One of the integral elements of a personal computer is its cooling system. Since all PC components operate on electric current, they tend to heat up, and the degree of their heating is directly proportional to the level of load on these components. In other words, if you want your computer to be able to successfully cope with the tasks set and not burn out, then you should pay attention to the selection of high-quality cooling. A basic cooling system is needed even for the most simple computer, but if you are or plan to become the owner of a gaming or professional PC, then in no case should you save on good cooling.

Types of cooling systems

At the moment, there are two main types of computer cooling systems: air and water.

Air cooling systems

Air cooling is by far the most common. The principle of operation of the air cooling system is that the heat from the heating element of the PC is directly transferred to the radiator, and then dissipated into the surrounding space. The effectiveness of this cooling method depends on several conditions: the effective area of ​​the radiator, the material from which it is made and the speed of the passing air flow. For example, copper is a better heat conductor than aluminum, although its cost is much higher. Also, for better heat transfer of the radiator, blackening of its surface can be used. Air cooling of the computer can be active or passive.

• Active cooling implies the presence, in addition to the radiator, of a fan, which significantly speeds up the process of heat removal from the radiator tubes into the surrounding space. As a rule, active cooling fans, or, as they are also called, coolers, are used to cool the "hottest" components of a PC - a processor and a video card.
• Passive cooling is mainly installed on those computer elements that do not heat up very much during operation, since its efficiency is significantly lower than that of an active one. However, there are passive radiators, which are designed specifically for building a silent system - they are distinguished by high efficiency of heat dissipation at a low air flow rate.

Liquid cooling systems

Water cooling systems, which were previously used only on server systems, have recently been used quite effectively in home computers as well. Their main advantage is their cooling rate, since liquid can conduct heat approximately 30 times faster than air. The basis of liquid cooling is a refrigerant - a working fluid, with the help of which heat is removed from the heating element of the PC to a radiator, where it is then dissipated into the environment. Distilled water, oil, antifreeze, liquid metal or other special substance can be used as such a working fluid.

In addition to the radiator and pipes that carry the working fluid, the water cooling system includes a pump for circulating the fluid, a reservoir to compensate for the thermal expansion of the fluid, and a heat sink - a metal plate that collects heat from computer components.

As you can see, the liquid cooling system is a rather complex design, the installation of which requires special knowledge and considerable effort. In addition, if the water cooling system is installed incorrectly, it may leak, as a result of which the computer components will suffer or even fail. Therefore, it is better to entrust the equipment of such a system to professionals, or simply buy a ready-made assembled PC with water cooling.

The water cooling system can be used for two purposes: to provide high performance computer or to create a silent PC. Some people mistakenly believe that with the help of water cooling, you can achieve both as much as possible, but unfortunately this is not the case. A highly efficient liquid cooling system must have a powerful pump, and the noise from such a pump may well exceed the noise from an active PC ventilation system. On the other hand, silent water cooling will not provide such high efficiency.

In any case, liquid cooling systems are not a mass product at all, because even the most inexpensive configuration of such a system will several times exceed the cost of air cooling. Therefore, water-cooled computers are most often purchased by gamers, as well as those for whom high performance is critical for work. For the rest of the users, traditional air cooling is enough.

Cooling system elements

To build a competent cooling system, you need to know which computer elements need heat removal most of all, and how to organize this removal correctly.

Cooling for the case

In inexpensive personal computer configurations, air exchange in the system unit occurs due to a ventilation grill and an exhaust fan on the power supply. Air enters the chassis through the vents, passes through PC components, and dissipates heat outside through the power supply. However, with more or less decent power of the computer, this is often not enough and then it is necessary to install additional fans in the system unit. But they should not be installed randomly, otherwise hot air will "walk" inside the system unit, which will negate the entire cooling efficiency. The illustration below shows a diagram of the correct air exchange inside the computer case: cold air is drawn in by a large fan from the bottom, passes through all the main components of the PC, and is pulled upward by means of several small fans.

Cooling for the processor

The processor is the "hottest" component of the computer and therefore especially needs good cooling. The best solution for removing heat from the processor is a high-quality heatsink with a medium or large-diameter cooler - this will provide high efficiency with a low noise level.

Also, do not forget about the correct and timely application of thermal paste - without this substance, a thin air layer with extremely low thermal conductivity will form between the processor and the radiator.

Cooling for the video card

A video card also needs high-quality cooling, because it also experiences a considerable load during operation (especially during games, or when working with graphic editors). Most video cards are sold with a built-in active cooling cooler, but there are also models with a passive cooling radiator. The latter are purchased by fans of silent systems, as well as by enthusiasts who additionally install a cooler on them, thereby increasing the performance of the video card.

