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The program so that the computer does not overheat. Power supply problems

Many computer users often face the problem of computer overheating. The problem is accompanied by a sharp decrease in PC performance, freezing during certain processes, and in some cases, protection is triggered and the computer simply turns off. Why this is happening and how to deal with these phenomena will be described in this publication.

Why does the computer turn off during work

There are five main reasons for a computer to shutdown spontaneously.

  1. Overheating of the processor and video adapter.
  2. The consequence of a virus attack.
  3. Software conflict with the operating system.
  4. Defective PC power supply.
  5. RAM or motherboard problems.

If we ignore the activity of viruses, since almost every PC has a modern one, the most common problem with stopping a PC is overheating of its components and a malfunctioning power supply unit.

The operation of the power supply can be checked by measuring the voltage at the connectors. Most often, the power of the power supply unit does not correspond to the equipment installed on the PC, and with increased load, it simply cannot cope with its duties. There is only one recipe - to replace the power supply unit with a more powerful one.

To understand why the computer is overheating, you first need to understand the cooling system.

PC cooling system

The figure shows the natural movement of cold and hot air in the system unit. As you can see, such a system creates a rather powerful thrust inside the "system unit": cold air flows around the video card, creates turbulence near the processor and goes out through the back and top of the case, removing excess heat outside the case.

In some models, the cooling system looks different: several powerful fans suck cold air into the system unit, creating a high pressure area there and pushing the heated air through natural openings in the case.

Conclusion # 1: If the paths of the cooled air flows to the system unit are blocked or the paths for heated air out of the PC are blocked, the computer overheats and shuts down due to the built-in protection on the motherboard.

CPU cooling system

Some high-performance PC systems get quite hot during operation, and the higher the load on them, the more it gets hot. First of all, this is said about the central processor and the chip on the video adapter. That is why the manufacturers of these elements initially provide individual cooling systems for them, such as radiators that effectively dissipate the heat generated in the air in the process of operation and coolers (ventilators) that blow over the radiator itself.

A typical CPU cooler looks like the picture below. But most modern manufacturers are improving the design of cooling systems, which may look absolutely fantastic, nevertheless, effectively solving the problem of cooling high-performance devices.

A good processor cooling system is most often made of copper, since its thermal conductivity is much higher than that of aluminum. Modern tower coolers show high heat dissipation rates.

Not only the bad location of the "system unit", but also commonplace dust inside the cooling radiators can interfere with the removal of excess heat from the central processor, which heats up during operation. Closing the slots of the radiators, dust interferes with air convection, and adhering to the fan blades, sharply reduces the frequency of their rotation, thereby reducing cooling.

Conclusion # 2: If the computer has a bad CPU cooling system, or it simply fails, the processor overheats and the computer shuts down, thanks to the built-in protection of the CPU itself. This measure helps prevent the failure of the most expensive part of a PC - the central processor.

Video adapter cooling system

As for modern discrete video cards, the chip also heats up a lot as the load on it increases. This usually happens when running resource-intensive applications or games that require serious graphics processing. Manufacturers of such equipment equip video adapters with a powerful cooling system, which is not without the same problems as CPU coolers - contamination of radiators and failure of fans.

Conclusion # 3: If the video adapter fails or is insufficiently cooled, the chip overheats, as a result of which the internal protection is triggered, which instructs the BIOS to turn off the PC.

Methods for dealing with overheating of PC components

From the conclusions made above, it follows that overheating of the main components of the PC can occur due to the failure of the fans and with irregular cleaning of the insides of the system unit from dust.

  1. The first thing that needs to be done is to de-energize the system unit by disconnecting it from the mains.
  2. Remove the side cover of the system unit by unscrewing the bolts in its back.
  3. Connect the power supply and turn on the computer, visually checking the status and operation of the fans. If the cooler fails, replace it.
  4. In case of general dustiness of PC components, cooling radiators and fan blades, clean them with a soft brush and a vacuum cleaner, after turning off the PC and disconnecting the power cable from the mains.

After carrying out all the operations, you should connect the PC to the 220 V network, load and test the temperature of the processor and video adapter. This can be done using one of the utilities: CoreTemp; SpeedFan; or by downloading the paid diagnostics complex Everest. ...

