Anyone got heat related computer problems?

[adrian]

This is the first summer that my computer will be in, and earlier, it felt the consequences of the summer heat.

Starting a few weeks ago, my computer showed the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). After troubleshooting the problem (and random reboots in the process), I narrowed it down to my processor running hot.

Now, I took measures to clean my computer, but I can't play any computer games, because of the processing heat it causes.

Has anyone's computer restarted because of the heat?

[people]

This is the first summer that my computer will be in, and earlier, it felt the consequences of the summer heat.

Starting a few weeks ago, my computer showed the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). After troubleshooting the problem (and random reboots in the process), I narrowed it down to my processor running hot.

Now, I took measures to clean my computer, but I can't play any computer games, because of the processing heat it causes.

Has anyone's computer restarted because of the heat?

Have you tried adding a few cooling fans?

[adrian]

Have you tried adding a few cooling fans?
I've maxed out in the case fans (3 intakes=2 infront and one side; and 2 exhausts=one rear and the Power Supply Fan).

I think it leveled off, but I won't take any chances this summer, unless I move to an ACed room.

[Albert]

The computers at Hamilton Library will never have a heat problem.

[Mocha]

Is that the answer to the heat problem...to place the computer in an ACed room? I live near the beach and probably the salt air doesn't help either...or humidity etc. The rust shows before the computer goes. :o

[adrian]

Is that the answer to the heat problem...to place the computer in an ACed room? I live near the beach and probably the salt air doesn't help either...or humidity etc. The rust shows before the computer goes. :o
I think so.

I love to get AC for my room, but our electricity bill is already high enough.

[pzarquon]

I work in a data center, and you bet your sweet bippy that climate control is a major part of operational uptime. My coworker has a ski parka he keeps in his office. I have a jacket on hand as well. But in our case, the computers' happiness is more important than ours. :)

My dad lives on the beach, and all his electronics die prematurely, from cordless phones (the contacts corrode) to computers (the insides look like a salt shaker exploded). He now runs his PC in the furthest-in room.

Heat and sand aren't only physical issues... heat especially does affect performance. Most newer chips will automatically 'step down' when things get too warm (internally or externally), which gives you a specific speed hit when it's hot, but many components in general I imagine just don't perform as well when it's especially warm.

[Mocha]

Thanks for the headsup Pzarquon. We're supposed to have setup one room for just the computer but just keep putting it off...not too sharp! But someday. I'm lucky cuz when something breaks down my son gets it fixed...BTW is there any difference between RR & DSL? The DSL seems cheaper now, and now our area can get it. :rolleyes:

[pzarquon]

BTW is there any difference between RR & DSL? The DSL seems cheaper now, and now our area can get it. :rolleyes:Sounds like another thread! Let's take this topic over here (http://www.hawaiithreads.com/showthread.php?t=843)...

[Menehune Man]

My new computer was shutting down due to heat. So I went to Compusa and bought 2 extra case fans. Have to admit it's alittle noisier but that problem was solved.

[lurkah]

My new computer was shutting down due to heat. So I went to Compusa and bought 2 extra case fans. Have to admit it's alittle noisier but that problem was solved.

Something else worth checking out. A friend's PC was doing da same thing. Boot up and shut down. Boot up and shut down. I opened it up and found his power supply choked with dust from his PC being located down under his desk on a carpeted floor. I removed and reinstalled da power supply after blowing it out with an air can. Been working like a champ for almost a year now.

[adrian]

And also, check to see that you have a good UPS or power strip going.

I lost a motherboard and video card at the beginning of this year due to my father's bad wiring in my part of the house.

And the best way to get rid of the heat problems, is to turn off the computer and hit the beach. :D

[craigwatanabe]

How much heat sink compound are you using? I had to fix a friend's Compaq and was shocked to find absolutely no compound between the processor chip and the heatsink!

If you can replace your IDE and ATA cables with those newer rounded cables. Those standard ribbon cables will restrict a lot of air movement inside the case.

I'm actually thinking of doing the ultimate cooling mod. I have this electric cooling fan I purchased at Checker Auto for my BMW. I never used it for the car so it's sitting in a box in the garage and I've always wanted to cut out a hole on the side of my kid's gaming computer and mount that sucker on it just to see the jaws drop when his friends see the size of that fan (a good 14-inches across). I guarantee you it will cool that case to room temperature in no time...but forget trying to have a conversation when this baby kicks in. :D

[adrian]

I'm actually thinking of doing the ultimate cooling mod. I have this electric cooling fan I purchased at Checker Auto for my BMW. I never used it for the car so it's sitting in a box in the garage and I've always wanted to cut out a hole on the side of my kid's gaming computer and mount that sucker on it just to see the jaws drop when his friends see the size of that fan (a good 14-inches across). I guarantee you it will cool that case to room temperature in no time...but forget trying to have a conversation when this baby kicks in. :D
I heard that you can go only so much on air cooling, so that project might not work as well as you might think.

And if it gets tool cool, then it might be blowing water into the case, which is a big no no for a computer.

[Konaguy]

I have never had a computer heat problem ever, but again I live up mauka side.
I did have a problem that my previous computer's motherboard was corroding
from the inside [Probably since the computer was next to a window]. I didn't
find out until my brother took apart the computer and saw the underside of the
motherboard.

[craigwatanabe]

Electronics are suseptible to heat and good heatsinking is vital to normal operation of an electronic component. With that said most electronics operate in a limited temperature range and Hawaii's tropical environment is not exactly conducive to hot-running CPU chips.

But if you can maintain a proper air flow to reduce the BTU output of a CPU to a nominal room temperature of under 80-degrees, most computers can tolerate that albeit you will be slow-cooking your capacitors to oblivion probably in short time.

If you cannot reduce the temperature, there is another way but it's a bit extreme. Seal the case and run the components in a near vacuum. Yeah right!

But it's true, temperature and pressure are proportional to each other that's why light bulb filaments last longer in a vacuum-sealed bulb and radiators can boil at higher temperatures in a sealed radiator cooling system.

Right now for practical purposes water-cooled CPU systems offer the best cooling for your CPU however if you could, try Sodium-cooling instead as they offer the better cooling over water or glycol.