display of my PC will just shut off or turn into a ton of stripes, however my computer is still running in the backround. At this point I'd have to reboot.

Here's a screenshot of what HWMonitor tells me. Do you guys see anything out of place?

http://gyazo.com/8a6cfa783b161f29f961b1da763a6b27

And why is my CPU fan so loud? Is it overheating? If so, why?

Finally, what should I do now to fix this, prevent damage and help my PC perform better?

Thanks!!

LucoTF · Mar 31, 2015

Your CPU socket temps exceeded 70 degrees, which is the thermal limit for that chip.

Are you using the stock CPU cooler? What case do you have?

Shark1202 · Mar 31, 2015

LucoTF :

So which temperature is the socket temp?

And yeah I'm using the CPU stock cooler. My case is the Rosewill Dual Fans MicroATX Mini Tower

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006BCK7RM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Mister Darius · Mar 31, 2015

You should really consider buying aftermarket cooler.

herrwizo · Mar 31, 2015

Temperatures you are getting are too high, way too high. YOu can resolve that by cleaning the entire PC from dust, removing the CPU heatsink, blowing the dust from it as well, replacing thermal paste and reseating it. Bit it likely won't last for long, though, until you start seeing stuff like that again. Getting a decent CPU cooler is your best option. Make sure it fits into your case. This one should:

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=19797

Shark1202 · Mar 31, 2015

herrwizo :

I don't even know how to read those temperatures on HWMonitor. Like I don't know which ones mean what.

As for a CPU cooler; would that really solve all overheating problems with my CPU? Like is that the ultimate solution to these kind of issues?

LucoTF · Mar 31, 2015

Shark1202 :

The Socket temp is CPUTIN on your motherboard. I'm ignoring the temp readings form the CPU itself as they can be wildly innacurate on FM2 chips:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/faq/id-2122665/understanding-temperature-amd-cpus-apus.html

Your case is micro ATX which means it won't take a big cooler, however something like the raijintek Aidos at 136mm should fit ok. Firstly you should try removing and reseating your existing cooler though, as herwizzo suggested. remove all thermal paste and try again with a tiny blob of the stuff.

herrwizo · Mar 31, 2015

It is almost guaranteed to resolve the issue, provided you install the cooler correctly and that all fans are operational.

Before buying anything, a thorough cleaning is advised, this should resolve the issue - although noone can tell for how long until the dust clogs everything again. Dust clogs small cases easily and regular maintanance is always a good idea.

Shark1202 · Mar 31, 2015

LucoTF :

Shark1202 :

The Socket temp is CPUTIN on your motherboard. I'm ignoring the temp readings form the CPU itself as they can be wildly innacurate on FM2 chips:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/faq/id-2122665/understanding-temperature-amd-cpus-apus.html

Your case is micro ATX which means it won't take a big cooler, however something like the raijintek Aidos at 136mm should fit ok. Firstly you should try removing and reseating your existing cooler though, as herwizzo suggested. remove all thermal paste and try again with a tiny blob of the stuff.

This is all good to know man, thanks.

But to be honest I have no clue how to reseat my existing cooler let alone install an aftermarket one.

Do you have any suggestions for like YouTube videos or posts where I can learn how to do this?

Shark1202 · Mar 31, 2015

herrwizo :

Yeah I'm definitely going to clean up and reset my CPU. But like I told LucoTF, I have no clue how to do that to my CPU. I only figured out how to put it together and get it running, but don't know how to take the CPU out safely, clean it up and re-apply thermal paste etc.

herrwizo · Mar 31, 2015

You don't have to pull out the CPU, only the cooler.

This video shows how to install it, use reverse procedure to remove it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vep_gcygYbA

At 1:44, you can see the lever which is used to fix the cooler. Release it first. What I do afterwards usually is twist the cooler slightly in circluar motion (clockwise and counter clockwise) because the paste on the CPU usually sticks to the cooler and it won't go anywhere even if you release it. Just make sure you don't pull the cooler up until it releases fully. Then disconnect both metal latches on the sides, disconnect power fan and remove the cooler. Blow out all dust from it. Clean the CPU and heatsink contact surfaces with cloth and alcohol. Apply new thermal paste (you might need to purchase some) to the CPU only, usually one "grain" in the centre is enough. Put everything back. Plug in the CPU fan. Done.

LucoTF · Mar 31, 2015

You need to buy some paste before removing the cpu. A little 3g tube is enough for several applications worth, try arctic MX-2 it's quite newb friendly and cheap

Shark1202 · Mar 31, 2015

Ok cool, I saw the video Herrwizo posted and it totally makes sense; I remember actually installing the stockcooler exactly like that and am confident I can take it out again.

I'll buy the thermal paste tomorrow or order it online and re-apply it on my CPU cooler, as well as clean out the cooler itself. Hopefully that brings down my super high temperatures.

I'll also update this thread afterwards.

Anything else I should know?

EDIT: For future reference, would this cooler work with my case and components? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

LucoTF · Mar 31, 2015

It's too tall for your case. The raijintek aidos or coolermaster tx3 are a better bet.

sora · Mar 31, 2015

The thermal paste should definitely help you fix your heat problem.

Shark1202 · Apr 1, 2015

So I bought some Antec thermal paste (only one they sold at Best Buy). I took out my CPU cooler and applied the paste like in the video above. I also completely dusted out my CPU fan outside.

Now my CPU is almost silent! It used to be so loud now I can barely hear it.

However, HWMonitor still reads the same temperatures.

http://gyazo.com/144b022a11e79e49752d4836bbea7241

But like I said, my CPU fan used to be so obnoxious and loud and now it's virtually silent...

LucoTF · Apr 1, 2015

What is your thermal margin as reported by AMD overdrive?

Shark1202 · Apr 1, 2015

LucoTF :

I don't have AMD overdrive and am not sure where I can download it safely.

LucoTF · Apr 1, 2015

Direct from AMD

http://download.amd.com/Desktop/aod_setup_4.3.1.0698.exe

My gaming PC is crashing every now and then and I think it's my CPU overheating

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