But do not forget that if your PC has been undergoing regular "tests" for more than one year, and the central and graphic processor have been subjected to regular "tests" in terms of increased temperatures, then the reason for their overheating may be trite dried thermal paste between the cooling radiator and the chip case.

To replace the paste yourself, you need to perform a few simple steps:

  • Disconnect the system unit from the mains voltage.
  • Remove the latch or unscrew the cooling system fasteners from the CPU and disconnect the power wires from the motherboard.
  • Using a soft cloth, remove the old layer of thermal paste from the processor case and heatsink, taking care not to leave scratches on them that reduce thermal conductivity by creating air gaps.
  • After cleaning, apply a new layer of paste. To do this, put a paste in the center of the CPU, no more than a pea in quantity. Then, using a plastic card, evenly stretch the paste around the entire perimeter of the processor to form a layer of about half a millimeter.
  • Using light pressure, install the cooling system as evenly as possible on the processor.
  • Snap or screw on the fasteners and connect the wires to the board.

The temperature of the processor during the operation of some games and graphics applications can reach 70 ° C, although this is abnormal. The normal CPU temperature should be between 40 ° C and 55 ° C.

Overheating of the computer is one of the most common problems. It occurs especially often in the summer. In this article, we will analyze the problem of computer overheating and tell you what to do if your computer is overheating.

Temperature is the main enemy of the computer. Regular overheating of your computer will reduce its performance and service life. Moreover, overheating of the computer can cause immediate damage to the computer. In order to prevent this from happening, it is necessary to monitor the state of the computer and, in case of problems, quickly take the necessary measures.

Diagnosing computer overheating

Computer overheating can be diagnosed by several typical symptoms:

  • Decreased productivity. Overheating of any component of the computer can reduce performance. In most cases, we are talking about, (decreased performance in games) and.
  • A sudden restart is one of the self-defense mechanisms of a computer. When the upper threshold specified is exceeded, the computer goes to reboot. This mechanism protects the processor from extreme overheating and damage.
  • Colored stripes, flickering dots, and other artifacts on the screen. Display problems may indicate overheating of the graphics card.
  • Other errors and unstable work of the computer.

If you notice such problems, you should immediately check the temperature of the computer components and take measures to reduce it.

How to check the temperature of computer components

If you notice symptoms typical for computer overheating, then you first need to find out which computer components are susceptible to overheating and what temperatures are in question. To do this, you need to use special programs. One of these programs is the HWmonitor program.

HWmonitor is completely free and has a simple interface. At the same time, it provides all the necessary information about.

HWmonitor program

Typical Idle Temperature:

  • For hard drives up to 40 degrees.
  • For processor up to 45 degrees.
  • For up to 50 degrees.

Typical temperatures under load are:

  • For hard drives up to 45 degrees.
  • For processor up to 60 degrees.
  • For graphics cards up to 75 degrees.

If the temperatures shown by the HWmonitor program significantly exceed those indicated above, then this means that your computer is overheating.

Causes of computer overheating

In order to understand what to do if the computer overheats, let's consider the main reasons that can lead to overheating.

  • Dust. The most common cause of computer overheating. Dust gets clogged into radiators and settles on microcircuits and boards. This leads to the fact that the cooling system cannot work normally. In order to solve the problem of how this is done, we talked about one of our articles. When removing dust, special attention should be paid to those components whose temperature has exceeded the limit values ​​the most. After cleaning the system unit, compare the temperature readings. Most likely, the temperature of the components has returned to normal.
  • Incorrect installation of the system unit. Examine your system unit. Most system units have special ventilation holes on the side walls. Perhaps you installed the system unit in such a way that these holes were covered by furniture or other objects. You also need to pay attention to central heating batteries. If the system unit is installed too close to them, then this can lead to overheating of the computer.
  • Poor air circulation in the system unit. Perhaps your computer is simply not cooling well. In this case, you need to purchase additional coolers that are installed in the system unit. They do not make too much noise, but they also significantly reduce the temperature.

If the computer gets very hot, then you need to try to identify the cause of this kind of phenomenon as quickly as possible. And, if possible, eliminate it.

