Overheating?!

OKAY! Here is my issue. I have a homemade desktop. I run an intel MOBO with an i5 processor quad-core with a GEForce 8800 GT GPU. using CoreTEMP my computer has always idled at about 47C and in-game usually not higher than 70-75 (Counter-Strike: Source, FYI I suppose) In the past few weeks is has been overheating and shutting down (I have it set to automatically do so at 95C) I assumed it was my graphics card finally dying, but then it wouldn't boot without a GPU (because of the processor and motherboard together there is no on borard graphics I guess...? Ask intel...) SO now, I have tried swapping out video cards to no avail, I still get hot especially when I run a task (opening any program actually makes my CPU Temp jump quite a bit some that makes ME think CPU but That's why I'm here, you guys are better at this :-p) SO I stil run hot especially when I boot and I idle at about 45 but as soon as I do something it goes super hot, andddddd for some reason Neither video card recognizes my Hanns-G 21.6" monitor anymore so all my picture is fuzzy (Says it's a Generic Non-PnP Monitor) So now I am running out of options, PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!

Yes it is very clean and dust free, all the components. I removed my CPU to test it in another computer and put new heat sink compound on after cleaning off the old stuff as soon as I got it home. All fans work and are clean. The problem first only occurred when I was in a full-screen game but then it started to occur outside of game.

Also I would like to say I swapped out graphics cards to a smaller, lower quality one and swapped my RAM slots to see if I got any errors there. I bought 2 fans (a 25 CM fan for above the graphics card and a PCI slot fan for below the graphics card) UNFORTUNATELY before I could install them it really got hot and shut down for what seemed like a last hoorah and hasn't been the same since although it does boot and when I log into my account it's very hot (assuming that has to do with all the programs starting up) and it would seem to be working normally aside from the constantly spiking temps I get when i open a program or the fuzzy monitor that I have never had before it overheated and shutdown last.

Edited by AndyMan315, 18 August 2010 - 09:25 PM.

Hello and welcome to Bleepingcomputer.

Computers can be frustrating at times can't they be?

I see where you covered a lot of ground here, so it appears you've been doing your homework in PC maintenance procedures.

Have you checked the North bridge or South bridge chips on the motherboard for a heat sink? If there is one, you can add new thermal paste to those, those are most often over looked when it comes to computer maintenance.

You could also check to see if there is a better heat sink out there that you can purchase that will supply a better means of drawing that heat out of that processor core, not all heat sinks are created equal I might add.

How old are your video cards? Believe it or not, when I do maintenance on my computer, I add new thermal paste to my video cards processor chip and heat sink, that paste looses its ability to transfer heat after a while and needs to be refreshed every-now-and-then.

As for your monitors being listed as generic, you might be able to change that setting by going to the control panel and clicking on monitors and seeing if you can change that setting to the monitors brand name, my monitor did that once and I seen in the drop down menu my monitors name was in the drop down list, once I changed it, the resolution was better, I am sure your monitor is plug and play, hey my Sampo Tech Alphascan KM810 is dated 1998 and I'm using it on Windows 7 at 1600x1200 75 hertz resolution, but like I said originally it was listed as a generic monitor, you have to check that drop down menu.

Hope this helps.

Bruce.

I was originally concerned about the GPU but like I said, when I swapped to a lower quality one that shouldn't heat up nearly as much, it acted exactly the same making me assume it was something besides that, also both of those cards worked fine in a friends computer without causing him to overheat as I did. I could try a new fan, trying to take the inexpensive root since I am a little tight for money right now. Do you have a heat sink fan recommendation? And yes I have had the monitor problem before as well and was able to switch it, but now no matter what I do (uninstall the generic monitor and restart, update drivers, plug-unplug monitor) it still will not recognize it. Could there be a motherboard issue making my PCI slot not work correctly as well as allowing things to heat up so much?

if you vga cards under warranty...you could tell/ask your manufacture / reseller could they help change your heatsink...
if they cant help you....you must be carreful when you decide to buy a new heatsink fan...they a couple heatsink...just make sure that heatsink just touching your vga chip and not touching any capasitor on the cards and please check you computer if you using any pci cards...make sure that heatsink not touching them (make sure you have enough space for your heatsink...

and please check your pci express / agp slot...check does they have burn sign or not...I have problem like you and its because my agp slot was burn...and because of that I dont have computer in my home

They are both outside of warranty. Neither graphics card or the heat sink touch anything they are not supposed to. Keeping in mind I have just built this computer in February, I got the card for free from a friend who upgraded (It still works fine although I do plan to upgrade once my COMPUTER WORKS!) haha :-).

