Hello ! Here's my problem: At first, I've noticed that every time I was playing a game, after 5-10 minutes, the PC speaker would start beeping. I thought the processor was overheating because of the intense DirectX aspects of the game as I was playing high-end games ... but then I've noticed that this was also happening while running in MS-DOS ... so for example, if I start the computer and boot in DOS mode, after 5 minutes maximum, the CPU overheats at about 60+ degrees Celsius and the beeping starts ... but for example, when it stays idle on the Desktop or just listening to music or watching a video, this doesn't happen ... the beeping is not a problem as I can disable this feature but I want to know WHY is the CPU overheating in such odd conditions ??? cause I can't program in DOS languages like C++ or Pascal, not to mention playing a game. Just so that I'd spare you the time, I want to tell you that yes, my PC fans are VERY clean, no dust is inside, the Operating System has been reinstalled 100 times since the problem first occured, I've reapplied sync paste 30+ times, replaced the CPU cooler, even replaced the CPU so all "standard" FAQ things are checked out and I still can't figure out the problem ... since this problem persisted on different CPUs, different thermal paste appliances, different CPU coolers, different OS installations, I REALLY think this is a Motherboard-related problem ... please help me cause I'm going nuts over here for the past 2 years I think thanks a lot !!!

In windows in general the cpu is coolest because it is idle, where as in the bios, msdos, etc its actually working hard because is doesn't know how to idle - i used to get ~50's in the bios and in dos, windows installs, on the desktop i get ~40's etc

since its gigabyte, reset the cmos and see whether its an underlying setting, or enter the bios and press ctrl+f1 (reveal secret bios features) and somewhere there should be voltage (make sure its stock/standard), and thermal warning events etc - check them

also make sure your case has proper ventilation!

what cpu are you using?

another one - since its 478, the actual bracket on the motherboard may be broken or not secured to the board correctly and lifting up and not allowing the hsf full contact - also check that

and the usuals - if the hsf isn't up to the task you will have these issues, eg Prescott based cpu with a cheap aluminum cooler = no good.

post back to me with results and good luck mate

ahh I did reset the CMOS dozens of times ... also, Ive updated the BIOS from the default factory F5 version to the latest F6 one and nothing .... I will check for the HSF thing if you tell me what the HSF is exactly LOL ... sorry but I aint familliar with this term although I suspect its the plastic support where the cooler gets locked in those 4 clams, right ? also I know about the hidden CTRL F1 thingy ... and I use a 2.8 GHz CPU ... thanks a lot for helping me

HSF - heatsink+fan

yeah that rectangle plastic bracket thats attached to the motherboard around the socket (478) - they can come loose or break resulting in the HSF not attaching its self to the cpu properly

i gotta ask - how much thermal paste did you apply?

and download a tool called CPU-Z and run it, find out more advanced processor details like core (northwood or prescott), fsb, cache etc - that might lead you somewhere, the "prescott" runs hot and needs high end coolers to run (well not high end, but low end wont cut it)

hmm I'll check that .... as far as I know it has 800 MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache, 2800 MHz, Prescott core and that's about it ... I know Prescott runs hot but I am using the cooler that came with it ... now I know it may be a crappy one but why would they provide low end coolers for high end processors ??? to get them burned and buy another ? LOL .... thanks for the help but I wanted to ask you this: is there a chance that the Power Supply would heat it up ????

The stock cooler for the prescotts is sufficent, just make sure you have cleaned all the original grey thermal paste off both the cpu and hsf before re-applying it etc

also, the newer revision hsf's are a little bit more tricky - make sure its all the way on the socket and not on an angle

psu - could be, make sure the beeping is coming from your motherboard and not somewhere else (youd be supprised - seen a few funny ones from time to time)

oh, btw iv seen a few prescotts with brown burn/heat marks on the integrated heat spreader (the metal cap on the cpu) - they still worked fine - shows what an intel can survive

lol well sure I've wiped out all that gray toothpaste-like thing before reapplying the heat paste ... it was really think and solid ... I doubt it even conducted heat LOL ... I do this on ALL new CPUs cause I know how bad that stock paste sucks and hmm I'll check where the sound comes from but I'm pretty sure it's the Mobo cause it beeps only when the CPU temp gets over 60' C (I've set that in the BIOS and I also have AIDA32 running at the same time when I'm playing a game so I Alt-Tab and see the CPU at 62-63) ... so I'm pretty sure it's the CPU thing ... but I've read some interesting things about the PSU and how it generates power on each rail and stuff and I'm afraid not to have a too powerful PSU ... I mean it's a stock 400W one but I've used some of the on-line PSU calculators and I've entered all my PC components and almost every calculator tells me I only need 250-300 Watts for what I have installed .... could this be a problem ??? I also hear something about the VERY IMPORTANT 12V rail thing but I don't really understand how I can measure these things

the stock grey stuff is actually one of the best types to use

hows your case ventilation?

psu's can never be too powerful, but on the other hand if you have an el-cheapo psu it may over/under volt and cause issues, as for that "400w" - is doesnt stand a chance against a branded 250-300w psu

if it undervolts it shouldn't be a problem, right ??? also, I hate 2 case fans, mounted on the back side, where the USB, LPT, COM, PS2, Video, Lan, etc. ports are and they both blow air in ... I tried making them blow air out and it ain't a difference anyway so if it undervolts, is it a problem ??? also what elimination tests should I perform so that I can check out every possible problem ??? I mean what should I check? the PSU, the HSF, and what else ?

ok front fans should draw air in, rear fans always blowing out (why suck in hot psu air?), pannel fans in and psu out as usual - air blows toward the back of the fans (toward the labels), wrong configs will mean that extra 10ºc which will cause your average 50's to hit 60's

btw 55ºc in the bios is average from what i have seen from most of them

undervolting will result in lower temps, and instabilities if its serious (insufficent power + vdroop = crash)

seems your issues are more heat if your seeing 60+*c in the bios etc

in the bios no, it doesn't reach that high but in MSDOS ... oh boy oh boy also, you say that my 2 fans should blow air out ? also, I've removed my side panel long ago just in case so now the case is opened

so do you think it's a good idea to remove the side panel ??? I think it gives more air but at the same time there's no enclosed space for the ventilation to get created

Yeah rear fans extracting air

panel off will actually lower some temps within the case, but the hdd will suffer from zero air flow, and the air will not move out of the case and may cause worse issues - all depends.

MS DOS - yeah as i said it doesn't know how to idle etc

well I have a HDD cooler so it ain't the problem ... so then what could be the problem ??? I really doubt it's a temp issue ... I think it's some physical setting or a voltage related one