Cooling for hard drive, chipset and RAM

The average user hardly needs to worry about cooling the motherboard, RAM or hard drive. However, for owners of powerful components, the installation of passive heat sinks on the above components will not hurt at all. The chipset of the motherboard can become especially hot - under heavy loads, its temperature sometimes reaches 65-70 degrees Celsius.

Dust is the main source of overheating

In addition to installing a good cooling system, you must also monitor the cleanliness of the internal space of the computer system unit. When clogged with dust, the efficiency of heatsinks is at least halved, and a fan clogged with dust is unable to provide sufficient air circulation inside the case. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out routine cleaning of the computer from dust in time, which should also include: cleaning of fans, radiators, power supply and contact surfaces of components (video card, RAM, etc.).

After buying my first computer, for some reason I wanted to work on it at night. Maybe because no one bothers, maybe because they think differently at night, I don't know. However, there was a desire and in order to realize it, a computer with a minimum noise level was needed. This idea remained an idea, if not for the boss, who was also fond of upgrading and reducing the noise from his computer. The result was silent computer a photo of which can be seen at the end of the article.

There are two types of noise: vibration and acoustic (from air flows). There are several sources of noise: case fans, a power supply, a processor cooling system, a video card cooling system, a motherboard cooling system (and this happens), optical disc readers and HDDs.

There are two options reduce computer noise: reduce the number of noise sources and reduce the noise level of the sources themselves. The greatest effect is obtained when using two options. There is nothing you can do about optical disc readers, unless you install them at all. (You can read how to install an operating system from a flash drive in this case).

Consider noise reduction options for the main components of the computer.

Test configuration:

• Processor: Intel Core2Duo E8500
• Video card: Radeon HD3870
• Body: AEROCOOL AeroEngine Plus Black

2. Fans and case

In the basic configuration, the case had 3 fans with diameters: 180, 140 and 120 mm. 180 mm on the side wall - blow-in, 140 - in front - blow-in and 120 - back-out.

There was also a turbine in front of the 140 mm fan, which rotated from the air flow created by the fan. Since the function of the turbine was purely decorative, it was immediately removed.

For rational cooling of the case, it is necessary that cold air flows inside, and hot air is thrown out. It is known from the school curriculum that cold air sinks and hot air rises. Based on this, it is recommended to put the lower fans on the blow-in, and the upper ones on the blow-out. Then the cold air from below enters the case, heats up, cooling the components, rises and is thrown out by the upper fans.

Since I had two exhaust fans: one for the case and the other on the power supply, it was decided to turn off the case and look at the temperatures. It is convenient to monitor the system using the AIDA64 program (formerly called Everest). Almost nothing changed and the fan left my case.

Further, it is worth paying special attention to the air flow inside the case in order to reduce resistance and improve system cooling. It is necessary to decide on all the openings of the case and understand what kind of air enters or exits through them. In this case, like most, the holes were everywhere, except for the bottom and top.

To eliminate other sources of noise 180 mm and 140 mm, it was necessary to provide sufficient cooling for the hard drive. To do this, I made the side covers of the case airtight, removing 180 mm and inserting acrylic inserts there instead of plastic grilles.

It turned out beautifully and efficiently. After these improvements, cold air could enter the case through the front panel using 140 mm and through the holes on the rear surface of the case (where 120 mm for blowing was removed).

With such a cooling system, it turned out that the power supply, which should draw warm air from the entire case, draws out the air entering through the rear panel. The decision was made to cover the rear vents.

Now the cold air only came in through 140 mm on the front panel. This fan was the loudest as it was closest to me. I tried to disable it. The temperature of the HDD and the video card has slightly increased. Everything was normal and 140 mm left the hull.

The system has become much quieter. There are only 3 fans left: in the power supply, in the video card cooling system and in the processor cooling system. Also, for better cooling, the plates covering the expansion slots were removed, so that cold air would enter through the lower front and rear openings and cool the HDD and the video card. At this point, my executions over the corps stopped.

Conclusion... It is necessary to make sure that cold air enters the body from below, and warm air is thrown out from above. The perforations on the bottom and top of the case are ideal. I didn't do it myself, as it greatly ruined the appearance of the case. Excess openings that interfere with or interfere with the passage of air in the housing must be closed (openings in the side covers). I also think that fans less than 120 mm in a quiet, especially in a silent computer should not be. A fan of 92 mm and 80 mm, in order to create the same air flow as 120 mm, requires a higher rotational speed and, as a result, higher noise. Therefore, if you have such fans, try replacing them with 120 mm. Regarding the company, pay attention to Noctua fans. They are all made using a fluid dynamic bearing. Those. there is practically no friction, which has a positive effect on durability, reliability and noise performance. Also, some models contain adapters with soldered resistors in the kit to reduce the speed.

