cpu overheating

[Edward Dekkers]

> Linux may make your CPU work hard, but it shouldn't cause it to overheat 
> if the hardware is otherwise OK.  See the other posts in this thread.

And there is the key.

Even if you were to run your processor 100% usage 24/7. If the hardware 
is properly cooled, you will never overheat. The answer is never going 
to be "Let's stop the CPU reaching 100% usage, because that will CAUSE 
overheating". Overheating is caused by poor thermal solutions.

Software is not responsible for poor thermal solutions.

Things I have discovered:

1> A dust caked heatsink on a Northwood or Prescott CPU can make the 
temperature jump from a stressed 55 Celsius to as much as 76 Celsius 
when stressed, causing the BIOS to kick in and prevent overheating (the 
result being different for different motherboards).

2> Simply adding cheap case fans does bring the temperature down a 
little, adds a lot more noise, but most importantly DOES NOT prevent CPU 
overheating. No matter how good the air circulating around the 
fan/heatsink, an improperly functioning fan/heatsink (i.e. covered with 
dust), will simply have to be dusted or replaced.

3> Zalman! I've played with Thermaltake, Coolermaster and Zalman CPU 
fan/heatsinks and it always seems to me the Zalman's are not only the 
coolest, but the quietest as well. For point 1 above, where I was 
getting 55 Celsius stressed temperature for a new CPU and 76 Celsius 
after a year or so in the dust, no matter how much I stress that machine 
now, I cannot get the CPU temp above 43 Celsius, after fitting an $AU80 
Zalman. Expensive I know, but the results are SO worth it.

My experience in a nutshell after 9 years of business - take it or leave it.

Regards,
Ed.