CPU too hot??

[benjy20]

Hi guys, have been having problems for ages with my pc, it takes ages to boot up, its not so bad getting to the desktop but then takes about 5 mins to finally open everything, and i only have zonealarm and avast! in the system tray. Have done everything possible to clean up and get my pc running as smooth as possible but still no solution. Spyware, malware, system mechanic, defrag etc.

I have had a problem when switching pc on from cold that the fan makes a strange, loud grinding/whirring noise, i have to switch it off and boot again, usually doing this 3 times and it then is quiet. I noticed that my cpu temp when idle is 65 degrees C, this seems pretty high for idling but im no expert so am wondering if the slowness of my pc is down too the cpu running too hot. My processor is an Athlon 2000XP.

Any help would be great thx guys.

 

[riekmaharg2]

A hot CPU want be the cause of slowness. I would buy a new fan and reformat your harddrive.

 

[Mugsy]

Slow boot typically network.

its not so bad getting to the desktop but then takes about 5 mins to finally open everything, and i only have zonealarm and avast!

This is not a heat problem, it's a Network problem.

I suspect you have networked your PC, but even if you haven't, Zone Alarm is checking to see if you do, and it is that scouring of your network to find phantom PC's that is slowing your startup time. (I'm not familiar with "Avast!").

Also, if you have DSL or if your Net connection is through another PC, make sure your PC doesn't "autoconnect" when Windows starts. That will slow you down greatly too, and puts you at risk providing any nasty Spyware/Malware with free access to the Net whenever it wants.

If this is not a Networking issue, you've still got something loading at startup that is trying to do something at the start (like a virus or Spyware looking for a connection to the Net to upload info).

 

[benjy20]

I was part of a wireless network a while back but no longer, i also seem to have quite a few random networks which are not being used as i no longer use any networking.

Whats the best thing to do as i never considered a networking problem but it could definately be it. Should i just remove all the networks that have been set up previously?

 

[Mugsy]

I'm going to have to reply quickly and in less detail than I'd like because my PC is dying a slow painful death on me and keeps crashing.

Go into "My Connections" and delete any unused connections. Disable ZoneAlarm. Set your computer not to auto-dial onto the Internet at boot (use a shortcut instead).

Let me know if this helps.

PS: When a psu gets "cold", the grease around the bearings thickens and the fan motor rattles and makes noice. Once it warms up, all is okay, right?

If it's not particularly cold in your house, the bearings may be waring out. If the fan goes, the psu will quickly follow. Stay alert.

Whether or not an idle cpu temp of 65'C is good or bad depends on what CPU you have. If it's a model that two or three years old, that's probably much too high. If it's within the past year, it's warm but the chip can take it.

More detail is needed.

 

[tazzman41]

benjy20

I would go and buy spysweeper if that doesn't help reformat your hard drive and add some more fans to your case and cpu.

 

[benjy20]

Ok, i tried deleting all of the connections but it wouldn't allow me to delete any of them "the connection you have selected cannot be deleted". Think i remember having that problem before when trying a while back.

I dont have my computer on auto dial-up at the moment, i think i turned it off a while back as it was annoying me as i dont always have access to the internet.

About the psu, its not cold here really but when starting pc from cold, i.e. not been used in a few hours then thats when i happens, usually a few attempts in a row but then it is quiet, if my pc has been on in last couple hours, it usually works 1st time. Its been doing this for over a year as far as i remember.

CPU is Athlon 2000XP, have had it about 3 and 1/2 years now. Under any sort of load my computer really struggles alot more than it used too.
Currently it is 67 degrees, that is just with firefox open, typing this reply.

Could it be the CPU fan that is making the noise, not the PSU?

Thx for your suggestions so far guys, much appreciated!

 

[riekmaharg2]

It could be the CPU fan take the side of your case and listen around both CPU fan and psu fan. Replace the fan that is making the noise. Once you've done that click on start,run, then type msconfig , Click the start up tab. This will show you a list of programs that start up when you log into windows. Untick the ones you dont need to stop them from starting up with windows. This will make windows log in and load faster.

 

[benjy20]

I took the side off and it seems to be the cpu fan that is making the noise, its spinning fine but just making a grinding noise when its cold. Any idea where i can get a fan for an old cpu such as mine, i've looked before without much luck.


I have done the msconfig and got rid of everything possible so literally all i have is zonealarm and avast on startup. I noticed while actually sitting and waiting for once for my computer to boot up that it gets to the desktop at a fair speed but then it doesnt do anything for about 5 mins, its not actually loading anything or even trying to, it just sits there with full desktop but an empty tray, then after a few minutes it decides to start loading again and then avast and zonealarm appear into the tray.