As you can see in the picture above, the kit can also include silicone holders for the fan (used to prevent the transmission of vibrations from the fan to the case).

3. Video card

The next element that craved my attention was the video adapter. This series of cards is distinguished by the fact that without a driver it heats up to its fullest and, accordingly, makes a decent noise. This is perfectly audible until the operating system is loaded.

I tested the construction with WarCraft 3. The temperature reached 95 degrees, but the game ran smoothly. The idle temperature did not rise above 50 degrees Celsius. It's already good, but if you play, you will have to set 120 mm for airflow.

After a thorough search, an add-on from the same company was found, which was installed on the back of the graphics chip. Another 30 minutes and the temperature dropped by almost 5 degrees. This completes the process of modernizing the cooling of the video adapter.

Conclusion... If possible, get by with the built-in graphics. If the first option is not suitable, pay attention to video cards with passive cooling.

If you want to play serious games then choose a video adapter and immediately a cooling system for it.

The latest version of the DeepCool Dracula cooler can even cope with the Radeon HD 7970, but with two 120mm fans installed. With such capacities, you can forget about passive cooling, but this cooling system is made so that you do not hear the video card in the system.

4. Motherboard

In most cases, motherboards are manufactured with passive cooling, but there are exceptions.

He has already expressed his attitude towards fans less than 120 mm in diameter. This board bribes with only a 5-year warranty. In any case, you should choose a motherboard with a passive cooling system. Fewer moving parts, higher product reliability.

My computer was built on the basis of ASUS P5Q

Everything was fine, but when feeling the radiator on the south bridge (the leftmost yellow small one), a high temperature was noticed (subjectively about 70 °). Naturally, the question of replacing the cooling system with Thermalright Chipset Heatsink HR-05 SLI / IFX.

Everything was great, but during installation I screwed on the radiator tightly and damaged the board. The situation was successfully resolved by choosing the ASUS P5Q Pro motherboard with a more advanced chipset cooling system).

From the P5Q to the P5Q Pro, only the radiator has migrated to the mosfets (processor batteries) at the very top of the motherboard.

The system took the following form

After the replacement, nothing else in the motherboard was upgraded.

[This is nothing more than an experiment, I do not pretend to be a discoverer!]
Greetings to blog readers.
I have always been interested in non-standard solutions in computer systems. Water cooling, passive cooling, overclocking and other things not necessary for the average user. The craving for "revealing all the hidden capabilities" of the computer began with me during the release of the first generation intel core. The home computer had an i3 530. Later it was overclocked from 3 to 4 GHz., On the bus. I still laugh when I remember phrases from various forums that this processor is not overclocked. After a successful overclocking, I realized that it is available to everyone, the main thing is to read a sufficient amount of the necessary information. Computers have become an interesting construction set for me (for adults). Began to collect systems for my friends. One got hooked on overclocking. Sometimes I bought laptops, but could not stand it and seeing a system for sale on some fx 8350 for a cheap price, I sold a laptop and bought a PC. So I worked in mining fx 8350 at 4.7 GHz.

I recently purchased DEEPCOOL DRACULA for a small amount. I took it for the future, I plan to put r9 290x on the card. In the meantime, while the chill was gathering dust on the shelf, another thought came to my mind. This cooler removes 250 watts of heat when the processor emits 50-120 watts (we do not take into account the latest amd fx, I consider their heat release over 250 watts to be nonsense). And what if we try this cooler on the already cold intel stone. Thoughts were spinning in my head, my hands were itching. And I carried out these manipulations. At the end of the article I will voice the pros and cons.

TEST STAND

To be honest, the system was assembled from what was.

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z68P-DS3
Processor: intel pentium g2020
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Low Profile (CML4GX3M1A1600C9)
Cooler 1: DEEPCOOL Theta 9
Cooler 2: DEEPCOOL DRACULA
Western digital 160 gb hard drive
Video: intel graphics core.
Thermal paste: complete from DEEPCOOL DRACULA
Chieftec aps 850cb power supply
Operating system: windows 8.1

Test participant DEEPCOOL DRACULA


The sole is flat as always.


Comparison of coolers in size (relative to each other)

Assembly

The assembly turned out to be quite fun. At first I wanted to cut out the fasteners from metal, but then I abandoned this idea and decided to give it a little bit. :)
It was decided to put elastic bands and tighten everything with strong threads (there were no ties on hand, and the threads fit well)
This is how the implemented mounting scheme looks like.




It seems to be less in appearance, but awful from the reverse side: D




At the expense of RAM. With such a radiator, even two low-profile strips are installed with problems. The second one can be put, but it will be tilted, it can be scratched during installation. Therefore, I did not complicate my life.

Installing a video card. I thought about this problem too. We use a riser. I did not use a video card in testing, but for the readers I took a photo of a riser with this cooling.


