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Proper CPU cooling. Backwater: assembling a water cooling system for a PC

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Any laptop heats up to some extent during operation. Especially often overheating of this technique occurs in the summer, when the ambient temperature rises. Similar overheating is also observed when modern computer games are turned on. In order to protect the equipment from critical temperatures, temperature sensors are initially installed in it. When the temperature readings of the central or GPU reach a critical value, the device simply turns off. But this is not always convenient, especially if you were performing important actions on your device at the time of shutdown.

Causes of overheating

In order to cope with overheating problems, you need to find their cause and try to eliminate it.

The main reason for overheating of the laptop lies in its dimensions, namely in the compactness of the case. In it, manufacturers place all the same components that are available in the usual desktop computer. In doing so, the task is to maintain the performance of the device. To fulfill this purpose, the hardware elements are packed quite tightly in the case. There is very little space between them. This prevents the full movement of air, the meaning of which is to bring hot streams out and cold in. The compactness of laptops does not allow equipping them with overall and powerful coolers.
An additional inconvenience when using a laptop is dust, lint, hair, wool and other small light particles that periodically accumulate in places where air is blown out and on the radiator. Because of this, the performance of the device, in particular, thermal conductivity, is reduced. In this case, the cooler becomes clogged, and its efficiency is reduced.

The summer time has come, and laptop owners are increasingly asking the question: “how to cool a laptop” if it gets pretty hot after a certain period of operation

Sometimes the cause of your device overheating is a malfunction in the fan, caused by a breakdown or a factory defect. For example, it may turn out that the lubricant on it is insufficiently applied or the bearing is faulty.
Running the device for a long time can dry out the thermal paste, which provides better heat transfer to the cooler and heatsink, allowing the fan to function more efficiently.
Some laptop owners misuse them. For example, you can often observe how at home the device is not installed on a hard surface, but on a blanket or placed directly on your knees. In these cases, overheating of the device cannot be avoided, because the holes for blowing out heated air are closed, and the processor is not able to fully cool.

Expert opinion: how to cool a laptop at home?

Most effective method to lower the temperature inside is to replace the thermal paste. It is desirable to carry out such a procedure regularly. It is also worth remembering that the best remedy for overheating is prevention: place the laptop only on hard surfaces (and it is best to purchase a special cooling pad) and do not forget to clean it from dust.

Konstantin Kotovsky

About symptoms

To determine the temperature of the laptop are used special programs. If you suspect that your device is heating up excessively, refer to the data that displays the measurements temperature sensor. For example, you can use the BIOS / UEFI or the HWInfo utility to find out the required information. You can find any other program that will show you the heating of the computer by displaying sensor data. In a special window, you can also observe the speed of rotation of the cooler.

Refer to the operating manual for information on the permissible operating temperature range of the device. This data is also available on the official page of the company that sells laptops.

But it is not necessary to resort to utilities when determining the permissible operating temperature of a small-sized computer.

When the CPU/GPU temperature limit is reached, the device will simply turn off

If it overheats, then it will be clear immediately by the following signs:

too loud noise from the fan;
the blown air is very hot;
abrupt shutdown of a laptop;
hot body.

Consequences of high temperatures

If you do not pay attention to the constant overheating of the laptop, this can lead to unpleasant consequences. For example, high temperatures have a negative effect on the processor. The crystal structure of its components is gradually destroyed, negatively affecting its performance.

You probably paid attention to the fact that an overheated microprocessor begins to “slow down”, slowly completing tasks. In this case, the owner of the device can see error messages on the screen. Some processes may be invisible to the user. Sometimes when the processor overheats, it needs to perform calculations several times until it gets the correct result.

But this situation can be especially inconvenient for gamers who are fond of online games with detailed graphics. The high temperature inside the laptop provokes the device to turn off right during some important “battle”. Often such nuances make the gaming community wonder: “how to cool a laptop?”, And resort to sophistication for the sake of good cooling.

But the negative thermal factor adversely affects not only the crystal structure of the microprocessor. After all, the silicon involved in the operation of transistors is also subject to charring, as are the contacts. This provokes even more overheating and easily disables the device in just a few months.

Typically, a laptop is not in danger of failure due to overheating, because it has temperature sensors

Ways to eliminate factors that provoke overheating

Notebook stands

Today, there are many different laptop stands available. They differ in the presence or absence of an additional cooling cooler. Both of them allow you to reduce the temperature of the processor. Such devices are sometimes quite inexpensive and available to everyone.

Software cleaning

You can reduce the temperature by reducing the list of software that works with the system. It is also advisable to close unused applications through the task manager.

CPU voltage

You can manage it according to the following scheme: start the “power supply”, → go to the settings of the current power plan, → select additional power options, → open the processor power management tab → lower its maximum voltage.

Switching off the device

Sometimes, simply turning off a laptop allows it to cool down enough to allow it to continue. safe work. This reduces fan noise and allows time for the underside of the case to cool down.

