CPU overheating, why?

[rof3]

Just recently I have started getting a high-low beeping on my AOpen nForce 3 during games...the first time was on a game demo where I wasn't even there, but my friends were playing it and told me about it. At first I thought they'd done something stupid but now I have started getting the same thing playing Battlefield. I looked up the beep code and turns out it's a CPU (Athlon 64 3000) overheat warning. While I have installed new software recently I haven't changed my BIOS at all for a while. I've had this PC about five or six weeks. Does anyone have any advice for me? Thanks.

 

[iwantanewcomputer]

what temps are you getting? for cpu idle and load and motherboard? the only way that is actually overheating is if the heatsink or fan is mounted improperly. other than that your motherboard could be reporting it wrong. update to the latest bios

 

[zodder]

What he said

 

[rof3]

How do I find out my temps? This is the first comp I've built so I'm constantly learning...thanks guys.

 

[Machine350]

Download motherboard monitor 5 to monitor your temps.

 

[neonerd]

or go into the bios and look at pc health stats

 

[Machine350]

Originally posted by: neonerd
or go into the bios and look at pc health stats

Most bios temp readings are not all that accurate. I've found motherboard monitor to be about the most accurate out there. If anyone knows of anything better, please let me know.

 

[gwai lo]

some mobo's also report higher-than-it-really-is-temps

 

[imported_Zeke]

sudden overheating in my experiance is usually your thermal paste drying up or lots of dust on the heatsink

 

[thermalpaste]

If you assembled this PC all by yourself, I hope you didn't take out the white thermal paste below your heatsink.........

 

[effee]

Asus mobo CDs come with a temp monitor right now im looking at 46 CPU/ 33 mobo

 

[rof3]

No, I made sure to apply a nice layer of thermal paste, but yes that would be bad if I hadn't. I had someone who had built a PC before to hold my hand through the process.

I'll download Mobo Monitor and report back, but to be honest I think Zeke might have hit it with dust on the heatsink. My room is really dusty. If that's the case, what can I do to clean it and prevent it from getting dusty again? As for the second part I think I can get some sort of filter for my intake fan but I'm not really sure how it works.

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: rof3

My room is really dusty. If that's the case, what can I do to clean it and prevent it from getting dusty again? As for the second part I think I can get some sort of filter for my intake fan but I'm not really sure how it works.

Thanks again for all the help.

Use compressed air to blow out the dust bunnies. Try pantyhose for a filter

 

[rof3]

I've seen compressed air before...but where would I buy it, Best Buy? I do'nt know of a better computer store near me.

And does pantyhose really work? Which kind works best? I might have to get one of my female friends to buy some for me.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: rof3
I've seen compressed air before...but where would I buy it, Best Buy? I do'nt know of a better computer store near me.

And does pantyhose really work? Which kind works best? I might have to get one of my female friends to buy some for me.

Get compresed air from BB, Staples or prolly many other biz supply stores.

Yaeh, it works.

 

[rof3]

OK thanks Fern, I will give that a shot.

Edit: I have an AOpen AK89 Max, and that mobo is not listed...the closest is the AK86-L, which is what I chose...will that be okay?

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: rof3
OK thanks Fern, I will give that a shot.

Edit: I have an AOpen AK89 Max, and that mobo is not listed...the closest is the AK86-L, which is what I chose...will that be okay?

Try it and see. First look in your BIOS and what the cpu & sys temps. If MBM5 reports the same, you're good. if not, you can play around with sensor setting till you get it right.

 

[rof3]

My BIOS said 41 CPU, 35 SYS...and mobo monitor says 37 (just moved down slowly from 40; was 39 when I started writin this post) CPU, 35 case. So I guess that's somewhat accurate - although I'd think it would be higher in Windows than BIOS. My warning beep is set at 50, but it was definitely the high-low CPU warning beep that I was hearing. So...I'd be really surprised if a game could make it go up 10+ degrees, but perhaps I'm wrong about that? Thanks again for all the help.

 

[rof3]

OK, so I just had a Battlefield session and the beeping didn't start, but I found out that it was close...49 CPU/39 SYS, beeping would start at 50 CPU. Since quitting, opening IE, and writing this it has dropped to 42/39. Well, I just turned around to talk to a friend and when I turned back it was 40/38. You get the idea. Would dust cause the temp to rise that much while gaming? Also, is 50 degrees the right temp to have the alarm go off? Thanks.

 

[EULA]

My motherboard over-reports temps by a full 18 degrees F.

 

[rof3]

Well wait, how do you know that it's 18 over and the other method isn't 18 under...in fact, what is the other method of measuring the temp?

 

[The J]

50C isn't too terrible for temperatures. Go into your BIOS and change the warning temp to 60C or 65C and the shutdown temp to 65C or 70C. If you still get beeps after a while, then you need to worry. Also, you could try looking for a BIOS update. My brother's board (NSI K8T Neo-FSR) needed a BIOS flash because it would report temperatures wrong.

 

[rof3]

OK cool, thanks. I should probably still pantyhose my case because my room is really dusty.