Cooling on non-overclocked PC

Skirrow

Skirrow

Skirrow

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Joined
2 Nov 2003
Posts
99
Can anyone help me with this? I have an AMD 2800+ on a NF7S. It's in a crap case with crap case fans and the normal heatsink that comes with the chip. Main problem is that I have to keep it under my desk in a corner so it's pretty badly ventilated so the CPU idles at around 57degrees and the system temp at around 37. Under load the CPU temp shoots up into the 60s and the system up into the high 40s, at which point I switch off.

Now I need to keep my PC where it is, there's no room on my desk and it keeps by feet warm where it is now. With that in mind, what's the best way to keep it nice and cool? Should I buy better fans or heatsink? Or will none of that help if it's cooking in it's own hot air?

Any advice is much appreciated, I can't get any work done when photoshop has a duty cycle of 10 minutes...

Cheers,
Dave
 
Skirrow said:
C It's in a crap case with crap case fans and the normal heatsink that comes with the chip.
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You answred youre own question really. Get a new case maybe, with some new fans, and probably a TT Big typhoon as it is a skt A cooler
 
Cheers fellas, I think I'll start with new case fans then, if that doesn't work I'll try a new case followed by heatsink.

So Big typhoon for the heatsink if I need it, any recommendations on fans and case? I want to keep costs down if possible. Noise isn't really an issue though.
 
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Thanks mishima, although it looks like I'm not going to need one, just spent 10 minutes cleaning dust out of the heatsink and knock 10degrees off the idle and load temps! What's the best (free) software to give a lot of CPU load for testing purposes?
 
Look up the program Toast. It has no other purpose but to make your CPU hot. Much better than SuperPi. I would watch your temperatures like a hawk though!

Have you thought about trying ducting? cut some cardboard / paper and make a duct from an inlet fan directly to your CPU. Cheap and has excellent results. Just don't use it in a Windowed PC!
 
Mate, you are not wrong about toast, that thing did the job bloody fast. Stopped at 61 though which, while not being best, it will do me. MOst CPU intensive thing I do is photoshop and that wasn't taking it over 55. Can't believe a but of dust in my heatsink would make such a differnce. Certainly saved me a few quid on parts though.
 
Skirrow said:
Thanks mishima, although it looks like I'm not going to need one, just spent 10 minutes cleaning dust out of the heatsink and knock 10degrees off the idle and load temps!
Click to expand...
w00t!! Thats major. When was the last time you cleaned that out? Every 6months I get the dyson on the inside of my case.
 
mishima said:
When was the last time you cleaned that out?
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Errrmm.... Never?

Put it this way, I didn't need a vacuum, I removed the chunks of dust by hand and put them in the bin. When I removed the heatsink fan, it looked like there was a bit of foam behind it covering the heatsink.... Really was probably doing very little for airflow

Gave the other fans a good cleaning too and it's all nice now. Will certainly be giving it a regular clean form now though!
 
Sweet, just becareful though. I knackered the northbridge fan on my old motherboard and 9800 Pro cause I was a bit too rough with the vacuum - used a bit too much force. Just needs loosening and swept out. :)
 
when cleaning fans with a vacum cleaner (spinning the fans using the suction of the vacum) make sure they are unpluged from their power source, either 4 pin molex or 3 pin ones that connect to the motherbord as they can damage components
 
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