Today you can purchase a lot of gadgets and even installations that allow you to keep the temperature regime of the device within acceptable limits.

Cleaning and replacing thermal paste

Professionals advise every six months to clean the cooler (fan and radiator) from dust. At the same time, it is desirable to update the thermal paste, which increases heat dissipation from the CPU to the heatsink.

A Phillips screwdriver is used to open the housing cover. Dust that has accumulated inside the laptop, between the radiator fins and under the fan, is removed using wipes, cotton swabs, a can of compressed air, or a vacuum cleaner.

To reduce the chance of the device overheating, you need to properly distribute the thermal paste when replacing the cooling element. You can buy it at any store that sells computer technology, or in the radio market.

Sequencing:

detach the heatsink from the processor surface;
remove the remnants of the old thermal paste from the processor and heatsink;
apply new paste to the surface of the microprocessor.

The paste is applied in a thin layer, it is necessary to provide a minimum of space between the radiator and the contact area. If you apply an excessively thick layer of paste, overheating is possible CPU until its failure.

Also, at least once a year, you should replace the thermal paste, which improves heat dissipation from the processor to the radiator, and, accordingly, the fan

Fan replacement and repair

If you have experience in assembling / disassembling a portable computer, then you will probably be able to independently replace the fan with exactly the same or more powerful one. This must be done in the case when it is known for sure that the cause of overheating lies precisely in this element of the laptop. Sometimes it is enough just to change the bearing grease. It's easy to do it yourself. After such maintenance, it rotates freely from a light touch.

Cooling programs

There are items in the BIOS that allow you to change the rotation modes of the fans that cool motherboard(if any) and the central processing unit. In the presented section, you can set the aggressive mode for them. But at the same time, the noise from the fans will be noticeably higher, even when the laptop is not performing any tasks (idle).

Some discrete graphics cards come with special utilities, but they are usually used to reduce the speed and noise from the fan, which increases the temperature.

Some manufacturers make life easier for users by supplying motherboard(or laptop) specialized programs that allow you to monitor sensor readings and change parameters that affect forced cooling.

Proper operation

When using a portable computer, its correct operation plays an important role. When it stands on a hard surface, such as a table or special stand, there is enough space for hot air to blow out. When the laptop is placed on a sofa, blanket or bed, the air inlet and outlet slots are blocked, therefore, cooling is degraded. It is best to place the body of the device on specialized tables, which have additional holes on their surface for the passage of hot air.

The whole story began with the modernization of the system. I wanted to change the processor AMD Athlon XP on Athlon 64.

And from this it followed that the change of the processor here would not have done. So I had to change

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Socket 754 (NewCasle)
Motherboard: ASUS K8N-E Deluxe
Memory: Two 256 Mb PC-3200 modules
Video: Albatron GeForce 4 Ti4800SE 128Mb AGP8x
HDD: WD SATA 80GB 7200rpm (8Mb buffer), Seagate Barracuda ATA-100 40GB 7200rpm (2Mb buffer)
CD-ROM ASUS 52X
CD-RW NEC 48x/24X/48x
FDD Mitsumi
Case with 420w power supply
Cooling: Titan 4800rpm cooler + 4 additional fans

But please note this is the configuration that turned out after the upgrade was completed, but for now the system had a 300W power supply, and there were no additional fans, as well as a powerful sound system, which in this list not listed, but about it at the end of this article.
In the meantime, we begin to move a little in front. The first impression of the acquired iron overshadowed all the problems of the system, but soon I had to specifically think about them.

Let's move on to the first problem, namely the problem of noise. I probably haven't told you yet that when changing hardware, the system unit was not replaced with a new one, which led to an increase in noise when the cooler was running at full speed. In fact, the problem was not in the system unit, but in the cooler itself, apparently, the manufacturer did not take into account its aerodynamic shortcomings, in connection with this it seemed that my system unit was about to leave (in the literal sense, the rattling was simply unbearable).
But one misfortune does not happen without another, and it so happened that when playing DooM3 in my power supply, something burned out, and he flatly refused to turn on the system. It was decided to buy a Thermaltake Dual Fan 420W power supply, the choice fell on it not by chance, because. its weight was almost two and a half kilograms, and the fan speed regulation system could not increase the noise of the computer. And the presence of a second fan that draws hot air from the system unit helped a lot in pulling hot air from the processor. After installing the power supply, it turned out that my system unit no longer wanted to buzz and jump, or rather, the sound of the cooler began to merge with the sound of the power supply fans. And, therefore, the first problem after that completely disappeared.
But there were still two problems, namely the problem of cooling and the problem good sound. Well, let's start with the cooling problem. It was decided to buy three 80x80mm fans and install them in the system unit. Moreover, there were no problems with two fans, but there was a small problem with the third one, namely, its installation in a non-standard place, in one of the side panels of the system unit.