Thermal paste imprint: As you can see, the cooler is not designed for the CPU, so it does not fit over the entire surface of the heat-spreader cover.


So the assembly is coming to an end. This is how the installed cooler looks like.
It takes up an awful lot of space in this arrangement.




At the very socket connector.


Cooling covers all slots. Well, okay, we have extension cords (risers). Admittedly, this solution is not a standard, hence such incidents follow.




Photo with a ruler.




And for comparison, a photo with a conventional cooler

We plug in the power supply, hard drive, and the fighter is ready for battle.


I did not use a video card, but a graphics core. Therefore, I plug the hdmi cable directly into the motherboard.


Let's move on to testing.

TESTING

I used my favorite instrument LinX 0.6.4 and real temp for temperature measurements.
LinX is known to exist with and without AVX.

First test. Passive cooling. LinX without AVX
during the test


completion of the test


Launching LinX AVX. The temperature has risen, but is still within good limits. Can be used 24/7 without any problems with such passive cooling.

Tests with DEEPCOOL Theta 9.
I turn off the fan, the temperature is fine. A slight heat dissipation of the processor makes itself felt.

I connect the cooler turntable.

DEEPCOOL Theta 9 with turntable on, passing LinX AVX.


Temperature of all 45-47 degrees. And again, the merit of a small heat dissipation package.

NOISE LEVEL

But don't forget about the noise. Unfortunately I don't have a sound meter. But I will try to convey a rough picture to you using the program.
Noise level in the room 30db

Noise level during the test.


It can be concluded that the system, as expected, does not emit sounds.

And last but not least, the noise level with DEEPCOOL Theta 9.

CONCLUSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Minuses:
-no CPU mount
-covers all pci slots
- not rationally located in the case.
-soles are not made for cpu
Pros:
+ creation of an ABSOLUTELY silent system
+ handles 250W of heat

It is worth saying that DEEPCOOL DRACULA copes well with 55W heat dissipation without fans. Temperatures under the LinX AVX were 67-68 degrees. This is a decent result. Of course, with such a heat dissipation package, they cope with a bang and a cooler for 200 rubles, showing in the same test a temperature of 45-47 degrees, but at the same time making a lot of noise. DEEPCOOL DRACULA is suitable for creating passive cooling systems. Just replace the hard drive with ssd, remove the turntable from the power supply, and your system will no longer beep. The noise level will be zero.

Any computer or laptop needs a good cooling system to function properly. During operation, elements such as a processor (CPU), video card, motherboard generate a lot of heat and get very hot. The higher the CPU performance metric, the more heat it gives off. If the PC does not quickly remove air, this can lead to various system failures, improper functioning of equipment, decreased performance, and cause the failure of important elements. Why is the processor heating up? How to cool down the CPU in PCs and laptops? Which cooler to choose for optimal PC cooling? We will try to answer these questions in this article.

Reasons for CPU overheating

If the computer starts shutting down, glitching, freezing, it may be due to overheating of the CPU. The reasons why the PC processor begins to overheat are of a very different nature. Therefore, we will consider the main ones, as well as provide simple ways to solve problems.

In most PCs and laptops, the main elements of the cooling system are a cooler (fan) and a radiator, which are installed on the processor. Due to the closest contact, the heat transfer between the surface of the heatsink and the processor is minimal, which in turn ensures fast, efficient heat dissipation.

The radiator can be monolithic or in two parts. In the first case, it is completely fixed on the processor (budget option), in the second case, only a small part of it is attached to the CPU, inside which there are heat pipes that transfer heated air to the main radiator.

The primary role in the ventilation system of the case and cooling of the PC is played by the fan. Regardless of its location, it cools the entire radiator or its main part. The more efficiently it works, the better the heat dissipation from the CPU will be, and, accordingly, the lower its temperature. Heatpipe coolers provide more cooling for the processor.

If the processor starts to warm up, the main reasons include:

• deterioration of contact between the processor and the heatsink;
• decrease in speed cooler (fan) operation;
• use of ineffective cooling systems;
• absence ventilation systems in the case, in the PC power supply;
• pollution ventilation holes dust enclosures;
• failure cooling systems;
• wrong fixing the radiator.

An increase in the process temperature can also be caused by the fact that the cooler is trite clogged with dust... For this reason, its speed and work efficiency are reduced. The fan is simply not capable of dissipating heat. To increase heat dissipation, after replacing the CPU, it is worth purchasing and installing a new model of case cooler.

Another reason is upgrade PC. For example, after replacing the old CPU, a new, more powerful, productive one was installed. However, the fan in the cooling system remains the same. Due to the increase in power, the processor cooler simply does not fully cope with its task.