OKAY, so I double checked EVERYTHING today, the GPU's both work, the CPU works, the RAM works, there are no burnt or bulging capacitors on the MOBO and the whole MOBO looks relatively shiny, like I said it was new in February... The heat sink and fan and all fans look fine so my only thought is the MOBO shorting out somehow or something. Any way I can test the MOBO besides a new one?! Hoping for some kind of response I haven't gotten many on this topic...

OKAY, so I double checked EVERYTHING today, the GPU's both work, the CPU works, the RAM works, there are no burnt or bulging capacitors on the MOBO and the whole MOBO looks relatively shiny, like I said it was new in February... The heat sink and fan and all fans look fine so my only thought is the MOBO shorting out somehow or something. Any way I can test the MOBO besides a new one?! Hoping for some kind of response I haven't gotten many on this topic...

Yes I think we need to keep trying to get this resolved.

Yes trouble shooting is my hobby, it's something I really enjoy doing.

What I'd like you to do is re-check your heat sink, I want you to make sure that that heat sink is really making absolute contact with that processor core.

I would be lying to you if in the years of my doing system building I have never came across a heat sink that wasn't square where it supposed to make contact with the processor core.

You know if your computer is shutting down because of heat issues something is not mating properly, specially if its the processor thats still getting too hot.

I realize it isn't easy to really get a good idea if the heat sink is making good contact, one thing you should have done is if this heat sink had a heat transfer pad attached to it, those are a cheap excuse for a heat transfer aid, I laugh when I see those and carefully remove them and add just a dab of thermal paste to the processor core (The head) I add just a small bead, just so it covers the head, it is thin enough to just about read the words under it, I want to warn you and anyone who reads this thread, seriously, adding too much thermal grease is just as bad as adding a piece of cardboard, too much is not good either, this creates a barrier, to where the heat sink is now separated from the core by having too much grease!

I can also suggest your investing some cash into a better heat sink, hey those are cheaper then most processors are to replace.

The higher end more expensive heat sinks are usually machined better than the generic ones, so basically you get what you pay for, so its best not to go cheap on a good heat sink assembly.

Bruce.

The metal surface of the CPU is called the heat spreader. When you look at the polished surface it looks absolutely smooth, but under high magnification it will start to resemble a topographic map. The mating surface of the heat sink is worse. The purpose of the thermal compound is to fill in all of those voids to enhance the transfer of heat to the heat sink.

I took off my heat Sink one more time and found the connection from it to my CPU wasn't complete. Since I applied new compound, I notice one spot on my circular contact point was not touch, about 1/3 of the circle I reattached it, trying to make sure it is touching well enough, A new heat sink will be my first trial purchase, any recommendations? Thanks for the replies.

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Edited by AndyMan315, 20 August 2010 - 01:27 PM.

I ordered http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16835103088 <that. I will keep you posted but until then, any other ideas would be fantastic!

Comes with a year 2 warranty..sweet!

I have no further suggestions until you report back with the annoucement that your new heat sink came in.

Bruce.

Thanks, will keep you "posted" so to speak...

K...so I got home, turned on PC for Poops-and-Giggles...andddd it worked fine. So I tried my "dead" GPU and whatcha know...WORKS FINE also...WTF?!?!? So that is where I stand...still get a temp rise in CPU because heat sink clicky in things that attach it to MOBO are broked but I have that new one in mail. as we speak so... Only thing different is a cable from monitor to GPU, could that have caused the not reading my Monitor just conveniently at same time as overheating, for serious?!?? Thanks! Still, will keep all posted...

Minus the monitor acting up a little still...i really don't know anymore hahaha