I have the standard Intel heatsink/fan combination and a Pentium 4 3.0ghz processor. I've had this processor for over 2 years and kept it in an apartment with no carpet and great airflow for the first year or so. Then I moved to a new apartment with carpet and not a great amount of airflow for the computer tower. It still continued to work great for about 6-8 months but for the last four months I've been experiencing overheating issues. I thought it was the Mobo, so I replaced that but I eventually took it to Best Buy because it wouldn't stop and they saw the heatsink was loose and put it on "properly." It worked for about a month with no problems and then went right back to overheating.
Ok, so yeah...I really CAN put together a computer and I know all about heatsinks and fan and creating a good airflow. I've even taken the side panel off and put a box fan blowing on it or just off to the side...all kinds of scenarios to get more air on the processor (or to get the heat away from the processor)
My question is this:
If I have the proper amount of thermal paste, the heatsink is fastened properly with good contact, and the fan is running anywhere from 2500 up to 4000 rpm and the temperature continues to climb (starts at about 33C, then climbs to 65C within a minute, eventually shutting the computer down)...is my processor giving up the ghost or should I get a better heatsink/fan than the standard Intel one, which worked perfectly for 1.5 years?
If it is the processor, my mother board can support up to quad-core processors (but my wallet can't). What should I go to? Do the dual-cores offer better heat management? I seem to remember the P4 processors having problems with heat generation.
Thank you!
Ok, so yeah...I really CAN put together a computer and I know all about heatsinks and fan and creating a good airflow. I've even taken the side panel off and put a box fan blowing on it or just off to the side...all kinds of scenarios to get more air on the processor (or to get the heat away from the processor)
My question is this:
If I have the proper amount of thermal paste, the heatsink is fastened properly with good contact, and the fan is running anywhere from 2500 up to 4000 rpm and the temperature continues to climb (starts at about 33C, then climbs to 65C within a minute, eventually shutting the computer down)...is my processor giving up the ghost or should I get a better heatsink/fan than the standard Intel one, which worked perfectly for 1.5 years?
If it is the processor, my mother board can support up to quad-core processors (but my wallet can't). What should I go to? Do the dual-cores offer better heat management? I seem to remember the P4 processors having problems with heat generation.
Thank you!