If the processor is heating up, consider what to do in this situation.

How can you cool down the processor of a PC, laptop

Overheating of the processor in laptops and desktop computers significantly increases the load on all system elements. To reduce heat generation, to reduce power consumption, you must:

• check the condition of the cooling system, clean;
• reduce the load on the CPU;
• overclock the processor cooler;
• replace thermal paste;
• install additional coolers.

You can also reduce the heat dissipation of the processor in BIOS settings operating system. This is the simplest and most affordable method that does not require much time and physical effort.

There are special technologies that reduce CPU frequency at idle time. For AMD processors technology was named Cool'n'Quite, for Intel - Enhanced SpeedStep Technology... Consider how to activate it.

In Windows 7, you need to go to " Control Panel", Select the section" Power supply". In the window that opens, check which mode is active: “ Balanced», « High performance», « Energy saving". Any technology can be selected to activate, except for "High Performance". In Windows XP, you must select " Energy Saving Manager».

Energy saving settings must be included in the BIOS, if they are not, then you can load the default parameters.

It is equally important to pay attention to the system ventilation of the case... If the cooling system is working properly, it is regularly cleaned, but the CPU is still heating up, then you need to see if there are any obstacles in the way of the air flow, for example, if they are not covered with thick loops of wires.

The system unit, the PC case should have two or three fans. One - for blowing in on the front wall, the second - for blowing out at the rear, which in turn ensures good air flow. Additionally, you can install a fan on the side wall of the system unit.

If the PC system unit is in the bedside table inside the table, then do not close the doors so that the heated air comes out. Do not block the ventilation openings of the case. Place the computer a few centimeters from the wall, furniture.

A dedicated cooling pad is available for your laptop.

On sale there is a large selection of universal models of stands that adapt to the dimensions, the size of the laptop. A heat-dissipating surface, built-in coolers will contribute to more efficient heat dissipation and cooling.

When working on a laptop, always keep your work area clean. The ventilation openings must not be blocked by anything. Objects lying nearby should not impede air circulation.

For laptops, you can also run cooler overclocking... Since the PC has at least three fans (on the CPU, video card, built-in storage), and in most laptop models there is only one. The second can be installed if there is a powerful video card. In this case, you can overclock the coolers:

• through special utilities;
• via BIOS.

Before increasing the fan speed, first of all, you need to clean the cooler, motherboard elements from dust.

Cleaning the cooling system of a laptop, stationary PC should be carried out at least once every six to seven months.

Cleaning the cooling system

If the processor heats up, check the condition of the fan, the entire PC cooling system. Dust is a serious enemy of any technique. Blocked between the edges of the radiator, dust, lint, pet hair impairs air circulation.

To thoroughly clean it, you must disconnect the cooler from the power supply and disassemble it. By removing the fan, you can also clean the dust accumulated on the heatsink. Cleaning the radiator, cooler blades can be done with a special plastic spatula, a stiff brush. After removing the dust, wipe the radiator with a damp cloth.

In addition to removing dust from the radiator, wipe the dust from the wires located in the case. Blow out or wipe down the vents on the cabinet.

Replacing thermal paste

Updating, replacing thermal paste on the processor will help to reduce the heat dissipation of the processor. Thermal grease is nothing more than a lubricant for cooling the processor. It is a heat conductor between the CPU and the heatsink, eliminates microscopic irregularities in contacting surfaces, removes air between them, which prevents heat dissipation. A good, high-quality thermal paste will lower the temperature by 5-10 degrees.

Over time, the paste dries up, loses all its properties, does not cool the processor. Therefore, it must be replaced every six months. If the PC has a more modern CPU, the thermal paste can be changed less frequently. You can buy it at any computer store. Thermal paste should be of high quality, good quality.

Before applying the thermal paste to cool the CPU, you need to get to the CPU itself. For this:

How to Pick a Good Thermal Paste

Given the large selection of thermal pastes, many are interested in the question of which thermal paste is better. Note that the difference between pastes from different manufacturers can be from ten to twenty degrees. It all depends on the quality characteristics, heat-conducting properties of thermal interfaces. A good heat transfer paste should have low thermal resistance, high thermal conductivity.

According to experts, for cooling the processor, you can purchase:

• Arctic Cooling MX-4.
• Arctic Silver Ceramique.
• Noctua NT-H1.
• Prolimatech PK-1.
• Thermalright Chill Factor III.
• Zalman ZM-STG2.
• Glacialtech IceTherm II.
• Coollaboratory Liquid Pro.

Some pastes can also be used to overclock the processor. For example, Arctic Cooling MX-4, Glacialtech IceTherm II, Thermalright Chill Factor III, Coollaboratory Liquid Pro. Knowing which thermal paste is best, how often and how to properly replace it, you can significantly reduce the temperature of the CPU, thereby extending its operating life.