Problems of this type may require the purchase of new equipment. Accordingly, this is an extra waste of money. However, you should be extremely careful, as excessive heat can be a symptom of a serious problem.

Signs

To detect the presence of excessive heating of the hardware on a personal computer, it is not necessary to install special additional software that receives information from the sensors.

Sometimes, just indirect signs are enough. They are:

Has become slower to work

Sometimes it happens that even after cleaning the PC it functions rather slowly. Neither disk defragmentation nor various other manipulations helps. The reason for this phenomenon may be excessive heating of the CPU and other components of the computer. A severe slowdown in the execution of tasks for no apparent reason is a serious symptom of a malfunction.

Beep sounds

Many desktop PC motherboards are equipped with not only dedicated sensors, but also associated built-in speakers. When any malfunctions occur, they give a special sound signal. Moreover, many of these devices are programmed to signal when the preset values ​​are exceeded.

Video: Computer is overheating

It turns itself off or reboots

Sometimes the PC may start to shut down or restart itself. Quite often, motherboards and BIOS are equipped with special automated systems that perform an emergency power off in the event of any critical situations. For example, excessively high temperature of the components.

Coolers spin and make more noise

Cooling devices, which are powerful fans, automatically adjust the rotation speed. Moreover, usually, the larger it is, the stronger the noise emitted. If for a long enough time the coolers are spinning very quickly, without stopping, this indicates a high temperature of the CPU and video card, power supply that does not decrease. It's worth checking out.

"Artifacts" in the image

Often, with a heavy load on the video processor, various extraneous inclusions appear on the monitor screen.

They might look like this:

  • squares and imposition of an image one on top of another;
  • bright color elements that should not be on the monitor.

Sometimes this happens due to problems with the drivers, but more often the problem is the excessive heating of the hardware. This can occur due to a variety of factors.

Causes and remedies

There can be quite a large number of reasons for excessive heating of individual PC parts. Moreover, most of them are obvious and require a minimum amount of effort to eliminate them.

The most common causes of hardware overheating are:


Insufficient or defective cooling system

Many personal computers are extremely powerful and efficient machines. They consume a lot of energy, which naturally leads to the appearance of a large amount of heat. Stationary PCs of this kind must be well cooled. If heat dissipation is not fast enough, overheating will occur.

To deal with this problem, you can simply:

  • completely replace the heat removal device;
  • install more powerful coolers on the processor and video card.

If a specific configuration has extremely high performance and conventional cooling fans (even very powerful ones) cannot cope with heat removal due to something, you can use a specialized cooling system - liquid. It has a very high efficiency.

Installing an additional fan

Almost all system units intended for stationary personal computers are equipped with slots for installing additional fans. Thus, you can very easily solve the problem with the presence of excessive heat inside the PC case. And the more powerful the fan, the better.

Dustiness

The presence of a very large amount of dust inside the system unit has a negative effect on heat dissipation. The fact is that it forms a kind of cobweb on the crate of coolers, exhaust vents and other hardware elements. Dust interferes with normal heat transfer.

It is quite simple to solve this problem, it is necessary:


If, after a good cleaning, the PC operating mode has not changed, you need to look for the cause of overheating in something else.

Something with the radiator mount

Hot air is removed not only with the help of special coolers-fans, but also with radiators. This component is an aluminum or copper piece that is attached directly to the heat-generating surface through thermal grease. For normal operation, this part should fit as tightly as possible to the processor surface.

If even a small gap appears, then the heat removal process deteriorates significantly. Which leads to an increase in heating, and, as a result, to overheating. Most often, the radiator is mounted with four screws. To solve the problem, you just need to tighten them well.

Overestimated output voltage in the power supply

If problems of this type appear on the PC, it is necessary to check the output voltage at the contacts of the power supply using a special device. Sometimes, for various reasons, it can differ greatly from the nominal one.

It is not so easy to repair the power supply yourself; this requires special skills, as well as a soldering iron (hairdryer, infrared). It is much easier and sometimes trite cheaper to purchase a new power supply unit and install it on your PC.

