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Computer keeps crashing... is my CPU too hot?

6K views 30 replies 3 participants last post by  Tumbleweed36 
#1 ·
Hey, thanks for helping me out.

I have a Athalon 64 3000 on a Soyo K8 Dragon Pro motherboard running Windows XP. When I'm in windows after 15 or 20 minutes of using it, sometimes playing music, or the net, the computer all of a sudden restarts. No prompting or anything, just all of a sudden the screen goes blank and the computer restarts. I'm wondering if it could be because the CPU is too hot. It says it's running at 58C/136F. But I don't really know how hot is too hot. And really, I'm not even posotive that this is actually how it would react if it were the problem. But it's the only thing I could think of.

I couldn't find anything too usefull when I searched the net. Does anyone know what the problem could be?
 
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#2 ·
It is very hot. DO a good cleaning change the thermal compound and if these dont work consider changing your heatsink and fan. I wouldnt use my computer with those temps. You may damage your cpu permanently.
 
#3 ·
I cleaned out the case real good last night. So I got that out of the way. I read something online earlier that said they thought some AMD processors could run as hot as 180F and still be stable. Is that misinformation? What kind of temprature should I be shooting for?
 
#4 ·
My father just told me that he thought there was a worm going around that caused computers to act a like this- I didn't think so, but he said his computer did sort of the same thing I'm talking about yesterday, twice.

Does anyone know anything about a worm like that?
 
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#5 · (Edited)
Are you experiencing anyother problems with your OS ? I still think it is the heat but thinking that 9/10 computers are infected you may need to check for malware too. Run adaware - spybot S&D - ewido - and cleanup if the infection looks severe or keeps coming back post a hijackthis log under hjt log help forum here.
All downloads above are available at www.download.com
*pls use the edit feature if you can, located under your post to give more info instead of posting a new post :D
 
#6 ·
Hi,

To answer your heat questions, here are some general guidelines:

32c to 45c is pretty normal for AT-REST CPU temps.

45c to 63c is pretty normal for UNDER-STRESS CPU temps.

If the 58c you report is at-rest, then you are way too hot.

Factory specs say they can run hotter than I listed without damage, but I would never run mine if over that general threshold. If you run it too hot, just remember that HEAT kills, so be very careful.
 
#7 ·
Yeah, the tempreture is at rest.

I put on some fresh heat compound, and cleaned out the case, but it only improved the tempreture a few degrees. And now in startup it can't get past "WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\Mup.sys". So I havent back into windows to try the malwar stuff.

So if my computer is running so hot, what else can I do? I know I only have 1 case fan pushing air in, and the CPU fan. Is that just down right now enough?
 
#8 · (Edited)
bpetruzzo said:
Yeah, the tempreture is at rest.

I put on some fresh heat compound, and cleaned out the case, but it only improved the tempreture a few degrees. And now in startup it can't get past "WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\Mup.sys". So I havent back into windows to try the malwar stuff.

So if my computer is running so hot, what else can I do? I know I only have 1 case fan pushing air in, and the CPU fan. Is that just down right now enough?
Hi,

I saw that you have other threads on some of the same basic issues. Please don't do that, when you get new symptoms, then report them in one thread and you will get some help. Multiple posting can get you into difficulty around here, so refrain from doing that. Therefore, I will only deal with the symptoms you have given me here and not those from another thread. Maybe a moderator can put the three threads together.

In your quote, you said you only have one case fan pushing air in the case. That is absolutely a "no no." If you have only one case fan, it must be in the back of the case and blowing warm air OUT of the case. It might be a good idea to put another fan in front drawing in cool air. While you are at it, make sure your heatsink fan is blowing DOWN on the heatsink and not sucking air up.

Report back on these, and we will try to take a look at other solutions.
 
#9 ·
Okay, sorry. I wasn't sure how to do it, cause it seems like it's a different problem now, so I wasn't sure what to do.

Here is what I put in the other two threads. They're two sort of new problems, that seem almost unrelated. Here's the first:

But along the way a new, I supose more critical, issue arose. I cleaned out my case of dust, re-seated the RAM and applied some fresh heatsink compound (as recommended in the other thread), and now it can't seem to boot into windows in any mode. It gets to "WINDOWS/System32/mup.sys" and it stops. I left it there for a few hours without any progress, so I just shut it down and let it be. I can't figure out what the problem could be. Does anyone have any idea what could be going on? I don't know if it's unrelated to the other problem, or if they're some how linked.


Here's the second:

I've been following the instructions people are getting. But the problem seems to keep elevating to bigger and seemingly different issues. Origonally it seemed like a software issue of some kind. But then it sort of seemed like maybe it was something going wrong with my hardware, but now I've lost power completely. When I press the power button, I get a spurt of energy that spins the fans for half a second then stops and nothing happens after that.