How to undo a processor overclocking

Many users overclock the processor in order to improve performance, speed up the CPU. But in some cases, this procedure significantly increases the load on the CPU, which can negatively affect its functioning, and lead to a decrease in the operating resource.

To check the CPU performance after overclocking, you need to warm up the processor using special utilities.

If you are interested in how to remove CPU overclocking, go to CMOS and BIOS. Cancel all motherboard voltage settings, return them to normal configuration.

Actions are performed in the following sequence:

1. We go into BIOS by pressing the desired button when starting the computer.
2. We select the item " Set BIOS Default / Use Default Settings", Press Enter.
3. A window will be highlighted in which you need to press the Y key.
4. This will revert to the original settings that were set before the CPU overclocking was performed.
5. Now we save all the changes made, exit the settings.
6. We reboot the computer.

You can also do this by selecting the option “ Restore Fail Safe Defaults», Having previously learned on the Internet the exact specifications of the installed motherboard, CPU. This is necessary in order to make changes by setting the basic settings for frequency, voltage.

In addition, you can change the setting of the system bus frequency, the multiplier to the base value, returning back all the parameters that were changed during overclocking.

You can also remove additional cooling hardware that you installed to prevent the CPU from overheating.

You can manage, monitor the processor using a special utility - CPU Core, where you need to specify, set the desired values ​​of the multiplier, bus frequency.

Installing additional fans

If the CPU continues to heat up after cleaning, canceling overclocking, then in order to increase the cooling efficiency, we recommend installing additional fans on the case to enhance air circulation. This is necessary if there are many heating elements inside the system unit, or if there is a rather small amount of free space inside it.

Give preference to coolers with a large diameter, which will provide more airflow at lower rpms. Such models work efficiently, but are noisy. When installing, consider the direction of their work.

Coolers for processors are classified into:

• Boxed, without heat pipes. The most common models. They consist of an aluminum plate with ribs. May have a copper base with a fan attached to it.
• Cooling systems on thermal aluminum, copper pipes. They function due to heat removal, which is carried out due to the liquid circulating in them. They have high performance indicators.

When choosing fans for a cooling system, read the installation instructions, check its compatibility with the socket, motherboard, which socket is for the processor. Consider weight, fan size, type of radiator.

Too large, high-power fans will put additional stress on the motherboard and may cause it to deform. As for the size, select the chassis bus, consider the location of other components. Choose products from well-known, trusted manufacturers.

If a large number of hard drives are installed, then you can additionally install a fan on the front panel of the case, as well as on the rear upper part of the system unit to remove warm air to the outside. Modern cases allow you to install at least two fans: from the bottom, if there is no perforation on the front panel, and opposite the location of the hard drives.

If the PC has a very advanced hardware, the processor heats up, then you can remove the side cover of the system unit. In this case, the cooling efficiency will be increased significantly.

How to overclock a cooler

You can overclock the cooler, as already noted, through BIOS or through special free utilities that will allow you to control and control the speed of the fans. Programs are designed for different types of processors.

Let's see how to overclock coolers via BIOS:

For processors Intel reduce or increase the rotational speed of the cooler will be allowed by programs Riva tuner, SpeedFan... They have great functionality, a choice of settings, a clear interface, do not take up much space, and automatically control the operation of coolers.

If the third-party software on the PC does not allow adjusting the fan speed, the processor cooler can be controlled using the original utilities from the manufacturers. For example, HP leptokas have a program Notebook Fan Control, in Acer - Smart Fan, ACFanControl... In Lenovo - Fan control.

Modern "advanced" cooling systems, which are most often used in overclocking, include: radiator, freon, liquid nitrogen, liquid gel. Their principle of operation is based on the circulation of the coolant. Highly heated elements heat the water, which is cooled in the radiator. It can be located outside the case or passive, operating without a fan.

Conclusion

This article has covered a variety of causes of processor overheating and how to fix the problem. Sometimes the reason for its occurrence can be ordinary dust, which periodically needs to be removed, or the consequences of inexperienced overclocking of equipment, as well as its upgrade. When replacing thermal paste, care must be taken to avoid damaging the equipment.

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To begin with, I propose to quickly go over the cooling systems in general, so that we approach the study of their computer varieties as prepared as possible. Hope it will save our time and make it easier for us to understand. So. Cooling systems are ...

