• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Athlon XP on fire...

HannibalX

HannibalX

Diamond Member
Just a quick story.

I've got an AthlonXP 3200+ machine I built in '04. In '06 I moved it to a new case with a new PSU and haven't touched it really since then. The machine basically runs 24/7 and works great, it sits in the closet and hums away.

I noticed the other day the machine was rebooting about once a day on its own (I can tell because my FTP and HTTP servers would email me that they had been restarted). I took a quick look at the machine, everything seemed fine, then I fired up Speedfan and the CPU was kissing 75C! :awe: The bios is set to shutdown at 75C.

I opened the case (I wish I had taken pictures) and there was a mountain of dust/lint on the CPU cooler. How any air was getting through at all I don't know. It looked like a little volcano. After a thorough cleaning the CPU is back down to around 35C idle and 45C load. :thumbsup:
 
Your story illustrates the #1 way to make a computer live a long and happy life - leave it alone. Heat isn't the terrible enemy that many people make it out to be (although 75C is too high).
 
That reminds me, I should open up my servers in the basement to see how many spiders have made it their home. 😱

If a mother goes on the cpu fan I will end up with a bursted egg sac shooting eggs in every possible direction inside the server, and I'll spend days trying to debug that mess!
 
This is the PC in question. It was acting as a server but I pulled the storage HDs today and decided to load Win7 on it.

AthlonXP 3200+ @ 2.4GHz, 2GB Patriot DDR2-400 Cas2, GeForce 2 MX/400 64MB, WD Raptor 74GB, 2 x NEC DVD Burner, SB Live! 5.1, Machspeed V880DAS S462 motherboard, Cooler Master RC690 case, SeaSonic S12-II 430w PSU.

Windows 7 Enterprise actually runs very well, better than I expected with no real slowdown for day to day stuff. There is no aero support with the GF2 card but I have an ATI X1650 XT 512MB AGP card I'm going to put in this afternoon. I don't really care about aero too much but I'd like to be able to watch 720p and 1080p video. Right now 480p is fine and smooth but 720p can get choppy and 1080p is basically unwatchable.

Not a bad performer for such an old machine I say!

xptwo.jpg


xpthree.jpg


xpone.jpg
 
Good machine, get some storage in that thing. I had the same setup but with a 9700pro and nForce 2 dual channel DDR setup, still runs like a champ; plenty fast for anything mom can throw at it.
 
Why don't you just leave the case open? There's really no reason to be running case fans -- especially a bottom-mount Hoover.
Case bring in far more dust than natural settling.
 
There is no reason to leave the case open, the system runs perfectly cool right now. Average idle temps buttoned up are around 35C idle, 45C under load.

Yes, the bottom fan does help. This case sits on the floor, the bottom fan draws in cool air from under the case. The case has feet which elevate it providing about an inch of space outside the case below the fan.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top