talkmagic.co.uk

Well basically, my computer just turns off randomly whenever I play a game, for example Counter Strike (if anyone knows it), and same if I try to load more than 3/4 youtube video's at once.

I hear from friends that it's because of dust and overheating and that I should open my computer up and clean it out.

I've been searching around online, and seen lots of people to say download speedfan which tells you the temperature of your computer...

confused on how to use it though...
theres lots of numbers and it says this (if it helps)

Ambient: 37C
Remote 1: 108C
Remote 2: 118C
HD0: 37C
Core: 100C

so basically, does anyone know what I should do =/

Thanks in advance.

Hi k88,
I'm sure some of the more technologically able guys out there will be able to tell you what to do with all those numbers but I had a very similar problem recently so here's what I'd do:

Buy an air duster, open your computer and give it a good old blast. All the PCBs, all the heat dissipating bits (anything that looks like a little silver space station with lots of angular pieces of metal sticking out for no reason is probably designed to keep something cool) and of course, any integral fans/heatsinks (you'll have one on your motherboard and possibly one on your graphics card).

If that fails (and unless your heatsink has slipped or you've upgraded something in your computer recently, there's no real reason it should) you should find an independent computer shop (i.e. not PC world) and see if they can advise you on finding and fitting an appropriate case fan...

However! I honestly would consider using this opportunity to get yourself a pimpin' PC tower. For about £30 (which is not a lot more than a decent fan will cost you without anything else) you can get a nice PC tower with plenty of USB ports, maybe some sparkly lights and of course, a kick ass integral cooling system. It might cost another £10-£15 for the shop to install your PC into the case, or get a mate who knows about computers to come over and help you with it and buy him a beer.

Or, y'know, a cream soda if you're under 18.

You don't have to go for something expensive of course, anything with decent integrated cooling will do, but if you still live with your folks then just tell them you need your computer for homework, and now it's broken, and would they buy you this totally sweet B.M.F. of a tower so you don't lose marks. And also to prove that they love you.

the temps do seem to be a bit high but it does depend on the sped of your machine, age and many other factors.
firstly I'm asuming your computer is out of waraenty.

first try running ther computer with the case lid off and check all fans are working, dust and vacume as required carefully (dust isnt as big a factor as its given credit) and recheck tempratures.
if temp goes down by around 5 degrees then fit a case fan if not your wasting your money, though for the few quid they are its up to you.

next stop is to pull out the sound card if fitted and the graphics card(s) and clean the conracts and the slots they go in, can of compressed air is good for this, then refit, often this can make a huge diference to computer problems.

if the problems still persist try swapping out the power suply with a friends one asuming its not a special one and recheck, same for graphics card and sound card.
if problems still exsist then its mother board related and i sugest a new machine as technology has advanced a few steps in the past year ad the benefits outway the costs.

most computer problems are powersuply related (70%) then additional cards (10%) then mother boards (10%) and then the rest ie dust.

that said in my experience fixing older machines besides the usual driver problems and general spring cleaning of windows, many problems do resolve themselves when you change the ide cables on hard drives and discs for new ones and aslo changing the power conectors for spare ones if avalable on the power units, it does not realy make logical sense but it works and i always carried a few spare ones with me.

Those PC towers are beastly!

I've just took off the side its no longer 100C, it's dropped to 60C now still quite hot but better than before.

So I'll be getting a new fan hopefully over the next few days.

Vacummed all the dust out now, so at the moment it hasn't overheated yet, so it's all good..ish

Just really noisy with the fans without the side.
My computer isn't really that old, so I don't really want to splash out on a new computer yet.

thanks for the advice

The other way to sort this is make sure there's plenty of space around the computer. Don't bury it under books or paperwork, or anything else that will insulate the casing.

My father in law killed a tower PC by draping a tablecloth over it to hide it (yeah, it was THAT ugly). Poor thing died of suffocation.

The computer, that is... not my F-I-L.

Leaving the side of is a temporary fix. The case is designed to draw air through the case and over the hot components, so you're not really doing it any favours in the long run, as you're interrupting it's airflow design.

Or, just buy a Mac... we don't have these problems, as the case is designed to cool the components more efficiently by using air flow channelling over processors, GPU and drives. Plus, the PSU is housed in it's own air-cooled chamber, so it's heat doesn't even get near the other kit.

don't give it so much cake?

i may need glasses...

first try running ther computer with the case lid off and check all fans are working, dust and vacume as required carefully (dust isnt as big a factor as its given credit) and recheck tempratures.
if temp goes down by around 5 degrees then fit a case fan if not your wasting your money, though for the few quid they are its up to you

.
yes don't forget to put the lid back on after fitting the fan

ooohh, you don't know how much I want a Mac!

I should be able to get my new fan tomorrow, so fingers crossed and hope it cools.

And of course put the side back on