Air cooling systems

This is the most common type of cooling system today. Its principle of operation is very simple. The heat from the heating component is transferred to the radiator using heat-conducting materials (it can be an air layer or a special heat-conducting paste). The radiator receives heat and transfers it to the surrounding space, which is either simply dissipated (passive radiator) or blown away by a fan (active radiator or cooler). Such cooling systems are installed directly into the system unit and practically on all heated computer components. The cooling efficiency depends on the size of the effective area of ​​the radiator, the metal from which it is made (copper, aluminum), the speed of the passing air flow (on the power and size of the fan) and its temperature. Passive radiators are installed on those components of a computer system that do not get very hot during operation, and near which natural air currents constantly circulate. Active cooling systems or coolers are designed mainly for the processor, video adapter and other constantly and intensely working internal components. For them, passive radiators can sometimes be installed, but always with more efficient heat removal than usual at low air flow rates. It costs more and is used in special silent computers.

Liquid cooling systems

A miracle-miracle invention of the last decade, it is used mainly for servers, but due to the rapid development of technology, over time it has every chance of moving into home systems. Expensive and a little scary if you imagine, but quite efficient, since water conducts heat 30 (or so) times faster than air. With such a system, several internal components can be cooled simultaneously with virtually no noise. A special metal plate (heat sink) is placed above the processor, which collects heat from the processor. Distilled water is periodically pumped over the heat collector. Collecting heat from it, water enters the radiator cooled by air, cools down and begins its second circle from the metal plate above the processor. At the same time, the radiator dissipates the collected heat into the environment, cools down and waits for a new portion of the heated liquid. The water in such systems can be special, for example, with a bactericidal or anti-galvanic effect. Instead of such water, antifreeze, oils, liquid metals or some other liquid with high thermal conductivity and high specific heat capacity can be used in order to ensure maximum cooling efficiency at the lowest liquid circulation rate. Of course, such systems are more expensive and complex. They consist of a pump, a heat sink (water block or cooling head) attached to the processor, a radiator (can be either active or passive), usually attached to the back of the computer case, a reservoir for working fluid, hoses and flow sensors, a variety of meters, filters, drain valves, etc. (the listed components, starting from the sensors, are optional). By the way, replacing such a system is not an exercise for the faint of heart. This is not a fan with a radiator to change.

Freon installation

Small refrigerator that mounts directly on the heating component. They are effective, but in computers they are mainly used exclusively for overclocking. Knowledgeable people say that he has more disadvantages than advantages. First, there is condensation that appears on parts colder than the environment. How do you like the prospect of liquid appearing inside the holy of holies? Increased power consumption, complexity and considerable price are lesser disadvantages, but from this they also do not become advantages.

Open cooling systems

They use dry ice, liquid nitrogen or helium in a special tank (glass) installed directly on the cooled component. Used by the Kulibins for the most extreme overclocking or overclocking, in our opinion. The disadvantages are the same - high cost, complexity, etc. + 1 is very significant. The glass must be constantly filled and periodically run to the store for its contents.

Cascade cooling systems

Two or more cooling systems connected in series (for example, radiator + freon). These are the most difficult cooling systems to implement, which are able to work without interruption, unlike all others.

Combined cooling systems

These combine the cooling elements of various types of systems. An example of combined ones is Waterchppers. Water chippers = liquid + freon. Antifreeze circulates in the liquid cooling system and, in addition to it, is also cooled by a freon unit in the heat exchanger. Even more difficult and expensive. The difficulty is that the entire system will also need thermal insulation, but this unit can be used for the simultaneous effective cooling of several components at once, which is quite difficult to implement in other cases.

Systems with Peltellier elements

They are never used on their own and, besides, they have the least efficiency. Their principle of operation was described by Cheburashka when he invited Gena to carry the suitcases (“Let me carry the suitcases, and you will carry me”). The Peltellier element is mounted on a heating component and the other side of the element is cooled by another, usually air or liquid cooling system. Since cooling to temperatures below ambient is possible, the problem of condensation is relevant in this case. Peltellier elements are less efficient than freon cooling, but at the same time they are quieter and do not create vibrations like refrigerators (freon).

If you have never noticed, then inside your system unit the most violent activity is constantly in full swing: the current runs back and forth, the processor counts, the memory remembers, the programs are running, the hard drive spins. The computer works, in a word. From the school physics course, we know that the passing current heats up the device, and if the device heats up, then this is not good. In the worst case, it will simply burn out, and in the best case, it will just work hard. (This is a really common reason for a weak braking system). It is in order to avoid such troubles that several types of various cooling systems are provided inside your system unit. At least for the most important components.

Cooling the system unit

How is cooling done? Mostly by air. When you turn on the computer, it starts to hum - the fan turns on (very often there are several of them), then it dies down. After a few minutes of operation, when your system reaches a certain temperature threshold, the fan turns on again. And so all the time. The largest and most noticeable fan inside the system unit simply blows hot air out of the box, which cools everything taken together, including components on which it is difficult to install their own cooling system, for example, a hard drive. According to the laws of the same physics, cooled air enters the place of the heated air through special ventilation holes in the front of the system unit. More precisely, the one that has simply not yet had time to warm up. Cooling the internal parts of the computer, it heats up by itself and comes out through the openings in the side and / or rear panel of the system unit.

