computer locks up several times a day?

[shultzjr]

I built a system for a friend several years ago which was handed down
to another friend. the second friend says that the computer locks up
several times a day and has to be rebooted to get it going. the
system has:

1. D915GUX mb
2. intel stock fan
3. intel pentium 4 3.2 GHz chip, never overclocked
4. lifetime crucial ram 4 sticks of 1GB ram for 4GB total
5. two 320GB SATA hard drives
6. forgot the video
7. standard other parts

all bought brand knew at the time, memcheck gives no errors

cpu heat is aroud 97C, zone 1 is 60C and zone 2 is 60C
the only fans in system are on cpu and in power supply.

user doesn't think it is a heat issue, I do, always try cheapest
solution first. haven't seen computer in lockup state personally yet.

anyone recommend a good/cheap fan/watercooler system? or is 97C for
cpu ok and I should look elsewhere?

thanks,
charles......

[lordvic]

cpu heat is aroud 97C, zone 1 is 60C and zone 2 is 60C

When you said cpu heat, you mean the CPU temperature right? If so, that's nuts! 97*C?! That's probably why the PC is locking up; WAAAY TOO HOT!!
Make sure the CPU cooler fan is not broken & not spinning.

1. Clean the CPU cooler, there may be balls and balls of dust in the heatsink fins.
2. Replace the thermal paste that goes between the CPU cooler & the processor.
3. Clean the dust out of the WHOLE case; frond bezel, around the RAM slots, fan on the power supply, everywhere.

Temperatures should go down after doing this...97*C is crazy for a any CPU, especially when it's at STOCK frequency.

Add in 2 or 3 case fans to create more airflow; temperatures should drop another ~5*C. Remeber, hot air rises, so exhaust fans should be placed higher in the case, and intake fans should be placed lower or middle of case.
Ideally:
- top back and/or above CPU -> exhaust
- front bottom/middle of case, and/or side panel -> intake

Most CPUs have a max safe operating temperature of 60-70*C; close to 100*C is defintiely not right.

[bubba]

Either the CPU cooler died, not seated properly, or the thermal paste needs to be redone. Not sure how old the system is, but after a few years the thermal paste does need to be redone.

Either way, sounds like a CPU cooler upgrade is needed to replace the stock CPU cooler. Look at the Corsair A50, works well and wont kill the wallet.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1534/1/


From the looks of the board its a LGA775 socket, those old Pentiums ran hot, but they didn't run that hot, mid 80's under extreme load, but not 90s

[shultzjr]

thanks for the feedback probably should have rma'd it when new but oh well

later.....