Video: What to do if your computer gets warm

Setting up the BIOS and system power plan

It often happens that when the processor is powerful, but at the same time is in a very hot room, it can overheat. It is possible to resolve such a nuisance not only by installing additional or more efficient cooling, but also simply by reconfiguring the power plan.

In the operating systemWindows7 this is done as follows:


It is worth setting the cooling mode to "active". Before slowing down the processor, Windows will independently increase the rotational speed of the cooler, thereby removing the heated air.

Similar actions can be carried out by going to the BIOS of the system. In most, it is possible to set the rotational speed of the cooler, as well as the voltage supplied to the central processor. It is worth choosing such parameters so that the temperature regimes return to normal, but the system's performance does not decrease significantly.

Danger of overheating

Overheating of any component of a PC is not as dangerous today as it used to be. It happens that even after a complete failure of the cooling system, the OS continues to work more or less stably.

But it must be remembered that the normal operating mode of the processor is no more than 60-70 0 C, the video card is 70-80 0 C. Accordingly, the intensity of resource use should be taken into account.

With a significant increase in temperature, the integrity of the computing core may be violated. Which leads to the failure of the electronic component. Usually, repairs as a result of such situations become impossible, therefore, they must be avoided.

How to check if your computer is warming up

Any user who actively uses his PC, it is imperative to monitor its condition. And above all - for the temperature.

This can be done in various ways:

  • using special software;
  • using BIOS.

The easiest and safest way is to find out the amount of heating of your running PC using various programs from a third-party manufacturer.

The most popular and functional are the following:


Moreover, some utilities (for example, SpeedFan) allow not only to obtain information from special multi-sensors that monitor the PC's operation, but also to control the fan speed in real time. What is very convenient - you can independently adjust the cooling system and, as a result, the operating temperature.

Another surefire way to check for overheating is to view the relevant information in the BIOS.

This can be done as follows:


It should be remembered that the operating mode for each processor and motherboard is purely individual. That is why you should first familiarize yourself with the technical documentation on the Internet, which will indicate the value of the normal operating temperature.

Your best bet is to simply avoid overheating any of the PC's components.

To do this, it is necessary to carry out preventive work:


It is best to simply avoid any emergencies. It is much easier than eliminating their consequences.

The computer is warming up - what to do? It is necessary to find the cause of such a phenomenon as quickly as possible and eliminate it. Since exposure to extremely high temperatures can simply lead to overheating, which can lead to the death of the hardware.

If such a phenomenon does occur, you will need to purchase new parts for your PC.

That is why, in order to avoid unnecessary expenses, it is worthwhile to diagnose your PC as often as possible and promptly eliminate various problems that could cause damage to it at the hardware level.

Not a single PC owner has ever said: "I want my computer to warm up more!" Everyone knows that overheating of a PC can lead in the simplest case to unexpected stops, loss of data, and in the worst case - damage to equipment.

Almost any computer can last a long time if you apply certain measures to reduce the temperature on it. Proper cooling will contribute to the high performance of your PC and the longevity of its components. Here's how to best achieve this.

How do I check the temperature of my PC?

Checking the temperature of your PC case is very simple. You just need to use the right application that can tell the temperature of almost all the components installed in the computer. HWMonitor allows you to check the temperature of PC components, as well as find out their voltage. When it comes to a process such as overclocking, increasing the voltage of the components will invariably raise their temperature and cause overheating.

Programs such as HWMonitor poll three main components: the temperature of the CPU (central processing unit), GPU (graphics accelerator), and the fan speed. These variable values ​​are constantly changing while the computer is running. In addition, a computer running highly loaded applications, games, for example, is under the so-called "load", while a computer that does nothing is in an unused state - "idle". The temperature difference between load and idle is the delta that needs to be reduced.

This can be achieved in several ways. Some of them are absolutely free and do not require much time and effort from you, and some are paid, but they are also the most effective.

You need to understand that any computer has its weak points, which are subject to increased heating. In many cases, this is a processor or a video card, each of which is cooled by a cooler with one or two fans. Within the framework of this article, it will be based on the fact that initially your computer, which needs to be cooled, is built on the basis of an air cooling system.

Attention! If a cooler on one of the system components fails, then the component that it cooled will inevitably fail, if the problem is not eliminated in time. Sometimes the failure of a penny fan can be a reason for high costs.

