My computer is overheating

[ms_ann_thrope]

I get about 10 minutes at a crack.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

I could roast wienies over it I guess.

 

[Balladeer08]

I get about 10 minutes at a crack.

That's a great set-up for a lot of punch lines.

If you know how to open the case on your computer, do this:

FIRST shut off the computer and unplug it.

open the case

take a vacuum and vacuum it out, especially the air inlets/outs and around the fans.

Then, if you have a vacuum that the hose can be reversed to blow, blow it out.

The dust on components acts as insulation, sealing in the heat. And air flow is necessary to cool it.

You might also have a fan that has died, but this is a cheap first try to improve things.

 

[Balladeer08]

I could roast wienies over it I guess.

Another straight line.

You're killing me!

 

[eyer]

The very first thing you should to do is to make sure every file on that computer that's of value to you is backed-up.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Another straight line.

You're killing me!

I'll go put on my French Maid Outfit and get the feather duster.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

The very first thing you should to do is to make sure every file on that computer that's of value to you is backed-up.

My OS and data are on different drives. I should be good unless flames erupt.

 

[eyer]

My OS and data are on different drives. I should be good unless flames erupt.

How many fans does your case have? Does it/they still work?

 

[Balladeer08]

I'll go put on my French Maid Outfit and get the feather duster.

That'll work.

I have handcuffs.

 

[Aquagal]

I get about 10 minutes at a crack.

Stop stroking it.

 

[islandman]

Stop stroking it.

His penis or the laptop?

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

I think I may have been running off the motherboard video card. The last time I swept out the dust bunnies I broke a vane off the case fan and It's been hopping a little bit.

 

[Aquagal]

His penis or the laptop?

Stop stroking the laptop, it's overheating.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Nope. That's not it.

 

[Aquagal]

Nope. That's not it.

Open up the case, and blow.

 

[Eyereadtoo]

This happened to my desktop once. After opening and cleaning the inside (vacuumed) it still overheated and would shut down. It turned out the heat sink clip somehow sheared off so I ordered a new bracket for the heat sink, installed it and it solved my problem.

I hope your solution is as easy to fix as mine was.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

This happened to my desktop once. After opening and cleaning the inside (vacuumed) it still overheated and would shut down. It turned out the heat sink clip somehow sheared off so I ordered a new bracket for the heat sink, installed it and it solved my problem.

I hope your solution is as easy to fix as mine was.

The broken, vibrating fan probably shook it loose.

 

[imalickin]

There are only two chips that will shutdown a computer by detecting overheating. One is the CPU, the other is the GPU. In a laptop both are on the motherboard and only the CPU is usually accessible to the user.

On a desktop both are.

Let's deal with the desktop first. There is a fan attached to the CPU cooling fins. The space between the fan and the fins can become clogged with dust. You probably will have to take the whole cooling unit off the CPU to remove the fan from the unit and clear the dust out. If you do this you will need some thermal grease to replace what will come off the top of the CPU. You can get it at your local computer store or from Amazon.

The GPU in a desktop is separate from the motherboard in most cases. It will have to be removed and cleaned. Personally, I wouldn't take it apart, you can brush or vacuum out the dust pretty well.

Laptops...

Most will have a removable door so you can get at the cooling unit attached to the CPU. You may have to remove this or you may not, in order to clean the fan and intake, outflow vents. If you do remove the unit from the CPU you will need the grease when you replace it.

Here is a step by step to remove the cooling unit in a laptop.

Hope you get your problem solved.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Yeah. It's probably one of those thingys.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Fans are running. CPU @ 102 F. MB @ 96F.

 

[Devilius]

Switch off the Computer and unplug it.

Open the CPU cabinet carefully.

Wrap a piece of cloth/cotton (prefered) on a thin stick that can pass between the blades of the fan.

Clean up the dust clogged on the unit and filters.

Switch on the computer.

It should work fine now (hopefully).

 

[Liar]

Have you asked the dude?

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Not sure I want to "owe" the dude.

 

[MichaelinChina]

Spray it with water!

 

[eyer]

I recall you stating that you've been inside the case before to clean it out...

...if you now remove the cover while the computer is running, can you discern where the excessive heat is precisely coming from (cpu/heatsink, power supply, etc)?