The installation location of this fan was chosen directly opposite the PCI slots. To install this fan, it was decided to drill 4 holes in the cover of the system unit, the distance between which was about 80mm, i.e. the direct purpose of these holes was to secure the fan. But it was also necessary to think about air intake, and, therefore, it was necessary to drill holes under the working part of the fan, for this 3 circles were drawn and holes were drilled along them, the distance between which was approximately 3-5 mm. The result is this drawing:

At the same time, the processor temperature did not exceed 55 degrees. The result is something like this air flow pattern:

It can be seen from this diagram that, as it should be, cold air enters the system unit from below (thanks to two blowing fans), rising to the top, the air heats up and is ejected (thanks to blowing fans of the power supply and system unit). This is how the second problem was solved cheaply and without much straining.
The third problem is probably the most important. This is a 6-channel sound system setting without a subwoofer. Initially, old rather large speakers were found at home (assuming that they were connected to a computer). Further, it was decided to connect these speakers to my computer. But here a problem arose, namely the lack of a sound amplifier in them. The solution to this problem came somehow by itself, you just had to buy inexpensive speakers in the price range of about 200-300 rubles. The choice fell on the Genius SP-Q06. After the purchase, the second speaker was immediately disassembled upon arrival home, and a wire from old headphones was soldered to its speaker, which was connected (in my case using the most ordinary twist) to the wires going to large speakers.

After turning on this design, it turned out that the sound of large speakers replaces the subwoofer. Further, to create the effect of surround sound, the speakers were spaced apart in different parts of the room (and the large ones were completely hidden in the most secluded places, because they looked obscene).

Well, as it turned out, all my efforts were not in vain. If earlier my games didn’t bother me much, now during the game, from a strong and sharp sound, goosebumps involuntarily began to run through my body.
Thus, my needs for the system were satisfied, and sitting at the computer became much more pleasant. I hope that the materials of this article will help you in the implementation of your ideas.

It's no secret that effective cooling of components personal computer positively affect its performance and extend its service life. Modern components have become much more powerful, but at the same time, their heat dissipation has increased significantly. At the same time, there has recently been a positive trend towards a decrease in heat dissipation of PC components (processor, video card).

This is due to the transition to a finer process technology for the production of chips. And yet, users have to take care of good cooling of powerful processors, video cards, random access memory and chips of the north and south bridges of the motherboard.

One of the most common ways to increase heat dissipation of system unit components is to install more efficient radiators (coolers). Luckily, getting a suitable cooler is no problem at present. A lot of modern cooling coolers have excellent heat dissipation rates due to the use of copper heat pipes and efficient fans. The coolers are pretty easy to install. The only thing is that you need to be careful when installing coolers that are heavy in weight. If you accidentally drop such a cooler on the motherboard, you can break several soldered elements or damage the tracks of the printed circuit board.

When "upgrading" your computer, pay attention to the issue of cooling. For example, if you decide to upgrade a video card, then when buying it, choose models with turbine cooling, in which the system unit is displayed outside. The use of such cooling will reduce the temperature inside the system unit by 5-15 degrees.

Also, many users, to reduce the temperature of the system unit, install two fans on the case - one for injection, the other for blowing. The blower fan is installed next to the “cold” components, and the blower fan is installed next to the “hot” ones. One at the bottom front of the system unit, and the second at the top rear. This allows the passage of air to provide the most complete cooling of all PC components.

More demanding users with increased cooling requirements resort to installing a water cooling system (WCO). CBO allows you to achieve a significant decrease in temperature, and as a result, increase system performance. When installing a water heater, care must be taken, since water acts as a coolant, the slightest leaks can lead to short circuit and computer failure. Now you can purchase a CBO kit for installation in almost any system unit.

Enthusiasts and Conquerors high frequencies processor resort to extreme cooling with liquid nitrogen. This method of cooling is very peculiar, which not everyone can do at home. Liquid nitrogen has a very low temperature and for its use it is necessary to use special vessels and strictly follow the rules for handling it.

Good day, dear readers!

As I promised in the comments to the article "What you need to know about drives and data security - the 20 most important points", today's article will be devoted to computer cooling issues.

The relevance of the issue is very high. This is evidenced at least by the flow of letters I receive on this topic. And the point here is not only that very soon a sunny and hot summer will come ...

The question is relevant for both desktop computers and laptops, because absolutely any computer of absolutely any level needs cooling for normal operation. The only difference is that some devices generate more heat, while others - less ...

I offer you today's article in the form of a collection of the most important questions and nuances, as was the case in the previous article about hard drives so that you can, without spending a lot of time, immediately understand the most important and important.

Yes, you can’t touch on all aspects within the framework of one article, but I tried to collect everything especially important under one heading so that the resulting material gives answers to the most critical questions.

So, let's begin!

