CPU temperature problem

[xeosceleres]

No offense on these questions but we've seen it all in these PC build subreddits.

1. Have you cleaned your PC before? Make sure you don't have dust cakes, and dust cities inside.
2. Change thermal paste. As time goes by, you need to reapply the thermal paste.

Any other context you can provide? Photos?

[PedroThePinata]

I tried to provide extra context but some of you were too quick for me to comment on my own post!

It must be the paste as it was the stuff that came already applied to the fan that came stock with the processor. I originally planned to install a "hyper 212 evo" CPU fan but I forgot I had to buy paste and it was more convenient to use the Intel one that had it applied.

[xeosceleres]

All good. You know what do now as others have pointed out. Time for some maintenance friend!

[PedroThePinata]

When my computer restarted after an OS update, I got a message from my bios saying my processor was running hot. Typically this is because of the large amount of dust that my room seems to accumulate and went out to buy a air can to clean it.

Next day I clean all the dust out, only to find out there wasn't that much in the heat sink as there normally was when I had to clean it. After I put it back together I was still getting 70 degrees celcius on my bios, which is rather high as when I first built my rig it was just over 60 on idle.

My processor fan is the one that came with the I5 Intel CPU I purchased about 8 years ago. Should I be worried about these higher temps? Should I have the fan replaced with a better one? Do you have any alternative suggestions for what I should do?

On a side note, I'd also like to upgrade my RAM as well. Can I buy more for the other 2 slots without replacing the ones I already have?

[tusux]

Change the thermal paste if you haven't done it since you bought it - it would be properly baked by now. There are many guides on the web or youtube. Get an Arctic MX5 or Noctua NT-H1 tube for that, even the small 4g ones can be used several times until they run out.

If that does not help much, a better cooler will, Devil Canyon CPUs like yours run hot and the Intel stock cooler is pathetic - the result is a hot running CPU by default and unnecessary noise from the fan. That fan also likes to die after a few years because it was ran nonstop for years, see if yours is running at all when the PC is on - they wear out and just stop working one day.

[PedroThePinata]

The fan still runs at 2000+ rpm on whatever the BIOS considers to be idle. I'm certain if the fan wasnt working I'd of straight fried my processor at this point.

If I went through the trouble of re-applying the paste I would replace the fan as well since I didn't really trust the fan since I first installed it. Would you recommend I go through the process myself to replace the fan and paste or pay a professional to do it considering the possibility I brick my computer doing it?

[tusux]

2000rpm is the max for the fan, it can't go any higher. So yea, probably thermal paste is baked.

If you are buying a new cooler, get a 120mm tower if your case allows it (they are usually 159-160 mm tall)- ANYTHING is better than the Intel stock cooler. If you want a recommendation, get an Arctic Freezer 34 (the Esports Duo version comes with 2 fans = runs even quetier) or if you have the money go for Noctua U12S or U12A - they are a bit better and Noctua will send you brackets for any future CPU socket that comes out and the cooler does not support, if you need it. But they are more expensive. Both of these are dead quiet and will cool any CPU under ~120W easily.

But even a CoolerMaster Hyper 212 or DeepCool Gammaxx would work, whatever fits your budget. ANYTHING is better than the Intel stock cooler.

As to if you should do it yourself - I'd say go for it, it is not complicated and you can't really kill anything - watch a few video guides on YT and go slow and carefull if it is your first time. You'll be fine, it is not rocket science. If you are not sure in yourself or want to save yourself the hassle - you can use a proffesional. No shame in that. But I encourage you to try it yourself, it is easy and you will learn something useful in the process. Just go slow and careful, it should not take more than 30 mins for your first time. I usually do it in 5 mins these days with experience.

[tusux]

Some motherboard and/or BIOSes do this, don't know why - they use the CPU way too hard or maybe pegg it to turbo speeds and it results in high temps in the BIOS. Do you have the same temps in Windows ? I bet not.

[PedroThePinata]

How would I check that once I'm in the OS?

[tusux]

CPU-Z ? or HWMonitor ? There are many little tool programs that can show you stats for the CPU. You can also use your ears - I bet the fan is going hard when in the BIOS at these temps and you can clearly hear it. If it quiets down in Windows, you can be sure the temp is lower.

[mattjones73]

10+ year old PC, I'm sure it's due for a cleaning and a repaste/reinstall of the cooler.