Check Your Computer For Overheating

We all know the drill. Second Life crashes and we say something like this; *&%$#^ SL *&@#$%^ junk ^%$#@& and so on. After my computer recently kept shutting down repeatedly while on SL after a few minutes I reached behind it and noticed that it was warmer than usual. Further investigation showed that the graphics card fan had stopped working and so the computer was shutting down from overheating. It never shut down during non SL usage so I was guessing that SL graphics was making the card work harder and hotter. So I installed a “slot fan” across from the card; it is a fan that will fit into an unused slot and pulls hot air out of the case. So far it seems to be working.

Sound advice...and I like this post! A Resident Answer without the question being needed...useful advice DOES exist!

My previous laptop was doing that more and more often. I downloaded a utility that monitors the CPU temperature and found that after running SL for a while, the CPU temp was climbing into the 160-170 degree F range. Soon thereafter, it would shut down.

Since the laptop has on-site warranty service, the service tech came out one day to replace the heat sinks (the manufacturer admitted a problem with the originals) and fans. When he opened up the case, I was embarrased to find that the heat sink was clogged with dust bunnies (I blow it out from time to time with compressed air, but the heat sink fins were so fine that they trapped a small matted carpet of dust anyway).

Unfortunately, I guess, the damage had been wrought. After several heat sink, CPU and fan replacements, the manufacturer just replaced the whole laptop with an upgraded model.

My previous desktops' graphics card fan had a bearing go out, and I suspect because I would push it hard with SL an other stuff. It is, after all, a graphic-heavy program. :-/

Mari

Easy answer:

Just install an after-market fan. There's TONS to chose from. Just get one that fits your video card (and budget).

http://www.crazypc.com/products/video_card_coolers.html

http://www.xoxide.com/vgacoolers.html

http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l2/g40/c21/list/p1/Air_Cooling-VGA_HeatsinksCoolers.html

They're pretty easy to install. Remove old fan, screw on new one (more or less).

I keep my laptop raised up in the back using two old Pentium 3 Heatsinks. Helps suck in air without the lint AND helps dissipate the heat.

...and while you're at it, make sure the PSU is powerful enough for all the hardware. A weak PSU is a classic cause of weird and hard to duplicate crashes. Usually when someone with a budget PC installs a relatively high-end graphics card, a stack of fans and case-lights.

Also, check to make sure you're not running Windows Vista (64 bit). * spits *

For laptops its often better to have it taken to a professional who can open up the laptop and clean the heatsinks, this is truer for older laptops that draw air though open "Voids" in the chassis rather than directly into the heatsink and out of the exhaust. For these laptops using compress air will simply spread the dust around inside the chassis only to be sucked though the heatsink again.

Use a water cooling system I droped mine down to 20C

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3302740&CatId=1057

Good starter kit

liquid cooling is great, not only lowers temp but extremely quiet. Having a huge aluminum case also helps.

I use speed fan to control my fans, Mine has been currently running the fans at 100% for over a year now (Yes I do maitence on them regulary and rebuilt them) so that is my suggestion

are you sure it is a cooling problem ? Hmmmmmmmm are yeeeew? lol

Yes we have some fans at work on machinery that used to run 24/7 now I am adding termostates because from what I've seen on the filters, runnig 80% more air through than you need to pumps 80% more dust into the cabinents. So I suspect running your fans at 100% may be causing you to need to clean the heatsinks more often and making more work for yourself than needed, having said that the cooler electronic stuff runs the better, mybe I should duct an intake out the wall of the house for the chilly air outside to be sucked into the comp

I use "ground source" cooling to water cool both the processor and the cabinet that the computers are in. (tied in to the ground loop so that the heat pump does not have to run)

This saves on cooling costs.

I've found that Aluminum water blocks or cast iron recirculating pumps will corrode regardless of how much protector you add. So stick with copper, brass, bronze, or plastic.

Note: Aluminum radiators are fine as long as they use copper or brass pipes.

I've thought of this myself. It'd come in handy in the winter time too! One thing I'd try to include would be a moisture trap in the ducting.

Something to really watch for in the newer video cards, where the fan and heat sink assembly are covered with a decorative plate to force air across the heat sink, in some it is possible for lint and dust to build up unseen underneath these covers and severly restrict airflow across the heat sink. I have seen cards burn up from this. It is easy to take the cover off and clean out and just takes a very tiny screwdriver.

There is also pezioelectric cooling ya can drop the cpu to 20F

I saw a story on it on CNN was a killer system..and I cant find the link GGRRRRR

Are you referring to Peltier Cooling or Phase Change Cooling? Or is it something new?

Peltier cooling
http://pcpowerzone.com/peltiercooling.html
It looks cool not sure how good it is tho lol

It works, but has 'issues'. One of them being, if there's the slightest gap in the gasket around the CPU, you get condensation. Naturally- water on an exposed CPU is a bad thing.

My dream cooling system would involve phase change cooling. Can't beat having a 'mini-fridge' cooling things off.

I just cant afford a $800 cooling system