Desktop computers

Let's start with the most important. Despite the fact that today there are more laptops sold than desktop PCs, nevertheless, no one has refused the "desktop" and is not going to refuse in the future. In the end, while replacing a full-fledged desktop workstation laptop or something else is simply impossible.

As a result of its power, the issue of cooling desktop PCs is not removed from the agenda. ordinary users never.

1. The main sources of heat.

Those on a desktop PC are: processor, video card, elements system board(such as chipset, processor power...) and power supply. The heat dissipation of the remaining elements is not so significant compared to the above.

Yes, a lot depends on the specific configuration and its power, but still little changes proportionally.

Mid-range processors can generate 65 to 135 watts of heat; a regular gaming-grade video card can heat up to 80-90 degrees Celsius during operation, and this is absolutely normal for such high-performance solutions; the power supply can easily warm up to 50 degrees; the chipset on the motherboard can also heat up to 50-60 degrees, etc.

It is always worth remembering that the more powerful the components used, the more heat they generate.

The processor and video chip of a graphics card can be compared to the burners of an electric stove. In terms of heat dissipation, the analogy is absolute. Everything is the same, only the chips are able to heat up much faster than the burner of a modern stove: in just seconds ...

2. How important is it?

In fact, if, say, a graphics chip works without cooling, then it can fail in a matter of seconds, a maximum of a few minutes. The same goes for processors.

Another thing is that all modern chips are equipped with protection against overheating. When a certain temperature threshold is exceeded, it simply turns off. But you should not tempt fate - here this rule is more true than ever, therefore, it is better not to allow problems with cooling.

3. Everything closes to the body ...

We must not forget that all these “hot” components are located within the rather limited space of the system unit case:

Therefore: all these large volumes of heat should not "stagnate" and "warm up" the entire computer. From this comes a small important rule which must always be adhered to when organizing cooling:

“There should always be a “draft” inside the case.

Yes, only in this way, when hot air is thrown out of the case, the situation can be corrected.

4. Monitor temperatures.

Try to at least occasionally be interested in the temperatures of computer components. This will help you to identify and fix the problem in time.

The EVEREST program or SiSoftware Sandra Lite (free) can help you with this. In these system utilities there are corresponding modules that display the temperature of devices.

Acceptable "degrees":

CPU: operating temperature of 40-55 degrees Celsius is considered normal.

Video card: it all depends on its power. Budget low-cost models may not even warm up to 50 degrees, and for top-end solutions, the Radeon HD 4870X2 and 5970 class, 90 degrees under load can be considered the norm.

HDD: 30-45 degrees (full range).

Note: In my experience, I can say that relatively accurately can be measured programmatically only the temperature of the above devices. And the state of all other components (chipset, memory, video card and motherboard environment) is quite often determined erroneously by measuring utilities.

For example, quite often you can see that some program shows the temperature of the chipset, say, at 120 degrees or the ambient temperature at 150 degrees. Naturally, these are not real values at which the computer would not work properly for a long time.

However, if you organize proper cooling inside the case, using the following tips, then I can guarantee that you simply won’t have to measure anything other than the temperature of the processor, video card and disk, because. under the right cooling conditions, they will not overheat.

So it will be enough from time to time to glance at the temperature values \u200b\u200bof the main components given above to track the general situation ...

5. Good body…

Yes, the heat dissipation of computer components can vary greatly. If we are talking about low-power machines of the "office" level, then yes - heat dissipation will be small.

As for the mid-performance and "top" solutions that make up the majority of modern home desktop PCs, here the system unit can quite play the role of a heater.

In modern conditions, the presence of a case with sufficient internal space for air circulation is a must. And it doesn't matter what the performance of your computer is.

In any case, both office and gaming PCs need normal air circulation inside the case. Otherwise, even a simple office PC may start to overheat due to the formation of so-called “air locks” inside the case.

Air locks inside the case - the "household" name for the phenomenon when air currents (caused by fans and coolers) circulate incorrectly. For example: when heated air is not discharged outside; or if there is no fresh air supply to the enclosure; or when any fans are installed incorrectly, say if due to a design feature the CPU cooler

6. A little about furniture ...

A special issue in the topic of high-quality cooling concerns furniture - your desktop.

The design of the table can either greatly impede cooling, or, on the contrary, contribute to maximum ventilation.

It's one thing when the system unit just stands next to the table - there are no complaints here, except perhaps that it is categorically not recommended to place the system unit next to the heating radiator and heaters, it is not recommended to put any other objects close to the system unit.

If there is some furniture or objects nearby, make sure that there are gaps of at least 7-10 cm on all sides of the system unit.

However, in most cases, the system unit is not located next to the table, not on the table, but in the table:

As you can see - in this case, the space around the system unit is strictly limited by the table and the space for circulation and air outlet is at least ...