Free methods

I'll start with free methods to help dissipate heat from PC components more efficiently.

Clean up your PC

Dust does not accumulate evenly inside the computer case. Dust clogs radiator openings, radiator outlets and fans. Cleaning them regularly can help keep many of your PC's components cool.

WARNING: Before you start cleaning the equipment, you must follow these simple rules.

  1. Make sure that the computer is powered off and the power cable is unplugged from the 220 Volt network.
  2. Before touching the PC case or internal components, dispose of any static electricity that may be on your clothes or even your hands. To do this, simply touch the radiators of the heating system of your apartment or house.
  3. Do not clean your PC in woolen or fluffy items. Soft carpets should also be avoided.


To clean PC parts and components, you need three tools:

  • compressed air cylinder;
  • microfiber cloth;
  • 99% isopropyl alcohol.

The last two items can be found in computer stores as a single package called "PC Cleaning Kit".

The first step is to clean every fan in the case that we can reach. This is a fan of the processor, case, video card, northbridge, if there are all other fans. The fan of the power supply unit will cause particular difficulties, since it is usually hidden under a metal grill. Shake well the can of compressed air and the thin tube supplied with the can, knock out all the accumulated dust from the power supply. Then, if possible, wipe the fan blades with a microfiber cloth soaked in isopropyl alcohol solution. This procedure must be repeated for all fans in the system.

Even simple fan cleaning will make a big difference to your computer. Dust accumulates primarily on the fan blades installed in the computer, and therefore, having cleaned them, they will begin to work much more efficiently. All repair shops start every PC repair by cleaning all the fans.


Set the fan speed to the highest value

The default fan configuration may cause overheating. They can run at a fairly slow speed. For example, some GPUs exhibit high temperatures and the driver software activates different GPU fan speeds under certain load ranges. However, many fans do not have this control and rotate at a constant speed under any system load. That's when you need to take control of the fan speed. SpeedFan allows you to do this.

Click on up arrow to increase the fan speed percentage. 100% is the maximum fan speed. The ideal indicator is 50%, and you need to strive for it. But this does not mean that 50% should be set on all fans and be calm that there will be no overheating. In most cases, this is far from the case. The safety margin in terms of rotation speed can be as high as 20%. Experimentally, paying attention to the temperature readings of the component, you can set the percentage value of the rotational speed individually for each fan in the system. Every time you change the value of a particular fan, check your computer in idle mode and under load. This is the only way to set the most optimal values.

MSI Afterburner, an overclocking tool that provides the ability to automatically increase the fan speed, for example, while playing a game or doing other intensive work on the computer.


MSI Afterburner

Competent cable management

Most users ignore the problem of using free space in the case due to cables, which can take up a sufficient amount of space. This can contribute to overheating and be an additional reason for dust collection. If the cables inside the system unit are scattered around, you cannot maintain normal air flow inside the case. This means that your computer cannot consume as much cold air as it can release. An imbalance in heat transfer can lead to the concentration of dust and heat. To overcome this problem, it is necessary to route all cables and loops so that they do not obstruct the air flow of the fans.

If you have not previously had such experience in connecting PC components, then it may be better to trust the professionals. Routing the cable will require disconnecting the PC components. But after you finish, even the appearance inside the case of the system unit will change, which will become more aesthetic and organized.

One example of proper cable management inside the PC case is shown in the following figure:


Maintain adequate ventilation

Maintaining proper airflow is vital to keeping your PC cool. This can be achieved not only by periodically cleaning the insides of the case of the system unit. You also need to make sure that the orientation of the fans is also correct in a good way. That is, you need to look into the system unit to accurately understand the direction of the air outlet from each installed fan. The fact is that the air flows, in addition to the fans themselves, also have their own directions.


Warm air currents tend to go outside, if the outside air is colder, and vice versa, cold air currents, when hot is eager to come out. Therefore, you just need to check the direction of air movement from the fans or look at the fan itself and find a landmark that shows where the air is moving.

Paid methods

Although these methods require some investment, this investment is not expensive. It is much more important that for a small fee you can significantly cool your computer by 20%, or even 50%. You only need to use them if free methods do not help radically. For example, if your computer shuts down on its own due to overheating, be prepared to spend some money to keep important computer components working.

