Heat Problems

[hbcao2004]

I have a 6 month old system that is still under warrenty:

P4 2.5 (512kb cache, 400FSB)
P4s8x-x motherboard
512 DDR PC333
80G hard drive
ATI 9200se 128MB

underload temperature
cpu:45-50C motherboard:27-30C room temperature: 20C

full load temperature
cpu:55-58C motherboard:31-33C room temperature:24C

fan speed = 2500RPM

At summer, my room temperature can reach 33C, and stay that way for 5 or 6 weeks.

I am not such a computer expert so I am not so sure if I have a heat sink on my cpu or not. I opened up the case, but I am not sure what a heat sink looks like.

I plan to use my system another 3-4 years.

Is this temperature too hot?
Will my cpu survive the 33C summer?
Do I need to get a new cooling system?
Do I need to lower my core speed?

by the way, I am not a gamer, so speed is not really that important, I can live with 2.1 or 2.2

[sr4470]

Re: Heat Problems

the heatsink will be a large aluminium block with a fan atop it...

[hbcao2004]

Re: Heat Problems

I just went to my bios to check on the temperature. I stayed in the bios for about 15-20 minutes for the temperature to settle (underload).

After the temperature settle, the cpu = 52C, motherboard = 30.5C, in a room temperature of 21.5C.

is that temperature ok for underload?

[sr4470]

Re: Heat Problems

Not critical, but for a P4 2.5a, thats a little too high. Now, you could underclock the cpu, but that depends on if the board lets you adjust to a lower fsb in the bios. unless it has a pci\agp lock and lets you set memory speed independently, you'll also be underclocking the other components.

Probably better to get a decent cooler (maybe a Zalman 7000AlCu), and some arctic silver 5 thermal compound. You'll need to remove any traces of thermal compound left on the cpu surface after removing the stock heatsink and fan, before installing another, although the equipment comes with instructions

[hbcao2004]

Re: Heat Problems

Since i am not a gamer, I don't really think I want to get another cooling system athough it is not that expansive anyway. I was wondering, I found the "Clockgen" program on http://www.cpuid.com/clockgen.php, do they work? I download one of them that supports my motherboard, but I am not sure how much I should under clock. Can any one please help me. I am not a expert.

[hbcao2004]

Re: Heat Problems

I ran that program, I clicked on "set values" then it told me my current clocks.

CPU-2500.17
FSB-100.01
Memory-125.01
AGP-166.68
PCI-83.34

How much should I underclock?
And is this program safe to use?
And can I change back to my original clock if I am not satisfied?

[matm347]

Re: Heat Problems

You'll be fine with those temps. P4s have GREAT thermal protection, you could even pull your heat sink off while under full load and be OK, it'll just throttle itself back and run at a much slower clock.

[sr4470]

Re: Heat Problems

The AGP should be 66mhz and PCI 33mhz.. You sure that wasnt a typo?

[hbcao2004]

Re: Heat Problems

I am not so.

My question is, can I use the program to underclock?
because bios only let me to overclock, not underclock