On 23 Mar 2007 08:28:49 -0700, happymac.support@gmail.com
wrote:

>Hi,
>
>My computer specs are as follows:
>
>OSes: Windows XP Pro
>Motherboard: ASUS P5ND2-SLI
>Processor: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0GHz (not overclocked)
>Hard Drive: 250GB SATA
>RAM: 2x 512MB DDR 667MHz
>Video Card: ATI Radeon X1300 PRO
>Optical Drive: Pioneer DVR-110D DVD-RW
>USB: 4x USB 2.0
>Sound Card: 7.1 Channel
>Ethernet Adapter: Intel 10/100/1000 Gigabit
>
>I dont know but I think my Pentium D 830 is too hot. Upon startup
>(after being left off for about 10 hours), the CPU temperature is
>around 45C (celsius) and steadily rises to about 70C. Even when I'm
>not doing anything on the computer the temperature varies from 70C -
>75C. When I am doing stuff, playing games, browsing the net, etc. the
>temperature is around 75C - 81C. When I am doing big multitasking, the
>temperature varies from 81C -86C. Is this normal? I know Pentium D
>chips are hot but are they supposed to be this hot?


That's too hot. Was it always that hot? If not what has
changed since then? I'm wondering if it's time to clean out
the dust from heatsink or case intake/exhaust areas, or if
you have a fan failing-or-failed-already.

Higher room temps could account for a rise too but most
people have rooms climate controlled enough to not
experience so much of a change to see the temp go from
otherwise low enough to this high.

If you had installed the heatsink right before this, I'd
wonder if it was installed properly. If it has been a long
time and you used silicone based heatsink grease, I'd wonder
if that had dried up and left poor interface. If it is the
original thermal interface material and you remove the
heatsink you would need to then clean it off and apply
grease to remount it, the original thermal material can't be
reused after it has melted upon first installation and
subsequent running of system.

An acceptible solution would have the system running no
hotter than 65C when at full load for an extended period of
time (say over 30 minutes) while the room temp is at the
highest level you expect year-'round. If that room temp is
not reasonably attainable at the moment, additively factor
for it. For example if CPU was at 70C and room is expected
to be 10C hotter in summer because of no air conditioning,
expect 80C at some time.

Full load is produced running an app stressful to the CPU.
A linear job heavy on computational power like video
encoding might come close enough, but the more common test
is Prime95's Torture Test, it's Large In-Place FFTs,
setting. The above "acceptible solution" is not the ideal,
ideally you would have the CPU a bit cooler than 65C in that
test, but no extra effort might be warranted if it's already
at 55C or below. In those ranges, also consider whether CPU
was hot due to poor case ventilation and if it was, whether
that state of case ventilation is contributing to other
system parts running at similarly high temp levels.

Ultimately without seeing the system or knowing it's history
we can't be certain of the cause. More info may help, or
you may take each part of the cooling subsystem in turn and
scrutinize it while system is off & open.