Reapplying thermal paste

People, as a rule, buy the whole system unit, which the caring technicians in the store have already prepared for you. But after a purchase, it takes years before people go to the store again. Therefore, ensuring thermal conductivity of the most important component of a computer - the processor - is of paramount importance, especially if more than 3 or 4 years have passed since the purchase. Thermal paste is critical for correct temperature readings. It is located between the processor and the cooler and acts as an intermediary that fills in all the roughness of the contacting metal surfaces. This will allow the cooler's heatsink to remove heat from the processor as efficiently as possible.


The higher the quality of the applied thermal paste, the more heat it is able to conduct from the processor to the cooler. Low-quality thermal paste will stop performing its work within just 3-4 years, as a result of which the processor will begin to overheat, which will cause frequent spontaneous shutdowns of the computer. Therefore, repeated use of thermal paste will reduce the temperature of the processor and protect it from such a failure.

All of the above is also typical for the video card processor, which experiences heating no less weak than the main processor.

Remember that reapplying thermal paste to your CPU and GPU will void the warranty for the entire system unit, as you will have to separate the coolers from the processors. Therefore, you should not rush to reapply the thermal paste, wait for the end of the warranty period, which will certainly expire in 3-4 years.

Buy large fans

There are times when the fans that are installed in the system unit when purchased in a store are not designed to work with hot components that can be under load for a long time. Add to this factor the presence of dust inside the system unit and you will get a time bomb, which over time, sooner or later, can damage the main processor and video cards and even the motherboard.

In addition, fans are much cheaper than the components they are designed to cool. I advise you to think about and consider purchasing a new generation of fans if your computer is already several years old. If possible, it is better to purchase fans with a larger diameter or with a larger number of impellers. This can significantly improve air circulation and allow the temperature of computer components to drop significantly.


You should also study the issue of installing additional fans to cool the air inside the system unit. To do this, refer to the case manual and see if it is possible to install a fan (if not present) or install additional fans.

Remember to install new fans according to the designation of the air flow direction mentioned in the previous paragraph.

CPU cooler upgrade

The most expensive way to cool down your PC is to replace the coolers on your CPU and GPU. Of course, you can install a fan of higher performance on the cooler heatsink, but upgrading the cooler itself gives the best effect you can get if you want to cool your computer. It makes no sense to buy exactly the same cooler instead of the installed one if you have decided to upgrade. It is better to add a little and take a cooler with the best heat dissipation performance. Its work may be enough for you for several more years of computer work.


It must be said that there are two main types of cooling: air or liquid. The air cooler is much larger than its liquid counterpart and requires more free space around the processor, due to the massive heatsink made of aluminum or copper. The air cooler is much easier and cheaper to maintain. Moreover, the service life of the air cooler is longer.

The liquid cooler does not require much space around the processor. It absorbs heat using a special fluid that circulates from the processor to a large, nearby heatsink. Liquid coolers are more difficult to install.

Typically, liquid coolers are used in highly loaded systems where maximum performance is required. They are also used by overclocking enthusiasts to achieve the highest PC hardware performance.

Do you need a cold PC?

Answer: Definitely. Not only can high PC temperatures lead to accidental shutdowns, it can also cause permanent damage to your computer. Even if you don't have any problems with your PC overheating right now, keep in mind that you still need to keep your PC clean. And when necessary, knowing what to do now, you can try to provide a comfortable living environment for your PC.

Have you ever experienced problems with overheating of PC components? How are you trying to keep your computer cold? Share your methods in the comments.

Overheating of the computer and laptop.

In most cases, overheating of computers and laptops is manifested by the following symptoms:


  • freezing of programs, crashes of games some time after launch,

  • unexpected shutdown of the device,

  • computer freeze or shutdown almost immediately after startup.


1. Diagnostics of the causes of computer and laptop overheating

Diagnostics of computer overheating

The most important components are processor, hard disk, video card, power supply, motherboard


1.1. Overheating processor

Signs of the problem: programs freezing, unexpected restarts or shutdowns of the computer, blue screen. The consequences of this state are the degradation of the chip, the processor can work, but with errors. If the processor has undergone degradation, it will not be possible to repair it, only throw it away.


