Help! Computer dies from heat

105 C*!?!?

Far out, I wouldn't be surprised if your CPU is dead already.

Erm, I first suggest that you remount the CPU cooler (make sure all 4 pins are fit securely into the motherboard) and make sure that you have some good thermal paste (I suggest Arctic Silver 5) on the processor's IHS (integrated heat spreader--the metal cover of the processor).

Once you're sure that you you've securely mounted the HSF with some good thermal paste, see if you can flash the BIOS using a floppy disc (save the BIOS onto the floppy from another computer).

If your temps are STILL high, then I would looks at returning the processor to where you bought it, or even calling Intel.

I doubt that having insufficient airflow would result in temps of 105 degrees.

The whole cpu system is the stock. Along with the thermel paste that came on the bottom of the fan. (I thought it would be good enough since i wasnt going to overclock)

The heatsink had the pushpins that went into the motherboard. I believe it is fully on. The computer is about a month old and has run fine until now.

the gpu is on stock everything as well. However, the system monitor in the bios says the gpu temp is fine, its the cpu temp thats climbing. Could it be a mix up on the motherboard?

Could be an old BIOS causing the problem.

Flash the BIOS with a floppy and check the temps.

Also, ask one of your friends to check out the Core 2 in their machine to see if they have the same problem. If they do, then it's a faulty CPU.

I'll double check that it is seated properly, but I'm pretty sure its on. There is a problem with the bios flash, i don't have a floppy... I had a heck of a time using a USB flash drive to flash it.

if you fan is not backwards, and you did install the hsf correctly and pushed the pins in order criss-cross

pull your heat sink and look at the thermal compound - you mostly find it did not make contact with both the chip and hs.

add more! spread it out evenly on the entire chip! 105c is hard to get with unclocked C2D you getting very little contact between the hs and cpu.

If the heatsink is properly seated, I would say it's a problem with the board sensors. As previously mentioned, flash the bios with the latest updates and see if that helps. Another thing you could do if you really wanted to find out is remove the processor and see if you can install it on another board to see if it does the same thing. That's really the only way your going to narrow it down even further.

why would it just start now? The computer hasn't moved, hasn't been knocked. Any ideas as to why the heatsink could have come loose? Unfortunately I don't have the thermal paste with me so I will have to wait until morning...

Also I can't flash the bios since the computer can't stay on for more than a couple seconds...?

edit:
Testing the cpu on another board is a great idea.. but once again I don't have place to try it. I am currently at a college dorm. I am the only person who has a desktop, everyone else has notebooks...arg.

The heatsink can come loose because you have to remember, there are moving parts and moving parts cause vibrations that can make it come loose if it's not properly seated to the board. Socket 775 fans have always been plagued with seating problems and quite frankly, I think it's a pain in the ass. Using aftermarket fans certainly do help.

If you have another machine, download the latest bios update to a floppy drive. That machine should at least be able to post to bios.

ai ai

My roomate and I have come up with an idea to use a linux system rescue CD to update the bios. We will have to work very fast to prevent it from dying half way through the bios flash.


Please let me know if I should do something besides this tonight:

1.) check and reset the heatsink/fan to the mobo and check for contact.

2.) if that proves not to work, let computer cool for awhile. Then update the bios (hopeully won't die during...worried about that).

3.) if that doesn't work...going on the long shot that somehow the thermal paste will fix it. miracle shot that one is.

thank you very much for the help

I agree on this, he should open his case and see if that helps a little.

that way he could also see if the fans are at least working or they push the air..

Yeah I honestly believe it's a problem with the board or something else because usually when a heatsink is improperly seated, the processor will still run however, it runs hotter than normal and intel has quite a tolerance for heat. Try those things and see what happens. Right now the machine is useless and the only way to find out what's wrong is research and narrow all of your problems down. One other thing is while you've got the heatsink off, check to make sure no paste got on the board and check to make sure there is no damage around the processor on the board. Good luck

ehhh.,...Houston we have a problem. The computer won't boot for more than 25 seconds. Making it impossible for me to update the bios.

Is the cpu temp sensor on the processor/fan/heatsink or is it on the mobo? I have a warranty on the mobo and can get a new one tommorow, but obviously I'd have to wait a while to get a new processor from newegg/intel.

ehhh.,...Houston we have a problem. The computer won't boot for more than 25 seconds. Making it impossible for me to update the bios.

Is the cpu temp sensor on the processor/fan/heatsink or is it on the mobo? I have a warranty on the mobo and can get a new one tommorow, but obviously I'd have to wait a while to get a new processor from newegg/intel.

then you seriusly need to reseat the cpu, I think it indeed got loose, and its not making contact, did you try to see if its even touching correctly or if its a bit loose? ( ie turn off the computer, seat the computer inthe horizontal way, and poke softly the heatsink and see if it rattles or moves )

The heat sensor is usually near the socket on the board. I would go ahead and just make sure as previously mentioned to reseat the cpu and the heatsink. Make sure all the pins in the socket look good and straight. Could be that one of them is not making good enough contact on the processor.

Worst case scenario is you've got a problem with either the mb or the processor itself. If you know you can return the mb without a hitch and get a replacement, might not be a bad idea because it won't hurt. By the sounds of it though, it almost seems to me there is a problem with the board sensors or there could be a genuine problem with the processor and the only way to tell is try it on another board to see if the problem is duplicated.