Help RE: HP Motherboard

[latierradeltoro]

Hello All,

I am so delighted to be a new member of the TechIMO family. I have spent most of the day searching for information until my fingers are bleeding and I hope you can help me.

I monitor the temperature of the components of my HP unit and I mean the case that contains all the good pile of electronics that I constantly bump my knee on; the CPU, Hard Drive and Motherboard.

I have the acceptable heat range for the first two but I cannot find the heat range for the Motherboard and from the description on the utility it is a Hewlett Packard 0A64h (XU1 Processor). Could someone advise me as to what the acceptable heat range is and average temperature for this?

I'm particularly concerned about these temperatures as a fan stopped working on a previous CPU unit causing such damage that I had to purchase a new one.

Thank you and please have patience with me as my computer illiteracy knows no boundaries.

[stroyal]

Welcome to TeckIMO!

What are the temps?
How do you know, they are acceptable, if you don't know what processor you have.

Temp labels are confusing, for example, is the motherboard temp the chip set, or just the temp, inside the case.

If it is the case temp, it should be close to room temp, if your case cooling is up to snuff.

You can test this, by removing the side of the case. We use a window fan blowing into the case, to maximize the test, and show the potential cooling, you can achieve with enough fans, in the right place..

If all the temps go down, you need better case cooling.
Also the case temp, should go down to room temp, or 1 or 2 degrees above, helping you deduce, what is case, and what is chip set.

To give an exact answer on max temp, of the CPU, and chip set, we need to know the motherboard model, and the CPU.

My old Barton can go to 85c 185f, some Athlons go as high as 95c 203f.
Some Intels, can't go over 55c131f

Here is a short list.
CPU maximum temperatures

What is the model name or number?

[stroyal]

Try this, to get your system info.

Speccy - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

[latierradeltoro]

My Good Friend Stroyal,

Millwright from New Hampshire. Experience with both; great folks, beautiful country.

I have been working hours on responding to your fine letter. Thank you for devoting the time to help me with some terrific information. I will try to further help you to help me keeping in mind the last sentence of my post.

Sorry if I caused confusion but I should have mentioned I have Speccy, a great utility and that is how I am religiously monitoring temperatures plus having a pile of data on my computer. Having this utility may I assume I can put aside installing a thermometer inside my case? (Bad joke)

The CPU is an AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Processor and is currently running at 121 F-123 F. The Motherboard is Hewlett Packard Model 0A64h(XU1 Processor), Chipset Vendor ATI Model Xpress 200 (RS480) system running at 72 F. I found the temp ranges for the CPU as 120 F -149 F and though you didn't mention it, the Hard Drive is a 78 GB Western Digital WDC WD800JD-60LSA5(SATA) temp range 90 F - 140 F, running at 106 F.

I took the info right from Speccy and hope this was what you needed from me. I can only spend so much time with this computer but the other day I managed to clean debris around the front grill and greatly reduced the temp as it was climbing. I am hesitant about crawling around inside as this is way over my head.

Well, I hope I haven't rattled on too much so I'll close out thanking you once more for your help and take care.

Your friend,
latierradeltoro

[stroyal]

I can't find a link. for your computer with that number, even at the HP sight.
That info on the CPU, assuming it is a single core, could be a San Diego, Manchester, Venice, Winchester, or a Claw Hammer.
Any of those ring a bell?

If you haven't cleaned the inside of the case thoroughly, including the CPU heat sink, you should.
I clean my computers 2 times a year, 100%, and that is not overdoing it.
After 6 mo they begin to heat up.

Keep in mind, you computer temps go up, and down with room temp, close to a 1 to 1 basis.
As well as HP, is not known for their cases, and cooling.
They are usually lacking case fans.

Your max of 149f/65C is at the max of the socket 393 3500+ and over the 63c of the San Diego, Toledo and Windsor.

It could be just dirty, or the thermal paste is worn out.

If you touch the heat sink, it should be too hot to hold your hand on,@140f.
If the CPU temp is reliable, and you can hold your hand, on the heat sink, the thermal past is no good.(ground yourself to the case, before touching anything inside, nothing fancy, just touch the metal on the outside),

What was you room temp, when the system read 72f.
Did you remove the side of case to test?

I didn't mention you hard drive, because
If you system temps are OK, then you are not going to overheat that.
Your max of 140f/60c is at the max for most hard drives.
106f/41c is fine though

I'd say you need a good cleaning, and new thermal paste.

Use compressed, or canned air, and a tooth brush for anything that still sticks, and blow it out again. Clean it like new, and you won't have a problem. (every fan blade, both sides.)


I remove the heat sink, and wash it in the sink, with hot soapy water.
Then I put new paste on, after cleaning the bottom, with Isopropyl Alcohol.

If you don't feel comfortable doing this, don't.
It is not that hard, but it dose require a little mechanical ability, and finesse.

[elroy]

As mentioned above if you cannot hold your finger on the heatsink it is likely to hot.

Also signs of an overheating system are unexplained lock ups or re-boots.

As the silicon in the cpu gets to hot the current starts to bleed between the layers, basically shorting out circuits within the cpu. Thus the system freezes up.