PC Overheating

[Albert Foster]

I have an emachines W3400 by Gateway.

The warenty is up and now my PC seems to be overheating.

What happens is it goes to a crazy screen resolution or everything turns blue.

I can only cold shut down when this (Crazy resolution) happens because the mouse pointer dosen't match the screen.

The reason I think it is overheating is because if I keep the room uncompfortly cold this rarely happens. If the room is warm I cannot leave the PC on for very long.

I did remove the side cover and blew the dust out from everywhere I could.

The fan is running and I can feel a draft at the air slots next to the fan.

There is nothing within three or four inches on either side of the PC.

PC specs:

AMd Athlon 64

80 GB hard drive

512MG DDR SDRAM

Windows XP home w/SP2 preinstalled

ATI radion xpress 200

[AdvancedSetup]

Does the BIOS have any temp probes to monitor the actual temp?

 

Typically pressing either DEL or F2 or some other key combination will allow you to go into the BIOS and look around and maybe see if one of the entries monitors temp.

 

I could be that the power supply is just failing and having to work harder when its hot.

[Dalo Harkin]

Sounds like the Graphics card if its making the resolutions go all mad, is there a seperate card for the graphics or is it built onboard?

if its a card then check the fan on it and check that it is clean and free from dust -

[Albert Foster]

Does the BIOS have any temp probes to monitor the actual temp?

 

Typically pressing either DEL or F2 or some other key combination will allow you to go into the BIOS and look around and maybe see if one of the entries monitors temp.

 

I could be that the power supply is just failing and having to work harder when its hot.

Thanks for the reply but I definatly don't understand.

I tried pressing the delete key and the F2 key both individualy and then both together. Nothing happened.

Actualy I am a bit scared anyway of going into bios, could I screw something up if I am not familiar with what I am doing?

[Albert Foster]

Sounds like the Graphics card if its making the resolutions go all mad, is there a seperate card for the graphics or is it built onboard?

if its a card then check the fan on it and check that it is clean and free from dust -

Thanks again for the reply.

I am going to try this now but It will take me a while.

My son had a similer PC by EMachines, He also advised me to check a small fan down by the Motherboard and/or Graphics card.

I don't remember seeing that fan but I guess I should check it out since you also mentioned it.

I have a little mechanic ability but this PC stuff is way over my head.

Thanks again and please don't get upset at my ignorance.

I'll be back later to tell you guys what I found.

[Albert Foster]

Dalo Harkin

OK I found both fans inside my PC There was quite a bit of dust behind the one on the graphics card on like a heat sink type thing.

I blew that out with a duster can.

Now I will just wait to see if that fixed the problem.

You guys are all right.

Thanks loads.