My computer has been making more noise lately and I wonder if it is overheating. Is there a way to tell for sure? Is there a way to find out what temperature my computer is running at? I have windows 7 and a HP computer.
Speccy will usually show the important temperatures. Regardless of the results I’d recommend getting a can of compressed air and cleaning out the inside of your computer case if you’re getting a lot of noise and are worried about heat.
There is software that will tell you what the internal temps are.
Here’s one:
Here’s another:
http://openhardwaremonitor.org/
Don’t know if they are free or not.
I use the free program HWMonitor for this. It will grab your computer stats and let you know the temperature.
If it’s your fans that are running at full speed creating the noise, it’s possible. Real overheating means your computer would shut off for its own safety though. However, if it’s a grinding or clicking sound it’s much more likely that your hard drive is going bad. This will also eventually result in your computer shutting off, but it presents a lot more errors and telltale problems before doing so (and of course will result in your computer never booting properly again given it goes far enough).
If you download that program does it come with any adware or spyware?
I like this program. It not only gives you the temps and tells you if they’re within range, you can click on each component and it gives you intimate details of the manufacturer, model, etc, which helps if you’re looking for updates online.
Mine usually dies. Boom! Black screen.
I would never recommend a program that comes with adware or spyware. If you think I would, then you shouldn’t be asking a message board for recommendations for what to install on your computer.
Speccy is also a good program. I have used that as well in the past. I use it more to find hardware part information without needing to crack the case, but it will also handle temperatures.
Regardless of whether your computer is running hot or not, you should still use a can of compressed air to blow the dust out of your computer at minimum once a year.
ETA: Computers run fine up to high 60s celcius. Once you hit mid 70s the computer will shut off automatically to keep from damaging itself. So, considering the high temperatures involved it’s usually easy enough to tell if your computer is running hot just from sticking your hand next to the vent. But don’t be shocked if you see it’s running at 58 celcius or anything.
I use speedfan
Mine is running hot, so I have a cooling pads and a small fan pointed at the laptop. That cuts the temps.
I found out when mine started smoking…
If it’s on fire, odds are it might be overheating.
if the noise is a failing fan (power supply, chip heat sinks, case fans) they will be needed to be replaced. a power supply or heat sink fan failing could either destroy that part (or the part it cools).
if the noise is the hard drive then it might die soon and you should copy the data from it now.
if a case fan you need not panic on that. the other issues are such that using the computer very little until you identify and cure the problem.
That’s what happens when you keep it so long that it gets to be legal age to buy cigarettes.
I knew someone who had a windows vista laptop and some part of the electronics overheated and melted, ruining their hard drive and they lost all their data. They think one of the fans might have quit working causing it to overheat. How come it didn’t shut itself off to prevent damage?
Mine has run at 90C while gaming. 70C sounds low to shut itself down.
Agreed. The laptop I’m on now idles at 60 something. 70 is just starting to get warm. I wouldn’t be concerned until it got to almost 90.