graphcs card

[Guest_imported]

I think my graphics card may be overheating. When I turn my pc on, I hear a loud whirring noise (think it may be a fan) and after 15 mins of using the pc, the screen freezes. No matter what I`m doing on the pc (playing games or just in notepad), it still freezes.

I read another post on here ages ago suggesting an overheating system and to instal motherboard monitor, but does that say if your graphics card is overheating? The temp reading I got was 35oC.

If it is my graphics card, how do I cool it down? Can I buy a new fan for the card and how do I know that that is the problem?

cheers guys

 

[butchrecon]

Take out all peripherals (Sound card, modem and anything else there) EXCEPT the Video card. Then boot back into windows and see if it locks up. If so try another Video card. If it does not lock up then put the other devices back in 1 at a time.( put 1 in then boot up to see if it locks up). Keep doing this till the system locks up and let us know what happens. Please let us (Tek-tips members) know if the solutions we provide are helpful to you. Not only do they help you but they may help others.


James Collins
Computer Hardware Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

 

[Howi]

Pove it is the graphics card first by replacing with a cheap basic card (does not have to be AGP)and see if the system still crashes.
if it does, likelyhood is the CPU at fault, probably overheating.
Make sure heatsink making GOOD contact using thermal compound.
If it still crashes, whip the heatsink off and feel what temp the CPU is - if very hot heatsink not doing job correctly.
If this ok check temperature by feel of the motherboard chipset.
Motherboard problem is 3rd most likely option which means cheching your other components in another motherboard.
Don't panic :-( check things logically.

 

[Guest_imported]

Think I may know what is the problem. Upon booting up the pc and not doing anything else, I open the task manager and click on the processes tab.

There is a full list of processes, watching the cpu usage, it sometimes just goes upto 100% for no reason.

What applications should be in the processes list and could this be the problem?????

 

[tahnval]

Does the process list show 100% CPU load at regular intervals, for a short period of time? I don't think it's likely to reach 100%, but motherboard monitoring software can place a heavy load on the CPU when it polls the sensors. Mine hits 38% on an Athlon@700MHz, just for a fraction of a second.

I don't see how that would be the problem though. If your machine worked fine for a month before it started locking up, it's not going to be a software issue unless you installed something after that month.

All sorts of things could be in the process list, depending on what you have set to run on startup, so I can't help you there.

 

[Guest_imported]

I don`t have anything running when there is a long list of processes. I turn off everything at startup, there us just my clock in the bottom right of the screen and my firewall (had the problem before I installed the firewall).

What are the core processes needed to run the pc, I want to try deleting everything else and see what happens before I try buying a new graphics card, as I don`t have access to another one.
thanks

 

[shebeer]

dear this compliant will come your processor fan. if this fan is not working ,it will make the hanging problems.oterwise there is a chance for your monitor to be bad .Some monitor will show like this problem.if the display is going a decrease mode there the chance it is.also power wires are coming inside the fan inside cpu .for clearing this doubt u have to remove the cover.better u cancheck with other monitor.

 

[philanrandi]

if it freezes no matter what you are doing it tends to suggest that it is a heat problem with you`re cpu!! check you`re heat sink and fan!

 

[Guest_imported]

Thanks guys, took the case off and blew a household fan into the side of the pc, doesn`t freeze at all now, infact, the pc is flying!!

The problem is now, installing another fan inside.

I`m not sure where to do it, I can`t put one on the case as it`s a 3 sided case that you lift up and over the computer. What do you suggest?

 

[txtree]

Check you fan cooling your CPU. It could be bad.

 

[bra1niac]

http://www.2cooltek.com

Everything you need for cooling a pc. "It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission." - Rear Admiral Dr. Grace Hopper