Question about overheating. Someone please help me!!!

Ok. After spending some time with Doug Linden, I fixed a my network slider in the preferences and set it to 1000 (I have 3mps connection) and the game crashed. I came back on and it ran fine. But unfortunately..it crashed again. I was thinking it was my video card but it does the same thing with other cpu intensive applications.

Now, I set up a temp monitor program and was watching my temperature. I have an Intel P4 1.6ghz. What is normal temperature in Celsius for my proccessor? t is at 47C right now but in game it goes between 70C-73C and keeps going up. If this is abnormal temperature for my CPU, please let me know cause this may be the reason the game crashes. Also, when monitoring my temp in game, the game returned to the laggy choppy visuals it had before talking to Doug. I dont know what's going on! Someone please help me!

Just to recap on this..I just forced the game to crash. Last temp readout was 92C. Is that normal? And the game is running like hell again. I mean really really bad. Temperature climbs up in a matter of minutes and at about 10-15 minutes in game..temperature hit 92C and PC froze. Is this the problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

That sounds outrageously high and I'm not surprised that the machine is crashing.

Given the little information you've given about the system and room here are my suggestions: 1) open the case, look for the processor fan, take your hands out of the case, turn the machine on, see if the processor fan is spinning 2) check that there is good airflow through the box, no clogged filters, etc. 3) at some peril to safety and RF emissions, you may wish to try running with the case open. 4) make sure that there is airspace around the case 5) take it to a technician.

You can see intel's themal recommendations here and if you are playing in a room that is 40C (105F) you should probably move to Alaska.

Hope that helps some.

92 degrees isn't just bad for your CPU, it may also be a fire hazard. Are you actually running a fan on your processor at all? If so, as Malachi asks, are you sure it's on?

You should probably have a technician look at your system.

For a non-Prescott P4, 70C is very hot. 92C is dangerous. Your computer is old enough that there's probably significant dust buildup on the CPU heatsink. If there is, get a can of compressed air to blow it out. Also, make sure that all the fans are turning properly.

If stuff's still running that hot after the fan check/clean, and if you're confident about messing with static-sensitive components, you may want to try re-seating the heatsink with some new thermal goop.
I'm not sure temps that high will be doing it good in the long term, so it may have dried out and become ineffective.

Thank you all so much for your help. I greatly appreciate all the suggestions you gave me. This may sound funny to you but, I am a computer tech. I just didn't know what the normal operating temperature for a P4 is. I found that Intel suggests 40C but that doesn't sound right. Anyways, CPU Fan is working but it's dirty. My case has been open for about 5 months now with a box fan pointing at it. I have no money to buy a new case so it's a cheap one from my computer store. As soon as I go into work today, I'll grab a copper heatsink and fan combo for my P4 and just slap it on there. Hopefully that will help.

Thank you guys very much. I appreciate your quick replies to my question!

Er, wait... are you saying you were running a P4 WITHOUT A CPU FAN?

If you work in a computer store, you know about thermal grease like Hawk suggested, right?

Intel's recommendation of 40C refers to the intake temperature. If the air being pumped into your computer is higher than 40C, you may have a problem. Your processor shouldn't be running more than about 70C, and the added heat isn't going to help it.

Ok. inal recap. I took it back today..got on the bench..trashed me mobo and cpu and put in a new mobo and a new Athlon 2400. Now the game runs better and no more crashes!! After looking inside thoroughly, I discovered what the cause was. My old case had no sides, and me and my gilfriend smoke..so do our friends. The pc was in an area of the house wjere everyone convenes. So, dust clogged up the cpu heatsink causing the cpu to fry slowly...and the mobo with it. So that's what hapened. Unfortunately while I was teaching our new tech how to handle things, using my system as an example, he fried a 512MB DDR chip. Now I have only half a gig...Thank god for RMA's!

Thanks to all who responded. I really appreciate your advice.

If your computer is in a high dust area (if its not this is still a good idea, just a lower frequency is probably fine) go out and buy a bunch of cans of air. They run about $3 each but they will save your computer. Once every week or every other week open the case and (with the computer off) blow out the dust. Seriously. 1 can of air will probably last about 4 or more cleanings, so $3 a month or two to save your computer ... Especially blow the dust off the CPU heatsink and fan.

Ya know, if there was the equivalent of human resourse for your computer... they would have taken away your baby long long ago... lol.

Seriously. 40 c is pretty normal for an idle cpu. IF you are like me, you lapped your sink and used artic silver.

On a side note:
I overclock a p4 2.4 to 2.68 and run Prime95 and SecondLife at the same time. My temps with this stress test hit 50 c to 52 c. Usually it runs fine but I get some warnings in Prime95 and if somone sets off a firework, SL or the system can crash.

I think crashes are from two low of a vCore setting... but with only a 300w PSU I'm pushing my luck with an un-cooked peice of spagetti.