heatsink temperature

[furio]

I have a p4 DELL system, and after playing C&C Generals for a couple hours the other day I opened my case and noticed the heatsink was very hot, too hot to touch in fact.

Should the heatsink get that hot?

[_N_]

>>Should the heatsink get that hot?
NO


your way of measuring is not very accurate,

go into BIOS and look up your CPU temp, or even better install MotherBoard Monitor (MBM) and you can monitor your temps in windows.

[Antallica]

It'll probably be around 60C-65C IMHO

[MR_60]

In my experience, many brand name pc's have 'just enough' cooling on their CPU's, ie passive heatsinks relying on case fans, and cheap thermal pads... eg. Compaq, HP, Dell... Having said this, if you are not overclocking, these seemingly high temps are within the 'specified limits' of the CPU and shouldn't damage it for some time. (should live at least 3-5 years without problems.)

However, as you reduce the temperature you increase life expectancy (there's a formula but I don't know it, but even a degree makes a big difference) so if your box isn't under warranty, you could consider a better aftermarket heatsink. If it IS, i wouldn't worry unless it's crashing, cos if you change (or even remove and replace) that heatsink you will without doubt void your warranty.

Given that your heatsink is that hot, at least it is picking up heat from the CPU, so I wouldn't be concerned that it is malfunctioning, merely not overengineered like the heatsinks that overclockers typically use to enable them to run their CPU's outside of the specified limits of operation.

[p01s0n_p1e]

id say the warranty is void if he had the case open anyway.

i wonder if the warranty is void if you were to say, cut a blowhole without ever "opening" the case?

[furio]

MotherBoard Monitor won't work with the DELL mobo... and there is no temp thing in bios.

I only have a 64MB geforce2 MX...

The system is just out of the one year warranty, so I might get a aftermarket heatsink, maybe keep it alive a bit longer.

[whetu]

Originally posted by MR_60
However, as you reduce the temperature you increase life expectancy (there's a formula but I don't know it, but even a degree makes a big difference) a drop of 10c == double life expectancy

[code187]

I thought he got warrenty since he opened up the case. Don't they have sticker seal proof thing so it prevent them from upgrading from other comapanies.

[Method]

It will be fine. If it doesnt crash become unstable it should be sweet.

say with amd systems 60*c is expected alltho we here like our temps below 40*c well i do anyway.

P4's i dont know much of but i know if they get too hot they will attempt to cool themselvs by lowering there clock speed. I wouldnt worry too much about it if i were you. Maby leave the side panel of your case off seing that you have allready taken it off.

If you dont care about warrenty a aftermarket hsf would be the way to go alltho these could generate a fair ammount of noise.