 

[riekmaharg2]

I think you will have to go to Ebay for a fan for a Athlon xp :http://cgi.ebay.com/CPU-FAN-COOLER-...8QQihZ014QQcategoryZ42001QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Also about your startup problem. Try booting into safemode and see if it does the same thing. If it does then its a problem with windows, If it doesn't have the problem then it must be some software or a virus that is cause your 5 min waiting.

 

[tazzman41]

to hot cpu

you can get fans at radio shack i seen some there for 15.00 .

James

 

[Mugsy]

Undeletable connections

Ok, i tried deleting all of the connections but it wouldn't allow me to delete any of them "the connection you have selected cannot be deleted". Think i remember having that problem before when trying a while back.

(...)

Currently it is 67 degrees, that is just with firefox open, typing this reply.

Could it be the CPU fan that is making the noise, not the PSU?

Network connections can't be deleted once the socket is open, which is what your PC is doing during that long stall... trying to open sockets to non-existant connections.

Create a Save Point (from System Restore) first after a normal boot, disable Zone Alarm and Avast (your Avast AV is probably looking for network connections too) then reboot into Safe Mode (without Networking) and you *should* be able to delete those connections. If you delete anything you shouldn't have, just do a System Restore.

Reboot normally and you should see immediate improvement. If not, let us know. You can re-enable Avast and Zone Alarm at this point but both will need reconfiguring so as not to go looking for those connections again. After re-enabling them, load and reconfigure each WITHOUT rebooting (because they'll simply just start looking for those connections again).

And 67'C at near idle is much too hot for my tastes, but "stability" is the only question that matters (the old XP's were rated to 85'C before frying). If you don't crash under a heavier/hotter load, then you're fine. I would replace the HSF if it is making noise though. You can still find good ones for your XP all over the Net. Plenty of older reviews still lying around online to help pick the best one.

At minimal load, you should be seeing temps under 50'C. See about finding a good HSF with a copper core (minimum) and high volume fan (27cfm or better). You DO have exhaust fans in your case to extract the warm air, right? Make sure your intake fans aren't sucking the warm air back in. That's deadly for a PC. And if you have fan speed control, either on a knob or in the BIOS, make sure it's not tuned too low.

 

[benjy20]

Sorry not replied in ages guys, have been away. Just gonna try and sort out the network connections now hopefully!

I have new hsf which has dropped the temps down to about 48-50 so its nearly 20 degrees cooler than it was, thats set on medium out of 3 settings.

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/58513

Thats the one that i now have.

I don't have any fans in my case, i have one place available at the back of the case where i can fit a fan but thats the only place. Is it worth getting a fan put in there as well??

I will get back to you on how it goes with the safe mode stuff as soon as i can,

thx guys

 

[Mugsy]

I have new hsf which has dropped the temps down to about 48-50 so its nearly 20 degrees cooler than it was, thats set on medium out of 3 settings.
(...)
I don't have any fans in my case, i have one place available at the back of the case where i can fit a fan but thats the only place. Is it worth getting a fan put in there as well??

Without more ventillation, your cooler temps are likely to be short lived. And only one fan/vent in the back just is no longer adequate. I highly recommend you get a new case with top, front, side and rear fan mounts (my last case had only one fan mount in front. I put a large 80m fan in there, which drove a ton of air, but it was not enough. Running with the side off was cooler, but the psu sucked up so much dust, it died an early death.

Has the new hsf had any affect on the slow boot issue? Let me know once you've deleted those old unused connections.

 

[Wrooty]

Hello. I know you might not like this. But your hard drive seems having troubles. Google this "WinDLG" and download the program. Then get your hand on a second hard drive, doesn't matter about the size of quality, stick a copy your OS on it, boot from it and use the WinDLG to "Set zero's" your original hard drive. Then dust your computer with compressed air and reinstall your OS.
I know its long dull and boring. But it worked for me. Let me know if it works.
Cheers!
(Also you said your CPU was 3 and a 1/2 years old. Nothing major but it won't be helping the situation.)

 

[AnySupreme]

the first thing i would check is the system fan and heatsink... make sure there isn't any dust... also, make sure your computer is getting air... another factor in slow startup could be memory and processor speed .... i would also suggest that you go to start and run and do msconfig and disable all programs from starting up at startup... but, another thing i would check is... the processor.... it is possible for the processor to be faulty... cpu's don't get really hot for no particular reason... unless they're being overworked... but, startup items shouldn't do that.... running a spyware check and also trying to defragment your drive might also help speed things up....