1.2. Overheating of the video card

Computer freezes while watching video, after a few minutes of the game, the computer restarts, a blue screen appears, graphic artifacts on the screen, the image disappears during operation, a notification may appear.


As a result of this state, the components of the video card are threatened with degradation.


1.3. The hard drive is overheating

If the hard drive overheats, the computer suddenly freezes, clicks are heard from the system unit, the system does not boot. Typically, these signs appear when overheating has caused irreparable damage. If you want to restore the data that was recorded on the hard disk, you can do this only through the service center. The hard drive itself cannot be repaired, but the information can be copied to another medium.


1.4.Power supply overheats

Dangerous symptoms appear: during operation, there is a burning smell, shutdown immediately after starting, unexpected restart occurs, games or videos freeze. The consequence may be the failure of the components of the power supply, but repairs to a service center will cost you inexpensively.

1.5. The chipset on the motherboard is overheating

If the chipset on the motherboard has overheated, this manifests itself as follows: the keyboard, mouse disconnects, USB fails, there is no connection to floppy drives and hard disk, the computer freezes, unexpected reboots occur. As a result, the chipset can degrade. If you do not monitor the temperature of the motherboard, you will subsequently have to buy a new one, since repairs are very expensive.


1.6. Overheating of other computer components

In addition to the above, various batteries on the motherboard are heated. For effective cooling, they must be equipped with radiators. But some manufacturers, in order to save money, do not do this, hoping that the motherboard will work exclusively in normal mode. Therefore, at least one fan must be running to cool the components by natural air movement.


1.7. Reasons for computer braking due to overheating:

Most often, computer overheating is manifested by its deceleration during operation. Usually this symptom is not visible immediately, but some time after turning on the computer. At very high temperatures, the processor does not work efficiently as it tries to lower the temperature. This process is called throttling. Depending on the model, the permissible processor temperature ranges from 65 to 80 degrees.


Throttling works on modern processors and video cards. So if the games freeze or slow down, it is most likely overheating.


1.8. Causes of computer restart due to overheating

Windows is a complex system. If once the processor issued an error during calculations, then everything is violated. As a result, a BSOD crash will occur, if more clearly - "Blue Screen of Death".

BSOD is a serious error that cannot be ignored. By default, the system is configured in such a way that when a BSOD is detected, the PC reboots itself. Thus, if overheating occurs, a blue screen appears and the computer restarts. However, the "blue screen of death" may just hang. The reboot process after the appearance of BSOD is disabled as follows: through the Control Panel, go to the System, then to Advanced system parameters. In them, open Startup and Restore - Options, from the Perform automatic restart item, you need to uncheck the box and confirm your decision.

In fact, there are many reasons for the appearance of BSOD - malfunctioning drivers and programs, errors on the hard disk.


1.9.The computer gets hotter over time - why

One of the reasons is the amortization of cooling components and dust. To clean the heatsinks and other components of the computer, it is advisable to use fans that suck in the deposited dust. Overheating also occurs due to a large accumulation of dust.


Over time, the fans wear out, as a result of which they can constantly make noise, spin at a slower speed or stop altogether. The thermal conductivity of the thermal interface deteriorates. Thermal pastes and thermal pads, which ensure high-quality heat transfer from the processor to the heatsink, require cleaning and replacement.


2. We measure the temperature

There are many sensors inside the computer. They measure component temperature, voltage, fan speed. Their exact number differs depending on the components and their connection options. For example, a cooler with a rotational speed meter can be connected to both the motherboard and the power supply unit (PSU). Otherwise, the speed cannot be measured.


2.1. Open Hardware Monitor

The most convenient utility for determining the temperature of computer components is Open Hardware Monitor. It is able to detect a variety of sensors, can show the temperature of the "hardware" of the computer, voltage and frequency.



You can download the program for free from its home page.


2.2. Temperature measurement errors

The sensors that the computer is equipped with are not calibrated. Accordingly, the error between temperatures can be several degrees. For example, a video card heats up to sixty degrees, but the maximum indicator for it is seventy. Games start to slow down only after a while. Therefore, the sensor does not display the actual temperature, and there is overheating.