Since the main ventilation holes in the system unit are located at the back, in front and on the left wall, I recommend moving the system unit relative to the desk box to the right so that as much space as possible remains on the left (see the picture above).

To avoid “air locks”: when all the heated air rises and stays there, it is not recommended to close the box door for the system unit of your desk.

If all these points are observed, the cooling will be quite decent: hot air will accumulate at the top and leave the table under the action of natural mixing (because there is a sufficient gap on the left).

In some cases, if your computer has a very productive hardware, it is recommended to completely remove the left side of the system unit case - in this case, the cooling efficiency increases significantly.

For example, I did exactly the same myself, since my computer generates a lot of heat:

7. About the CPU cooler.

This question is more relevant for productive PCs. If we talk about low-power PCs, then there is no point in talking about coolers, because. such a processor generates a little heat, and the standard one (comes with the processor) is more than enough.

If you buy a processor and the word BOX is present in its name, then it comes in a complete package, which includes a cooler.

If you see the OEM mark in the price list, this means that when you buy, you will not receive anything other than the processor itself.

Here you can give the following advice: if you are buying an inexpensive modern processor, then it is better to choose the BOX package. Ultimately, such a processor will not require a powerful cooler - the performance is low, and current technologies provide low power consumption, therefore, one should not expect a large heat release here.

And if you want to purchase some powerful model, say, for a home PC, then it is better to choose an OEM package - in any case, a regular cooler will not be enough for you.

Why it happens?

Today, manufacturers, in my opinion, have become extremely negligent about regular coolers - their dimensions and characteristics do not always correspond to the power of the processor. For example:

This cooler comes with dual-core and quad-core processors. Intel Core 2. Okay, for 2-core models it may be enough, but for 4-core models it’s clearly not enough ...

In addition, if we touch on outdated models, then the situation is as follows: if you bought, say, a processor 3 years ago, then at that time the technologies did not provide such energy savings as they do now.

That is why, say, quite an inexpensive and low-power Pentium D 4 years ago heats up even more than modern top-level Core i7.

In this case, a good cooler is a must. And I recommend installing a heat pipe tower cooler:

heat pipes- elements made of copper that penetrate aluminum (as in the photo above) or copper cooler plates and contribute to faster and more efficient heat removal from a hot processor. They provide many times more efficient cooling compared to conventional coolers.

heat pipe- the device is sealed, inside of which there is water, which circulates through the tube in a natural way. This movement is facilitated by thousands of tiny "notches" on the inside of the tube, which allow the water to rise up.

No matter how powerful a processor you want to cool, I always recommend only heatpipe coolers. Buying an ordinary cooler based on an aluminum or copper radiator is not justified.

It is the tower cooler with heat pipes that provides the greatest efficiency.

Another example of such a cooler:

8. Case fan - required.

The next thing that is necessary for the organization of proper cooling is the presence of a case fan.

Modern cases offer the possibility of installing at least two fans.

On the front panel: air can enter through the perforation (as in the photo), or from below - if the front panel is not perforated:

In this case, it turns out that the fan becomes just opposite hard drives and therefore performs two important functions: it supplies fresh air inside the case and cools the hard drives:

Having at least one case fan is a must for any computer! The fan "pumps" the air inside and prevents the formation of "air locks".

Installing an exhaust fan on the rear side is optional, but nevertheless, in some cases it helps to make the cooling system even better:

But at the same time, do not forget that if you have a tower-type cooler installed, then in this case the cooler fan will in most cases be opposite the case fan slot on the rear wall (see photo below), with the only difference being that the cooler fan can be located on the left or right side of the cooler

If (as in the photo) you do not have a case fan installed, then everything is fine. The cooler fan will either expel hot air into this hole or draw it in from there (depending on the location of the fan on the cooler). At the same time, it is better that he throws out already heated air there, and does not drag it in.

In the photo, the location of the cooler is not optimal: hot air is ejected into the case, and not into the hole for attaching the case fan.

If you also want to install a case fan, make sure that the fan and the cooler do not "conflict", i.e. did not direct air at each other. Install the case fan so that it helps the CPU cooler.

Regardless of which panel you want to install the fan on, I recommend using ONLY 140mm fans!

9. Location of cables.

A big problem for cooling is improperly laid cables. Being in a scattered state, they impede the circulation of air inside the case, sometimes to such an extent that even a powerful fan is not able to "pump" the entire volume of the case...

But when laying cables inside the case - do not overdo it! Do not excessively bend (kink) and create tension - this can damage the cables and lead to errors and malfunctions of the PC! Such cases are not rare...

Just try to keep the cables as compact as possible. As much as possible:

10. Take care of particularly hot surfaces.

Those in the computer are primarily video cards. Especially when it comes to hot and powerful models like the Radeon HD 4870X2 and HD 5970.

Make sure that no cables lie on top of the video card:

It is very important! During operation, the video card can heat up to a temperature close to 100 degrees!

