Member Avatar for Nemes

Hello,

a few months ago, my computer kept freezing/locking, especially when running multiple processes (FFXI running, 4-5 IE windows, Windows Media Player playing something...), and also when playing WarCraft III(and that one happened a lot). By freezking/locking, I mean that the screen would turn black, the sound froze, and keyboard would not respond.

Though I use the past tense, it can still freeze; I tried re-installing the Windows XP, but it didn't fix the problem, at least not completely. It's only frozen once when not using Warcraft III, but it freezes within 5 minutes when I run Warcraft III (I can just open the main menu, go take a glass of water, and the computer's frozen).

Anyways, while I would be truly grateful if someone would help me with this problem, this is not the real reason why I am posting.

Before I re-installed Windows, I was convinced it was an over-heating problem with the CPU (my CPU was hovering around 55 degrees Celsius, but the CPU is made to keep at those temperatures) So, following a friend's advice, I tried applying thermal paste...

Now, here's the thing. When he gave me instruction on how to apply it, he said, and I quote, to "put a think layer of paste"... Yeah, typo :sad: Of course, I interpreted it as "thick" instead of "thin"... Of course, the results were, while not as catastrophic as they could have been, pretty bad. Some paste ended up on several pins of the CPU, and on the motherboard, around the CPU mounting area. I cleaned most of it using cold air, mainly, and the computer works.

The only problem is the fan. When I run a game, the fan starts spinning very quickly, and thus leads to a very high level of noise, and becomes quite irritating after a while.

I know this might be a pretty vague question, but, maybe there's a simple way to fix it, that's why I had to ask. What is causing horrible noise? Is it possible that the noise comes from the heatsink being damaged? It doesn't sound like the fan it hitting something when it rotates, which would be the case if the heatsink had been distortioned(sp?). Or is it because the motherboard is damaged from paste on it, near the CPU, or the pins?

Would changing heatsink help? CPU? Motherboard? Any way to find out which one would solve it?

My main focus is on trying to lower this devil's sound my fan is making( and yes, it is the CPU fan making the noise), though if someone happens to have an idea for my freezing problem, I would be very grateful to hear that as well :surprised

Thank you for your time,
Marc


N.B. I have an AMD 64 processor, 3500+, and the motherboard is from DFT: LP NF4 Series.

  • 6 Contributors
  • 12 Replies
  • 210 Views
  • 3 Weeks Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by alkibalboa
Member Avatar for BinaryMayhem

take the fan off... peel back the little lable on the back, and put a few drips of gear oil, or light machine oil in the center. that should do it.

as for the computer locking up... it could be any number of things... overheating, dusty, driver problems....when it locks up... does it throw a BSOD? or any debug info?

Member Avatar for caperjack

Its normal for the fan to spin fasten when playing a game because the cpu is heating up .not normal to make extra noice ,Oil might help ,i would get a new fan ,most likely damage already done from dust/dit in fan .oil only quick fix .Replace

Member Avatar for Nemes

I'm not sure if I said so in my initial post, but the fan didn't make any strong noise before I applied thermal paste and screwed up. When I played games, the fan probably spinned faster to compensate the extra work done by the CPU that's generating heat, but the sound never became louder.

I have not tried putting gear oil yet, since I can't find any at home, but I'm working on that...
You think that changing the fan would necessarily fix this situation? Would that mean changing the heatsink altogether?

As for the computer freezing, I'm not sure what BSOD is, but it doesn't throw any debug info. The screen literaly turns black, sound freezes.
However, I believe I have fixed the problem, by cleaning registers with some free-wares. I would have thought that re-installing a Windows would clean the registers, though.

Thank you for your replies

Member Avatar for alkibalboa

first off what type of processor is it? because 55 degrees celcius is not healthy. I think the fix would be a new heatsink, if it is a socket A processor (thouroughbred - xp, athlon, and some semprons) I suggest a Speeze heatsink ( I think coolermax bought them out, but a GREAT heatsink and cheap) I am running a p42.4ghz and I run at 8-10 degrees celcius, so I know 55 is a bad number.

Member Avatar for goldeagle2005

I am running a p42.4ghz and I run at 8-10 degrees celcius, so I know 55 is a bad number.

8-10 degrees celsius? Are you using some sort of liquid cooling, or is your room temperature that cold? I doubt even a top end air cooling solution will be able to bring the temperature down to 8-10 degrees celcius. Normally, CPUs run at a temperature range of 35-50 degrees celcius.(but that varies on the ambient temperature).

In india, where I'm from the ambient temp itself is about 37-42 deg celsius in summers. Even then, my Athlon 64 2800+, over clocked to 2.13GHz, works at about 47 deg celsius.

Member Avatar for alkibalboa

well I like it cold haha. It is warming up outside. now so the temp is going up too. its up to about 14 C now. But I just run a normal heatsink, and 4 exhaust fans.

Member Avatar for caperjack

not to argue but i too find it hard to belive you are running at that temp

Member Avatar for goldeagle2005

You took the words out of my mouth, caperjack. I just don't see how the CPU temp can go that low. The average ambient temperature would be around 32 degrees celsius. How does your CPU stay at 8 degrees C?

It's possible your temperature sensor is busted

Member Avatar for Cerebral Assasi

see if the fan screws are tightened.. for all u know theres something loose thats rattling coz of the vibration. id juggest just getting a new coolermaster heatsink costing abt 2000 for good gaming cooling.... u get one in bangalore and chennai easily... id suggest the Hyper 6+ i dont trust the stock coolers... nad get urself antec silver thermal paste inthe meanwhile... apply think layer.. pun intended. no offense... :)

Member Avatar for Cerebral Assasi

first off what type of processor is it? because 55 degrees celcius is not healthy. I think the fix would be a new heatsink, if it is a socket A processor (thouroughbred - xp, athlon, and some semprons) I suggest a Speeze heatsink ( I think coolermax bought them out, but a GREAT heatsink and cheap) I am running a p42.4ghz and I run at 8-10 degrees celcius, so I know 55 is a bad number.

whoa sorry for the double post but 8-10 degrees? does even liquid nitrogen bring it down that much... ? u sure dude ? neva heard of it in history and the temp range for AMD 64 can go upto 75 degrees overclocked...

Member Avatar for goldeagle2005

Neither have I, Cerebral. Possibly a busted sensor. As for the AMD64, I've overclocked my 2800+ to 2.13GHz (stock speed 1.8GHz) and it runs slightly at about 47-52 degrees celsius (depending on the load). But I'm yet to see it go above 52.

Member Avatar for alkibalboa

Well I could be wrong, and it wouldn't be the first time. I do have a cold house, I like it that way. Also according to my Enermax it says that the instide of my computer is at 12C atm. I know thats not the processor, but I checked a few times over the last couple days, and in my bios it says its below 20 every time. - could just be a flaw/bug. but thats what it says.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.