# Quick computer hardware question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 8, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-computer-hardware-question/228160 "2004-02-08T19:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![puggyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@puggyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puggyfish)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-computer-hardware-question/228160/1 "2004-02-08T19:24:22Z")
My CPU temperature senser is registering at around 100 degrees C and has gone as high as 103. I would expect the processor not to work at all at this temperature, but have no problems. Is the temperature senser bust, or should I expect genuine problems from my CPU soon? The processor is an Athon 1200 and the CPU fan works, although it sometimes runs a little slow. ---
**Author:** ![puggyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@puggyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puggyfish)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-computer-hardware-question/228160/2 "2004-02-08T19:25:28Z")
Sensor! Damn, my spelling is getting bad! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-computer-hardware-question/228160/3 "2004-02-08T19:31:48Z")
What reading do you get when you start your CPU cold (at least an hour of off time)? If it’s much above ambient (probably ~25-27 [sup]o[/sup]C), then suspect the thermistor sensor is bad. If the cold start temp reads pretty close to ambient, then it’s _possible_ the CPU is running that hot, but if it is, I don’t give long odds on its continuing to function. If it is running that hot, you’ve already shortened its lifespan considerably. Replace the fan immediately, and reapply some heat-sink compound between the heatsink and processor (after cleaning off all traces of the old compound).