11. About thermal paste…

When installing a cooler, always use thermal paste. In no case do not put the cooler "dry"! Cooling efficiency will drop significantly...

You need to apply thermal paste only on the processor, in a very thin, translucent layer.

“The more thermal paste, the better the cooling” is the biggest myth among novice users!

The thermal paste is the link, it connects the surface of the processor to the surface of the cooler, filling in the microscopic irregularities between these surfaces, which can contain air. And air, as you know, greatly hinders the removal of heat.

And if the thermal paste is applied in a thick layer, then it no longer turns into a heat conductor, but into an insulator - a thick “blanket” between the cooler and the processor.

You can apply it with anything: squeeze out not a large number of paste in the center on the processor, and then spread a little on the sides. Then proceed to install the cooler. Finally, the thermal paste will disperse in an ideal layer only after you install the cooler.

Note: I show in detail the procedure for installing a cooler in a free course on self-assembly of a computer.

Many argue about which pasta is better ... In my experience, I can say that the difference between its various brands is minimal. Therefore, do not pay attention to it.

For example, TITAN thermal paste is sold in such small tubes:

One such tube is designed for at least TWO times.

Provided that all the above recommendations are followed, in fact, your PC will have no problems with cooling.

laptops

12. Features of laptops.

All components inside the laptop are collected in an extremely small space of the mobile case. In addition to the processor, a powerful video card, a hard drive can be installed in a laptop ...

These and other devices are separated from each other by a few centimeters, and at the same time there is no space for air circulation - there is simply no inside the laptop.

That is why components almost always operate at elevated temperatures. Unfortunately, there is no way to fix this; but nevertheless, you can save the laptop from additional heating, thus extending its service life and eliminating critical overheating.

13. Workplace…

As I mentioned here on the blog more than once - try not to place the laptop on soft surfaces and knees whenever possible, especially when you are working with resource-intensive tasks (for example, photo or video processing) at the laptop. If this is not observed simple rule overheating of laptop components, including the battery - ensured ...

Try to place the laptop on a flat and solid desktop surface. At the same time, make sure that no objects that lie nearby do not interfere with the air flow under and around the laptop:

In fact, this is the most important and most effective thing that can be done to avoid overheating.

14. Weather…

Do not use your laptop in direct sunlight. They heat up its surface very quickly and very strongly (especially if the laptop is dark) and quickly warm everything inside the case.

In this case, even damage to individual components due to overheating is possible.

And the last piece of advice that I would like to give within the framework of this article, for all users, regardless of whether you have a laptop or a desktop PC:

15. Dust regularly!

For desktop PCs: They accumulate dust very quickly. Try to open the system unit at least once every 6 months and clean all internal components from dust.

Dust interferes with the removal of heat from the components and significantly impairs heat transfer. Due to dust, hard drives, video card and processor can overheat especially.

Separately, I want to mention the fans. Remember: a fan clogged with dust delivers air much less efficiently:

To clean the internal components, I usually use a brush and a slightly damp cloth. STRONGLY do not recommend using a vacuum cleaner! During cleaning, they can accidentally damage fragile components. This happens quite often.

Proceed with the cleaning procedure ONLY if the computer is turned off!

For laptops: Here the situation is somewhat more complicated...

The fact is that laptops have different cases: some open immediately access to the cooling system so that you can clean the fan with a brush; and in some, to get to the fans, you need to disassemble the full laptop ...

Here's the only advice I can give you: don't take apart a laptop unless you're sure you can put everything back together...

Any computer or laptop normal functioning needs a good cooling system. During operation, elements such as the processor (CPU), video card, motherboard generate a large amount of heat, they get very hot. The higher the CPU performance rating, the more heat it gives off. If the PC does not quickly purge air, it may cause various system failures, incorrect functioning of equipment, reduced productivity, cause failure of important elements. Why is the processor getting hot? How to cool the CPU in PCs and laptops? Which cooler to choose for optimal PC cooling? We will try to answer these questions in this article.

Causes of CPU Overheating

If the computer starts to turn off, fail, freeze, this may be due to overheating of the CPU. The reasons why the PC processor starts to overheat are of a very different nature. Therefore, we will consider the main ones, and also give simple ways problem solution.

In most PCs, laptops, the main elements of the cooling system are a cooler (fan) and a radiator, which are installed on the processor. Due to the tightest contact, heat transfer between the surface of the heatsink and the processor is minimal, which in turn ensures fast, efficient heat dissipation.

The radiator can be monolithic or consist of two parts. In the first case, it is completely fixed to the processor (budget option), in the second case, only a small part of it is attached to the CPU, inside which there are heat pipes that transfer heated air to the main radiator.

The primary role in the system of ventilation of the case and cooling of the PC is played by the fan. Regardless of its location, it cools the entire radiator or its main part. The more efficiently it works, the better the heat dissipation from the CPU will be, and, accordingly, its temperature will be lower. Heat pipe coolers provide more CPU cooling.

