Random crashes, high temp, fans seem to be working, what now?

[fendel]

Could really use a little advice... My PC (homebuilt Athlon XP 2000+) has started crashing frequently. One blue screen, several hangs--a couple nights ago I was converting some music files from one format to another, and a few seconds into the batch it would hang every time.

Meanwhile, the machine has gotten noticeably louder, especially when I first turn it on. (Maybe once it's on a few minutes, I get used to the drone...)

On a hunch I checked the temps the other day, and the CPU was up to 70C (with nothing running but IE - no significant load). Normally it runs about 57C, which I know is already pretty hot.

I opened it up, and all the fans are running--a little gunked up with dust, but running. I'm not sure what to do next. Any suggestions from those geekier than I?

Athlon XP 2000+
ECS K7S6A
512MB PC2100 DDR
CDRW
Four Maxtor HD (40,80,80,120), one of them on a Promise 66 card
GeForce2 MX video (with its own cooling fan)
1 intake fan at bottom front, exhaust fans at top back and left side
Antec 400W PS
midtower ATX case

 

[DocDon]

Even though the fans are running there may not be good contacts between the fan and the CPU. Check to make sure the fan is seated properly.

 

[Goose77]

yeah.. i got a suggestion.. the dust on the heatsink fans acts like an insolator, u got to keep them clean.... also.. try reappling the heatsink with some new thermal paste. If you use the cheap white paste, it can sometimes dry up and not allow good thermal conduction.

If cleaning and reappling does not help, try to reinstall (pulling them out and putting back in) all your hardware and make sure everthing in in there nice and tight, i.e. graphics card, memory, sound, pci cards, harddrive cables... etc. If you'r still having problems.. take out all hardware and leave the basics, ie. graphics card, memory, processor, harddrive. Still having problems?? try substituting some of your items with spares, ie. use an old graphics card, ram and proc.

 

[Electric Amish]

How cold is it where you live?

Have you switch from AC to heating? Could be the room is now warmer than it was previously so your temps are higher.

Just a thought...

 

[fendel]

Thanks, you guys, I'll be doing some disassembly/reassembly tomorrow night, and I'll check the fan contacts. I used Arctic Silver II on the heatsink, FWIW, but it was a while ago.

And I guess I better clean the gunk off the fans.

As for room temperature... yeah, I live in Minnesota and we just turned the furnace on. The ambient temp has gone up a bit. Dunno about 13 degrees Celsius, but some...

I'll report back tomorrow night...

 

[Red Squirrel]

Could be contact with the heat sink like mentioned. I find since ever I replaced my thermal pad with silicone white paste, my temps went up big time, and I have reapplied it 3 times with same results. It plain sucks. I can't get brand names like arctic silver here so I'm stuck with that. But if you can get arctic silver, get it, I only hear good things about it. Also, where is this noise comming from, it could be the cpu fan starting to die. My amd stock fan started making a ratting noise and temps went up and I had to replace it with a volcano which did the job.

I run a AMD 2000+ too and it usually runs at 54C to 56C which is a bit high, but it does not make it unstable. I blocked the heat vent in my room as my PC makes enough heat to keep my room very warm.

 

[fendel]

Holy cow.

I just installed MBM and watched the temp climb up to 70C.

Restarted and went into "PC Health" in the BIOS. 70C. Hmm, the "shutdown temperature" is 70C... and it says the CPU fan is running at 730RPM!?!?!?! Seven-hundred-thirty.

It's been a while since I looked at the specs for CPU fans, but that can't be good. :Q

 

[Goose77]

heheh.. yeah that 730 will do it... guess its time for a new fan lol!

 

[fendel]

And I just removed the CPU fan and discovered the heat sink is covered in gunk. (How does dust get so grimy?)

D'you think I could clean the heatsink and fan I have, or do I need to buy a new one?

~covering ears in anticipation of the deafening response "BUY A NEW ONE, DOOFUS!!"~

 

[Red Squirrel]

You can clean it, I usually blow like crazy in the fins while directed somewhere you don't mind dust flying at. Places not to do this would include in someone's face unless you hate them.

For the bottom, there's all these fancy ways to clean it such as using 10 different type of sand papers etc... depends how extreme you want to get. I usually just use klenex and rubbing alcohol, this goes for the cpu core too. But the way, that system is off right now right? I would not leave it running at that temp. I had mine running at 70C durring a hot summer day and it did not kill it, but when I noticed that I underclocked it pretty quick and turned it off at night.

But in your case I'd definatly get a new fan before even using your PC. My Volcano 7 is at a steady 5400 right now.

 

[fendel]

I noticed the label on my exhaust fan at the back of the case was facing toward the inside of the case... I have this sinking feeling my two exhaust fans (back and left side) were both actually, um, intake fans. Maybe that explains the astonishing quantity of grime on my motherboard. :Q

Looks like I'll be picking up a Thermaltake A1671 (Volcano 10+?) on the way home from work tonight.

 

[fendel]

Thank you all for your help. I've installed a Volcano 10+ and my CPU is running at 38C now.

And I discovered I was wrong about the exhaust fans, they actually were installed correctly.