How can I underclock a packard bell?

MikeHunt79 · 17 Jul 2007 at 14:12

It's overheating at stock settings:

Toasty!

I cannot for the life of me find vcore and cpu multiplier setting in the BIOS! The motherboard is a MSI MS-6786 by the looks of it.

Is there some secret buttons I have to press to access extra settings?

Indy500 · 17 Jul 2007 at 14:17

Its an OEM PC, what did you expect?

Change the HSF for a better one. Or try to rearrange the case to create more airflow - OEM systems tend to lack case fans, or have just one thats ducted onto the CPU.

MikeHunt79 · 17 Jul 2007 at 14:19

sr4470 said:
Its an OEM PC, what did you expect? Change the HSF for a better one.

It's not mine tho, and I don't have any spare heatsinks on me.

I just want it to run a bit cooler as I think it's corrupting files on bootup.

Also, slight off topic, did you get my e-mail about the RAM and NB cooler?

Deiwos · 17 Jul 2007 at 14:20

I don't think I've seen a PB with a BIOS you can change anything like that in. Best you change on a PB BIOS is boot order lol.

As was said, a new HSF and better air flow are probably your best options.

mattyrigby00 · 17 Jul 2007 at 14:20

OEM pcs generally have next to no options in the bios and a "only just good enough" cooling solution, usually just 1 case fan ducted to the cpu + the cpu hsf or just the cpu hsf.

Indy500 · 17 Jul 2007 at 14:21

MikeHunt79 said:
It's not mine tho, and I don't have any spare heatsinks on me. I just want it to run a bit cooler as I think it's corrupting files on bootup.

Then have a look in the case and see what you can do to improve airflow.

MikeHunt79 said:
Also, slight off topic, did you get my e-mail about the RAM and NB cooler?

Check your yahoo inbox.

Greenlizard0 · 17 Jul 2007 at 14:34

Is this a recent thing? Perhaps the insides need a good cleanout

jbloggs · 17 Jul 2007 at 14:41

A few of things you could try:

1) Give inside of PC Case a good clean..

2) Simply re-seat current heatsink/fan assembly.

3) Remove side panel of PC Case.

Indy500 · 17 Jul 2007 at 14:42

If you're going to reseat, clean off the stock gunk and use AS5 or similar - I did this for a Palomino and temps dropped by over 15C.

MikeHunt79 · 17 Jul 2007 at 15:28

sr4470 said:
Then have a look in the case and see what you can do to improve airflow.

I've had it apart and cleaned most of the dust out of it now, and it is running a fre degrees cooler. I'll have to bring a decent HSF with me next time I'm with this computer.

sr4470 said:
Check your yahoo inbox.

Still not received anything.

Maybe yahoo is having issues - Do you mind CC'ing it to [email protected] ? TY

Indy500 · 17 Jul 2007 at 15:31

MikeHunt79 said:
I've had it apart and cleaned most of the dust out of it now, and it is running a fre degrees cooler. I'll have to bring a decent HSF with me next time I'm with this computer.

Probably the stock heatsink\TIM assembly not being sufficient.

MikeHunt79 said:
Still not received anything.

Maybe yahoo is having issues - Do you mind CC'ing it to [email protected] ? TY

Ok. Try to keep it in the MM thread next time

MikeHunt79 · 17 Jul 2007 at 15:51

sr4470 said:
Probably the stock heatsink\TIM assembly not being sufficient.

I'll have to give that a go once I've got some more thermal goo... It's idleing around 50 now, so it should be ok... Thanks for the help

sr4470 said:
Ok. Try to keep it in the MM thread next time

Soz.

G-mail worked a treat btw, thanks.

V|per · 17 Jul 2007 at 15:54

err, it's an athlon xp, these cpu's run incredibly hot anyway... 70°c was about normal wasn't it ?

Indy500 · 17 Jul 2007 at 15:56

V|per said:
err, it's an athlon xp, these cpu's run incredibly hot anyway... 70°c was about normal wasn't it ?

Not if cooled properly. I set up an XP2700 that was under 50C load with a decent heatsink\fan.

MAllen · 17 Jul 2007 at 17:43

Can I guess that this is a Packard Bell in one of those smaller cases? Consider doing a case swap as this will usually help. They try and jam too much into those old cases, and Athlon's usally cook in there. No where for the heat to go. (The cheap PSU's don't help as they also warm everything up)

I find a good clean out, and an replacement of the paste on the CPU Heatsink usually helps. Normally the old heatsink gunk has cooked into a solid usless lump.

Athlons want to sit around the low 50's, but many of the Knackard Hell PCs I work on have problems getting below the mid-50's even with a clean out.

MikeHunt79 · 17 Jul 2007 at 18:02

MAllen said:
Can I guess that this is a Packard Bell in one of those smaller cases?

Well, it seems like a full size case to me, but I think there is only 1 case fan in there, and it seems to be quite a low RPM one. Nice and quiet, but it doesn't seem to run very cool.

Next time I'm with the thing, I'll put some fresh thermal goo on there, and see if that helps. The case temp itself doesn't seem too bad (32 deg).

It's just a shame I can't lower the vcore, and reduce the clock speed really, as this rig only gets used for e-mails and maybe the odd MS word session, so I think that why Prime95 made it go crazy.

I've got it so it will turn itself off if it hits 80 deg. :eek:

fobose · 17 Jul 2007 at 18:05

Why are you prime95'n it if its just used for email/word? :confused:

Indy500 · 17 Jul 2007 at 18:06

fobose said:
Why are you prime95'n it if its just used for email/word?

Stability testing?

fobose · 17 Jul 2007 at 18:07

Stability testing a PC thats running at stock speeds and only used for minor tasks?

Indy500 · 17 Jul 2007 at 18:08

fobose said:
Stability testing a PC thats running at stock speeds and only used for minor tasks?

If it crashes during said minor tasks, then why not?