Is my computer on fire?!

[iCraig]

My old motherboard and AMD chip (2800+) died, so my boss gave me a new P4 mobo and a 3.06ghz Pentium 4 Prescott.

I've fitted it all in and everything, but man, it runs hot! I've tried re-seating the heatsink twice but the temperature is ~70c

I have a case fan blowing hot air out, and the CPU fan is at full throttle all the time, but it stays hot.

Is it normal? Is it safe? Or is the PC slowly cremating itself?

 

[NathanE]

Never use the stock Intel heatsink with a Prescott. Get an Artic Cooler or CM Hyper TX to extract the heat away immediately from the core.

 

[Corasik]

Seen worse, Prescott 3.4Ghz, stock heatsink, and the case only had the PSU exhaust fan, and a very slow (900rpm) low flow rate intake fan.

Poor thing set of the CPU overheat siren while playing Hero's of Might and Magic V. (85 degrees), and it sounded like a helicopter with the cpu fan at full speed.

 

[michael baxter]

They run very hot, I'd agree with Nathan, you need a better cooler.

My choice:

Zalman CNPS7000B + Artic Silver 5 paste

 

[Gashman]

better cooler is a must but prescotts are nigh indestructable

 

[Slinky1989]

wow. My p4 630 3.2g only runs at 61 full load and that's in a shuttle sff

And I thought mine was hot

But yeah, bottom line, Get a better cooler.

 

[Justintime]

Prescotts, especially the first ones tend to run smoking hot, tales of fried motherboards due to excessive heat, burnt up power circuits due to excessive amperage, skyrocketing temperatures hitting 80C+ loaded and burnt psus especially in SFF units aren't unheard of. One ol skoolish remedy is a Big Typhoon heatsink, reduced temps for me on some prescotts as much as 25C or more than the stock sink and did so quietly on more than one occasion.

 

[iCraig]

Get an Artic Cooler or CM Hyper TX

Just installed the CM Hyper TX.

The temperature is now between 25-35c

The thing is a beast, so I guess the sheer amount of copper and the size of the fan certainly gets results.

Compared to this, the stock HSF sucks ass. It sucks ass through a straw.

Money well spent, cheers.

 

[YorkshirePadd26]

Can you toast Marsmallows on it an does flames lick out of the sides,

If so its probably on fire.

If not its just another hot prescot

 

[Digital Punk]

better cooler is a must but prescotts are nigh indestructable

Thats cos they're forged in the sun.

 

[geeza]

Compared to this, the stock HSF sucks ass. It sucks ass through a straw.