If the processor starts to warm up, the main reasons include:

contact deterioration between processor and heatsink;
speed reduction cooler (fan) operation;
use of inefficient cooling systems;
absence ventilation systems in the case, in the PC power supply;
pollution ventilation holes body dust;
failure cooling systems;
wrong fixing the radiator.

An increase in the process temperature can also be caused by the fact that the cooler is trite clogged with dust. For this reason, its speed and efficiency are reduced. The fan is simply not able to remove heat. To increase heat dissipation, after replacing the CPU, it is worth purchasing and installing new model case cooler.

Another reason is upgrade PC. For example, after replacing the old CPU, a new, more powerful, productive one was installed. But at the same time, the fan in the cooling system remained the same. Due to the increase in power, the processor cooler simply does not cope with its task in full.

If the processor is heating up, consider what to do in this situation.

How can I cool the processor of a PC, laptop

Overheating of the processor in laptops, desktop computers significantly increases the load on all system elements. To reduce heat generation, reduce energy consumption, it is necessary:

check the condition of the cooling system, perform cleaning;
reduce the load on the CPU;
overclock the CPU cooler;
replace thermal paste;
install additional coolers.

You can also reduce the heat dissipation of the processor in BIOS settings operating system. This is the most simple and affordable way, which does not require special time costs, physical effort.

There are special technologies that reduce CPU frequency when idle. For AMD processor technology is called Cool'n'Quite, for Intel - Enhanced SpeedStep Technology. Consider how to activate it.

In Windows 7, you need to go to " Control Panel”, select the section “ Power supply". In the window that opens, check which mode is active: " Balanced», « High performance», « Energy saving". To activate the technology, you can select any, with the exception of "High performance". In Windows XP, select " Power Saving Manager».

Energy saving settings must be enabled in the BIOS, if they are not, then you can load the default settings.

It is equally important to pay attention to the system case ventilation. If the cooling system is working properly, it is cleaned regularly, but the CPU is still warm, then you need to see if there are any obstacles in the way of the air flow, for example, if they are covered with thick wire loops.

There should be two or three fans in the system unit, PC case. One - for blowing in on the front wall, the second - for blowing out on the rear panel, which in turn provides good airflow. Additionally, you can install a fan on the side wall of the system unit.

If the PC system unit is in a nightstand inside the table, then do not close the doors so that the heated air comes out. Do not block the ventilation openings of the case. Place the computer a few centimeters from the wall, furniture.

For a laptop, you can purchase a special cooling pad.

On sale there is a large selection of universal models of stands that adapt to the dimensions and size of the laptop. A heat-removing surface and coolers built into it will contribute to more efficient heat dissipation and cooling.

When working on a laptop, always keep the workplace clean. The ventilation openings must not be blocked by anything. Objects lying nearby should not interfere with air circulation.

For laptops, you can also do cooler overclocking. Since the PC has at least three fans (on the CPU, video card, built-in storage), and most laptop models have only one. The second can be installed if there is a powerful video card. At the same time, you can overclock coolers:

through special utilities;
through the BIOS.

Before increasing the fan speed, first of all, you need to clean the cooler, the elements of the motherboard from dust.

Cleaning the cooling system of a laptop, a stationary PC should be done at least once every six to seven months.

Cleaning the cooling system

If the processor heats up, check the condition of the fan, the entire PC cooling system. Dust is a serious enemy of any technology. Clogged between the edges of the radiator, dust, villi, pet hair impair air circulation.

To thoroughly clean it, you need to disconnect the cooler from the power supply and disassemble it. By removing the fan, you can also clean the dust accumulated on the radiator. Cleaning of the radiator, cooler blades can be done with a special plastic spatula, a hard brush. After removing the dust, wipe the radiator with a damp cloth.

In addition to removing dust from the radiator, the cooler, wipe the wires in the case from dust. Blow or wipe the vents on the case.

Replacing thermal paste

Updating, replacing the thermal paste on the processor will help reduce the heat dissipation of the processor. Thermal paste is nothing more than a lubricant for cooling the processor. It is a heat conductor between the CPU and the heatsink, eliminates the microscopic irregularities of the contacting surfaces, removes air between them, which prevents heat removal. Good, high-quality thermal paste will reduce the temperature by 5-10 degrees.

Over time, the paste dries out, loses all its properties, and does not cool the processor. Therefore, it must be replaced every six months. If the PC has a more modern CPU, the thermal paste can be changed less frequently. You can buy it at any computer hardware store. Thermal paste should be of high quality, good.

Before the thermal paste that cools the CPU is applied, you need to get to the processor itself. For this:

How to choose a good thermal paste

Given the large selection of thermal pastes, many are interested in the question of which thermal paste is better. Note that the difference between the pastes of different manufacturers can be from ten to twenty degrees. It all depends on the quality characteristics, heat-conducting properties of thermal interfaces. A good thermal paste should have low thermal resistance, high thermal conductivity.

