Keep it cool

Hi folks! My laptop heats up quite often...So, I read up a few articles online regarding overheating of computers and wish to share the knowledge with you.

The computers cooling system of great importance. Without it, the electrical components of your computer wouldn't function; overheating would damage the integral parts. Dissipation of the heat is necessary in order to keep the components within safe operating temperatures.

What are the potential dangers an over heated computer poses?

If your computer becomes too hot, there's a possibility of destruction and shortening of the lifespan of the hardware inside-the motherboard, CPU, and more—significantly shortening its lifespan, leading to irreparable damage and potential data loss.

Also, hot computer will run slower than a cooler computer. So to prevent your computer from slowing down, make sure that it is running at a moderate or low temperature.

What's an ideal temperature??

The safe temperature range your computer should run at varies depending upon the model/make of your computer. The safe operating range depends on things like processor type, manufacturer, and other factors that make it impossible to give an answer that applies to all CPUs.

For AMD and Intel processors, the maximum temperature rating is 80 degree Celsius. Most people try and keep the CPU temperature below 40C at idle and below 55C at load.

How to diagnose??

Sticking your hand over your computer's ventilation system or case isn't an accurate way to judge.Even if you do, as an initial diagnostic measure, it should not be hot enough that you are forced to pull back your hand.However, you've got a few options.

If you do not wish to install new software for this purpose, check the computer's temperature using your system BIOS.

Restart your computer==>On the boot screen, you should have an option to press a key (often Delete) to enter BIOS==>Setup==>Search for 'computer's hardware monitors and CPU' in Menu==>CPU temperature.

Restarting is a problem? Not to worry. System monitoring tools can give you a temperature read-out. Software's like HWmonitor which displays the temperature of the CPU, each of the computer's cores, video card, hard drives, along with the minimum and maximum values of each temperature. (Please note: you'll need to make sure that your hardware is supported because the program can only read certain sensors.)

Prevention is better than cure:

Most computers come with adequate cooling systems and plenty of fans, but here are some steps you can take to ensure heat doesn't become a problem.

Keep it clean: Always keep the interiors of the computer spic and span. Dust is a huge culprit.

Dust is an insulator that radically reduced life span by raising the temperature of components across the board. Not taking the time to dust out your computer once or twice a year is like being too busy to get your oil changed.The geek procedure is to use a compressed can of air to blow out the fans, inlets, and heat sinks. Among the really important things to check for is the fan on top of the CPU, the filters over the fans, and the fan on the power supply.

Avoid hot neighbors: Ideally, the flow of air where the fans are, should be steady and adequate, with room for the computer to breathe.

What if my computer's overheated already?

Resist the urge to dismantle the side case off the CPU. It's a mistake that could worsen the issue. Most computers are very carefully designed to ensure that cool air is delivered to critical components and removing the side of the case disrupts the circulation (convection) system.

What you must do is, shut down the computer and let it cool down. Then you may do some cleaning if necessary or plan some system-cooling upgrades if necessary.

If you're still having temperature problems, open your computer and check for damaged fans and heat sinks. If you find some broken fans or a damaged heatsink, replace them and install cooling a software.

If none of the above seem of help, consult a professional.