Does that change anything?
 
#10 ·
Hi,

What you describe of just starting and then shutting down sounds like classic short syndrome. Therefore, we need to find the cause of thes short. If it is not a short, then you have something else that is faulty that we might pinpoint. Here is how to start looking:

Take the motherboard out of the case, put it beside the computer case on a piece of cardboard or another non-conductive surface. Hook up the ATX power supply connector, the 12 volt square molex connector, one stick of ram, the CPU, heatsink and fan connected to the motherboard, the video card, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and off/on switch to the front panel connector.

Don't put anything else in the board including no hard drives, no pci cards, no other wires, etc., nothing, nada.......turn it on and see if it boots. If it does not, then short across the two pins for the off/on switch and see if it comes on.

If it stays on, then you have a short somplace between the motherboard and case, either on the sides, at the I/O plate, or between the motherboard posts and the motherboard.

Get that far and report back.
 
#12 ·
bpetruzzo said:
Forgive my ignorance on the matter, but what is a short in the case? And should I approace the need, how do I create a short between two pins?
Hi,

First of all, there is no ignorance on this forum. We all have to learn and this is what our forum about.

When a motherboard touches something that causes a short between some electronic part and the case, that is a short between the case and motherboard. Just take a paper clip and touch between the two points where your normally connect your off/on switch wires. That will do the job. Ask any question when you are not sure how to proceed. We will be happy to help.
 
#13 ·
Alright I got everything out of the case, and plugged up the essentials- leaving off the devices. Turning it on worked, and it stays on when it's not in the case. And I get the boot up screen and all now. So what's the next step? How can I figure out where the short in the case is?
 
#14 · (Edited)
Hi,

Good job on the troubleshooting. Now, the first place to look is to make certain that none of the motherboard posts (standoff posts) is placed where there is not a place in the motherboard. Make sure each one lines up with a post and there are no extra posts or no posts missing. That is the most common area where the trouble lies.

Next, when replacing the case, make sure the motherboard does not touch the sides of the case. If it does, then you need either some type of insulation (piece or rubber) between the case and the side where it touches.

Last place to check. Some times the PCI card covers on the case rub against something on the board. Check those carefully.

Put it back in the case using the same process you used outside of the case. See if it lights up with the same bare essentials. If it does not, then you will probably need a small rubber washer or non-conductive grommet between your motherboard and the motherboard posts. If it does, then put one piece back at a time and rebuild it piece by piece testing it each time. That way if it is a short someplace, you will find what makes it die.

Give it a try and post back what happens. We will get this solved.
 
#16 ·
Alright, I've inched my way back to where I was before. I'm not sure where the short was. I just carefully put things back, making sure the things you pointed out werent a problem, and it's coming on and staying on now. So, at this point I'm back to where I was before. It's stuck trying to load "WINDOWS/System32/drivers/mup.sys". All I have plugged in at this point is the video card, ram, and one hard drive. What should I do next?
 
#17 · (Edited)
is the video card seated completely into it's slot?

when i get those errors on boot, it's usually a card that's half in it's slot.

it is possible that your case is bent somehow causing the video card to not seat fully into it's slot.

look really carefully at the bottom edge of the card, where it dissapears into the slot, and see if it's in there evenly.
 
#18 ·
The card is in there evenly. But in the process of making sure it seats correctly, it's stopped sending signal to the monitor. I pulled another video card to test it, and it's not the card. For some reason the AGP slot isn't working now.

This process riddled with new problems.
 
#20 ·
what are the standoffs? Are you talking about the metal part on the video card? Cause that seems like it goes pretty far down beyond the motherboard, but I don't know if it's touching something or not. Or does it seem like it's still a problem with the case?
 
#25 · (Edited)
Hi again bpetruzzo,

Something you said bothered me. You said in the process of seating your video card, that it quit sending signal to the monitor. I sure hope you are not trying to seat ANY components while the computer is running. Maybe I misunderstood, but that is how I read this.

Always make sure you have the computer off and unplugges and ground yourself prior to entering the case for anything, or static discharge can kill components.

Another thought that I had in addition to Walt's excellent suggestions is that you obviously had a short someplace or you would not have had the shut-downs. Therefore, it is possible that your BIOS became corrupted in the process of an electrical charge. If it were mine, I would clear CMOS and reboot setting the options to Default. That way, if some were altered via electrical surge, that might set it straight again. Might be worth a try.
 
#26 ·
I appreciate your concern, but no I'm not tinkering with things while the computer is on. I just meant that at some point when I replaced the video card something changed in such a way that when I turned the computer back on, it didn't send video signal.

I've reset the bios features to default, but I'm not sure how to clear the CMOS. Is it just an option in the BIOS or is it like messing with jumpers and stuff on the motherboard?
 
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