[Solved] Desktop overheating problems
October 29th, 2013
My desktop computer has had a problem for a long while now, one which I’ve decided I’ve been putting up with for long enough:
After you shut the computer down, you cannot turn it on again for another 15 or so minutes. If you do, it will get past POST and then lock up on the Windows loading graphics. It will always get past the POST stage and always freezes either on the Windows loading graphics or just after they have finished (on the black screen).
Intel Q6600
ASRock 4CoreDual-Sata2 (not the revised version)
2x 1GB unbranded RAM (667Mhz I think)
Hitachi DeskStar HDD
PowerColour HD6850 PCS
I’ve, over time, eliminated several possible causes: I’ve installed Windows 7 on a new hard disk (it was originally doing it on XP), I’ve replaced the graphics card, I’ve replaced the PSU, I’ve ran CPU stress tests and RAM checks and I’ve installed a Northbridge cooling fan to the motherboard.
I’m now sure that the motherboard, presumably a chip or few chips other than the Northbridge, is overheating. The reason for me thinking this is that with the side of the case off, if I stand a desk fan and blow cool air on it for 60 seconds and then boot then all is well. If I leave it turned off for 60 seconds with no fan, it won’t boot.
The motherboard is idling at 30/31 degrees Celsius and the CPU at around 35 (with each separate core sensor at 28C); these temperatures are far from excessive so this suggests to me that it’s probably a select one or two chips on the motherboard (assuming it is the motherboard) overheating.
-pause for breath-
So, my question essentially is, can you guys think of which chip could be causing this? Or any other possible causes?
Thanks guys
KingLozzer replied: The motherboard is idling at 30/31 degrees Celsius and the CPU at around 35 (with each separate core sensor at 28C); these temperatures are far from excessive so this suggests to me that it's probably a select one or two chips on the motherboard (assuming it is the motherboard) overheating.
Those temps are fine, my NB runs at about 45 C. Have you done any overclocking on the system?
Also, your so sure that its freezing during video post? Try booting with the video card out. If it boots fine with the video card out, then you might just have a bad connection.
Provide your PSU’s model,Also,Have you plugged the additional PCI-E power cable to your graphics card?
Have you added or replaced any particular piece of hardware before this started happening?
You should inspect the motherboard for bad capacitors,Examples:
http://s4.postimage.org/f3hm11b9o/capacitor.png
Resetting the BIOS might help too,Unplug the power cord,Open the case,Remove
the battery near the PCI slots (just push a small flat screwdriver at the clip holding it and it’d pop out)
leave it out for at least 10 mins then put it back in (with the + sign on top),Re-plug the cord and power up,Do
note that after doing this,You would have to enter the BIOS,Load defaults and re-adjust the time/date/boot order.
Also,Just because an HDD is new it doesn’t mean it’s in perfect condition and one should never assume so,Test it
with Hitachi’s Drive Fitness Test:
http://www.hitachigst.com/support/downloads/
On a side note,If I were you I’d replace the motherboard regardless,It only supports X4 bandwidth for the PCI-E slot which
is not good enough for high end graphic cards as it hurts performance.
There’s something that confuses me,So do clarify:
KingLozzer replied: I've, over time, eliminated several possible causes: I've installed Windows 7 on a new hard disk (it was originally doing it on XP), I've replaced the graphics card, I've replaced the PSU, I've ran CPU stress tests and RAM checks and I've installed a Northbridge cooling fan to the motherboard.
You used the term “new” for the HDD,But “replaced” for the GFX/PSU,I know you only mentioned a single HDD in the specs,But
I must ask if it’s the only one,The way you put it make me wonder if you just added it to the mix,Or actually replaced it.
Under certain circumstances,A bad HDD can still cause the OS to freeze/crash even if it’s not running from it.
SmAsHeDr replied: Try booting with the video card out
As he already pointed out,He replaced it and it didn’t make a difference,Now set that aside,Onboard graphics
is a chipset feature and is not a universal thing,Not all motherboards have it,His in fact does not,You should never automatically
assume these things.
Thanks for the responses guys.
The computer isn’t overclocked at all, never has been. As Roberto400 pointed out, I’ve switched the graphics card (and I was running it off the onboard graphics previously – I switched the graphics card as it failed) and that didn’t make a difference.
I’ll now check for bad capacitors; thanks for the reference image.
I’ve tried shorting the CMOS jumper and resetting the BIOS and this didn’t work either.
I know the motherboard is quite rubbish, as I remember picking it for how cheap it was (won’t be doing that again).
There is a secondary hard disk which was clicking (used to have XP on it, now just use it for storage) though I have tried disconnecting this too – in case it was a power issue.
I’ve just fitted a few extra fans to the case to improve the air flow so hopefully this will fix it, temperatures are a few degrees lower already.
Thanks
The extra fans have helped, but not solved the problem: the time that I have to wait before I can turn the computer back on is definitely a lot shorter, so I can only take this as another hint that the problem is related to heat.
I checked for bad capacitors and there are none that look unusual.
I guess this will have to do until I get around to fitting a new motherboard, or should I say fitting everything else to a new motherboard – the hardest component to replace!
KingLozzer replied: and I was running it off the onboard graphics previously
I got a feeling you got the mobo model wrong,There’s nothing about onboard graphics on asrock’s website:
http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?model=4coredual-sata2
KingLozzer replied: I've tried shorting the CMOS jumper and resetting the BIOS and this didn't work either.
And you’ve done this with the power cord disconnected? Just verifying,Doing it with the power still attached is useless.
KingLozzer replied: I guess this will have to do until I get around to fitting a new motherboard
How bout some answers to my first 3 questions? Also,You really should check the HDD regardless to the fact it’s new^
Replacing the data cable might help too.
Edit Didn’t notice your 2nd post,I suggest you get Aida64 from the apps section and provide a screenshot from Computer>Sensor.
it could just the computer case
what type is your computer case?
some case are bad design that causes heat problems
KingLozzer replied: I can only take this as another hint that the problem is related to heat.
Run Hardware Monitor and post a screen shot of the temps. I don’t see any evidence of overheating.
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html
Also, double check your motherboard. You can use Speccy if your unsure.
http://www.piriform.com/speccy/download
Apologies for the late reply, but I’ve finally found a solution to what turned out to be a bit of a surprising problem.
I’m still not sure if the problem was actually heat or not, but after a bit of research I found out that, while the motherboard supports quad core processors, they put so much strain on the Northbridge chip that it can repeatedly fail and lock up – which is what was happening to me.
I’ve solved the problem by playing around with FSB, PCI and AGP speeds and voltages and found a stable point at 2.3 Ghz (just below my q6600’s stock 2.4 Ghz) so that’ll have to do until I replace it.
Thanks for all your help anyway guys