My PC is overheating

**Fingy** · March 24, 2010, 06:53 PM

A few days ago I was playing Napoleon TW and my computer suddenly turned off. It happened again when I was play WOW a day later. But it never turns of when I'm just surfing the net. I looked it up and it's a sign of overheating. So I dusted my computer with compressed air, including the fans and heat sync. Removed the case and made sure that the fans where unobstructed and functioning normally. My computer is still overheating though (it idles at 45° to 50° Celsius in windows) When I go into a game the temp increases to 80°+. At least one of the fans also makes a high pitched noise sometimes. I'm guessing that my video card is beginning to overtax my system (even though I've had it since last summer with no problems, explain that). My video card needs at least a 400w power supply and my power supply is a about 200w. Would that cause overheating? Should I replace the fan on my motherboard or buy a new power supply?

Here are my specs
Windows Vista 64 bit
AMD Phenom 8450 Triple-core processor 2.10 GHz
4 GB of RAM
ATI Radeon HD 4650 1GB GDDR2

**karamazovmm** · March 24, 2010, 10:02 PM

just be sure that all coolers are running, take a look at the high pitched noise and exchange the fans that is doing it.

Buy some dry ice, put it in cup and open the case enough for you to see the airflow, this way you see if there is something wrong with it

**Fingy** · March 25, 2010, 08:38 AM

Thanks Mr MM. Is it bad to have a 200w power supply with a video card that needs at least 400w?

**Roman_Man#3** · March 25, 2010, 02:38 PM

Well, if it needs at least 400, then I'm gonna go out on a limb and say 200 isn't enough. Buy one of these and you'll be set. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...9003&Tpk=450vx

**Fingy** · March 25, 2010, 03:08 PM

I opened up the case and the noise is coming from the fan on my video card. I increased the fan speed from 50% to 89% in catalyst control center and now the noise is gone. Will decreasing the GPU clockspeed in catalyst cool down the card?

**Roman Clone** · March 26, 2010, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Fingy

I opened up the case and the noise is coming from the fan on my video card. I increased the fan speed from 50% to 89% in catalyst control center and now the noise is gone. Will decreasing the GPU clockspeed in catalyst cool down the card?

Depends on how much you decrease it by, but if it is a significant, then you should see a decrease in temperature.

Did increasing the fan speed help with cooling the card?

**Fingy** · March 27, 2010, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Roman Clone

Depends on how much you decrease it by, but if it is a significant, then you should see a decrease in temperature.

Did increasing the fan speed help with cooling the card?

Increasing the card fan to 90% increased the temp. So I turned it down to 29% and its runs cooler.

**Roman Clone** · March 27, 2010, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Fingy

Increasing the card fan to 90% increased the temp. So I turned it down to 29% and its runs cooler.

Quite odd, one should expect to see the temperature decrease with a fan increase...

**Frederich Barbarossa** · March 26, 2010, 11:09 AM

my computer overheats too and turns off usually every 4 hours. :l My fan sucks it has too much dust my comp has a bunch of lines in the screen. WTF r they?