2.3. How to check CPU temperature

Temperature sensors can be located in different ways. Their location is related to the processor model. For example, an Intel Core i7-2600K processor has four physical cores, so there are five temperature meters: one for each core and motherboard.



To find out the CPU temperature, look at the CPU Core item, if available. To identify overheating, you should load the processor with a serious task and check the temperature in the load. For this, new games are optimal. Play for half an hour and then watch the Max column in the program. To determine the maximum temperature of your processor, look for information in Yandex or another search engine. If you don't know which processor you have, the program shows the model next to the processor icon.



2.4. How to check the temperature of a video card

The temperature of the elements of the video card can be different, depending on the load. Measurement of the maximum temperature will help determine overheating. Therefore, the video card must be loaded. An easy way is to run the game and Open Hardware Monitor at the same time. In the Max column you can see the maximum temperature.



Typically, a video card temperature of up to sixty degrees is considered normal. In some cases, it can go up to ninety degrees, but specific indicators need to be clarified. The reason for overheating of the video card can be braking and unexpected restart of the computer.


2.5. How to check the temperature of the motherboard

Temperature sensors can be found in the motherboard section. All computers have different boards, the number and names of sensors also differ. But none should exceed fifty degrees.



And in some cases this is a lot. In the manual for the motherboard, you can find information about the maximum allowable temperature for the chipset.


2.6.How to check the temperature of the power supply

In the power supply, there can be sensors only for checking the fan speed, so that it does not make noise without load. Therefore, you cannot programmatically measure the temperature of the power supply. You should touch the case of the system unit with your hands. If it is hot or smells like burning, burnt plastic, this is overheating.


3. What to do in case of overheating

If you overheat, you need to change the thermal paste and clean the computer from dust. This must be done correctly. If you do not have relevant experience, it is recommended to use the services of a service center. Laptop under warranty will be cleaned from dust in an authorized center free of charge. If there is no service center, you can return it back to the store with a complaint about overheating. In this case, they will carry out the cleaning themselves. It is advisable to copy all data from the laptop, since the service center can format the hard drive. In addition, document the transfer of the laptop for diagnostics.

With a desktop computer, everything is the same. The overheating problem should be dealt with by the store where the system unit was sold to you. Whether there is dust or not, overheating must be removed to avoid damage. In addition, you can clean your computer yourself, but without proper knowledge and care, there is a high probability of breaking something.

3.1.Self-cleaning computer

If you are poorly versed in the location of computer parts, you should not disassemble it yourself. If you find a malfunction, you still have to carry it to a service center.

If you are going to remove the cooler, then be sure to apply thermal paste between the processor and the heatsink. You can use a cheap KPT-8, which is sold in any specialty store. You should not collect and reuse the paste that was, firstly, over time, it loses its properties to effectively conduct heat, and secondly, when removing the cooler, dust falls on the paste. Therefore, you will have to spread a new one. The layer should be thin, not flowing beyond the surface of the cover and processor. Lack of paste will not allow for high-quality heat dissipation.


Instead of thermal paste, developers can use thermal rubber bands. In some cases, they are much more effective, for example, if the distance between two elements is more than a millimeter, the parts cannot fit snugly against each other. This is especially common in laptops.


To cool the hard drive, you can place a fan on the front of the system unit, usually there are brackets for this. Vacuuming computers and laptops is not advisable. One of the reasons is inefficiency. Also, due to the strong air flow, dust gets into hard-to-reach places and it will be impossible to get it.


4. About fans and coolers

A cooler is a symbiosis of a radiator and a fan. This device removes heat more efficiently. Its location is video cards, processors, motherboard chipset. Conventional fans (without a heatsink) are located in the case and in the power supply. Since a stream of air is enough for certain components for cooling.

Cooling can also be passive - only the radiator works, the heat from which is removed due to the movement of air inside the system unit. This is often used on low-power video cards. Modern motherboards also only have passive cooling. But it is useless if there is no air movement inside the computer case. Therefore, with passive cooling, at least two fans must be installed in the case - one for blowing out, the other for blowing.

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