CPU cooling

The processor, as a very important and constantly loaded component of your iron friend, has a personal cooling system. It already consists of two components - a radiator and a fan, of course smaller than the one we just talked about. The radiator is sometimes called a heat sink, in accordance with its main functional activity - it dissipates heat from the processor (passive cooling), and a small rotator from above blows heat from the radiator (active cooling). In addition, the processor is lubricated with special thermal grease, which maximizes heat transfer from the processor to the heatsink. The fact is that the surfaces of both the processor and the heatsink, even after polishing, have notches of about 5 microns. As a result of these notches, the thinnest air layer with very low thermal conductivity remains between them. It is these gaps that are covered with a paste made of a substance with a high thermal conductivity coefficient. The paste has a limited period of validity, therefore, it needs to be changed. It is convenient to do this at the same time as cleaning the system unit, which we will talk about a little below, especially since the old paste can generally have the opposite effect.

Cooling the graphics card

A modern graphics card is a computer inside a computer. The cooling system is extremely necessary for her. Simple and cheap video cards may not have a cooling system, but modern video adapters for game monsters necessarily need a refreshing coolness, perhaps even more than you in a forty-degree heat.

Dust pollution

Along with the air from the room, dust enters your system unit. Moreover, even in a regularly cleaned and ventilated room, the dust, wonderfully, is enough to entangle your brand new spinner from nowhere with long, unpleasant woolen shags from nowhere. This has the opposite effect - the ventilation holes are clogged, and the "shags" (besides the fact that they physically do not allow the fan to spin) will warm your computer no worse than a mink coat to the processor itself, and not only in tropical heat, but also in a polar blizzard. A person, as far as I know, suffers from hypothermia, but a computer may well get sick from overheating. We treat the poor fellow about once every six months not with antibiotics and hot tea with raspberries, but with a vacuum cleaner. Preferably purchased from a special computer store. The usual, in a very extreme case, will do, but you should be extremely careful with static electricity. Internal components don't like it very much.

Cleaning the cooling system

The first sign of a poorly working system or not working at all is that the fan is “not buzzing” and the system unit is warming up. By the way, this is a common reason for the computer to shutdown itself or the system is too slow, and the diagnosis is so simple that it may not come to mind. And it begins: updating drivers, scanning with an antivirus, hardware updating of the system, buying additional RAM modules and other sad gestures. Funny? Rather sad. We urgently open the patient and see what is inside him. Before that, it is advisable to look for the exact algorithm for carrying out the procedure in the technical documentation from the motherboard manufacturers.

In principle, there is nothing difficult in cleaning the system unit. You need to turn off the computer, not forgetting to unplug the power cord, disassemble the system unit and carefully clean all the insides of dust. The stores sell special vacuum cleaners that are best for doing this. Most of the dust accumulates on the heatsink with a fan and near the vents on the system unit. Carefully remove dust accumulations from them and lubricate them if necessary (remove the sticker from the fan and drip a few drops onto the fan axis). Sewing machine oil works well. In addition, it is necessary to clean the processor from the old thermal paste and spread a new one on it. We repeat the same steps with the video card and the fan of the system unit. It remains to assemble the computer and use it for several more months before re-cleaning the system unit. Laptops also need to be cleaned, and judging from my experience - somewhat more often than stationary ones (the small distances between the components inside the laptop and the consumption of cookies and sandwiches next to it do their dirty work for your beloved). Many users can easily cope with this procedure without the help of computer specialists, but it is better not to rush, especially with laptops, if you do not feel confident enough. Risks: static electricity can damage the motherboard, processor or something else, and you yourself, due to inexperience, can easily damage something important. Jokes, jokes, but you really need to do this, otherwise there may be just an immeasurable amount of problems.

If you cleaned your computer, but did not bring any noticeable relief, you may need to install a stronger cooling system. In the easiest case, an additional fan can help. To find out the degree of heating of the system components, you can look at the motherboard manufacturer's website. It is possible that there you will find special software that will help determine this. The average performance for the processor is 30-50 degrees, and in load mode up to 70. Winchester should not be heated more than 40 degrees. More accurate indicators should be checked in the technical documentation.

In conclusion, I want to say that in 90 (if not more) percent of cases, a standard standard cooling system is quite suitable. Owners of servers, powerful gaming computers and fans of overclocking experiments really need to rush between quality and price, as well as implement a cooling system into their computer (sometimes it is quite risky and not at all easy). If you buy a computer for home or office, you just need to ask what is inside it, so that the manufacturer's possible savings do not creep out sideways for you.