According to experts, to cool the processor, you can purchase:

Arctic Cooling MX-4.
Arctic Silver Ceramique.
Noctua NT-H1.
Prolimatech PK-1.
Thermalright Chill Factor III.
Zalman ZM-STG2.
Glacialtech IceTherm II.
Coollaboratory Liquid Pro.

Some pastes can also be used to overclock the processor. For example, Arctic Cooling MX-4, Glacialtech IceTherm II, Thermalright Chill Factor III, Coollaboratory Liquid Pro. Knowing which thermal paste is best, how often and how to replace it correctly, you can significantly reduce the temperature of the CPU, thereby extending its operational life.

How to undo cpu overclocking

Many users, in order to improve performance, speed up the CPU, overclock the processor (overclocking). But in some cases, this procedure significantly increases the load on the CPU, which can negatively affect its functioning and lead to a decrease in the operational resource.

To check the performance of the CPU after overclocking, it is necessary to warm up the processor using special utilities.

If you are interested in how to remove processor overclocking, go to CMOS and BIOS. Cancel all motherboard voltage settings, return them to normal configuration.

Actions are performed in the following sequence:

We go into the BIOS by pressing the desired button when the computer starts.
Select the item " Set BIOS Default/Use Default Settings", press Enter.
A window will appear in which you need to press the Y key.
After that will be returned initial settings, which were set before overclocking the CPU.
Now we save all the changes made, exit the settings.
We restart the computer.

You can also do this by selecting the option " Restore Fail Safe Defaults”, having previously found out on the Internet the exact specifications of the installed motherboard, CPU. This is necessary in order to make changes by setting basic settings frequency, voltage.

In addition, to the base value, you can change the setting of the system bus frequency, multiplier, returning back all the parameters that were changed during overclocking.

You can also remove the optional cooling hardware that you installed to prevent the CPU from overheating.

You can manage, control the operation of the processor through special utility - CPU Core where you need to specify, install desired values multiplier, bus frequency.

Installing additional fans

If the CPU continues to heat up after cleaning, canceling overclocking, then in order to increase the cooling efficiency, we recommend installing additional fans on the case to increase air circulation. This is necessary if there are many heating elements inside the system unit or if there is a rather small amount of free space inside it.

Opt for larger diameter coolers that provide more airflow at lower RPMs. Such models work efficiently, but noisily. When installing, consider the direction of their work.

CPU coolers are classified into:

Boxed, without heat pipes. The most common models. Consists of an aluminum plate with ribs. May have a copper base with a fan attached to it.
Cooling systems on thermal aluminum, copper tubes. They function by removing heat, which is carried out due to the liquid circulating in them. They have high efficiency rates.

When choosing fans for the cooling system, read the installation instructions, check its compatibility with the socket, motherboard, which socket is for the processor. Consider weight, fan size, heatsink type.

Too large, high-power fans will create an additional load on the motherboard, and may cause its deformation. As for the size, choose the chassis for the bus, consider the location of other components. Choose products from well-known, trusted manufacturers.

If a large number of hard drives are installed, then you can optionally install a fan on the front panel of the case, as well as on the rear top of the system unit to remove warm air to the outside. Modern cases allow you to install at least two fans: from below, if there is no perforation on the front panel, and opposite the location of hard drives.

If the PC has a highly advanced hardware, the processor heats up, then you can remove the side cover of the system unit. In this case, the cooling efficiency will be increased significantly.

How to overclock the cooler

You can overclock the cooler, as already noted, through the BIOS or through special free utilities, which will allow you to control, control the speed of the fans. The programs are designed to various types processors.

Consider how to overclock coolers through BIOS:

For processors Intel programs will allow you to reduce or increase the speed of rotation of the cooler Riva tuner, speedfan. They have great functionality, a choice of settings, clear interface, do not take up much space, automatically control the operation of coolers.

If third-party software on the PC does not allow you to adjust the fan speed, the processor cooler can be controlled using original utilities from manufacturers. For example, HP has a program notebook fan control , in Acer - smart fan, ACFanControl. In Lenovo - fan control.

Modern "advanced" cooling systems, which are most often used in overclocking, include: radiator, freon, liquid nitrogen, liquid gel. Their principle of operation is based on the circulation of the coolant. Strongly heated elements heat the water, which is cooled in the radiator. It can be outside the case or be passive, working without a fan.

Conclusion

In this article, various causes of overheating of the processor and solutions for this problem were considered. Sometimes the reason for its occurrence can be ordinary dust, which periodically needs to be removed, or the consequences of inexperienced overclocking of equipment, as well as its upgrade. When replacing thermal paste, you must be careful and careful not to damage the equipment.