# temperature for a computer **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2001, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-for-a-computer/59343 "2001-03-24T20:17:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2001, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-for-a-computer/59343/21 "2001-03-29T06:20:48Z")
> [@](#): > > I can figure out most of the acronyms, but what does WAG stand for? **WAG** = **W** ild **A** ssed **G** uess Basically the attempt is at logic minus any actual knowledge or facts to back it up. ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2001, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-for-a-computer/59343/22 "2001-03-29T17:17:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff\_42 \* > Get down to P-75 and P-90 CPU’s and very few, if any, came with heatsinks on them. Again, case fans were enough and often only a power supply fan did all of the work. > \*\* I’ll have to defer to your experience, then. The several different brands of machines I’ve had experience with (DEC, Micron, HP, Compaq) all had cooling - either a heatsink with air forced over it or the conventional heatsink/fan combo for the P60 on up. Even the 486/33 machines I’ve disassembled over the years had heatsinks. ---
**Author:** ![486](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/ecccb3/32.png) [@486](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/486)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-for-a-computer/59343/23 "2001-03-30T07:07:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dobbinaire \* > > ok, i sent my brother here to read all of this. he sent back: you have an OLDER CPU with a GLUED ON heat sink that CANNOT TAKE A FAN (his caps). is he trying to turn me into a popsicle or shall i stop being cheap, he sold it to me for $200, and buy a real computer??? > he also said, caps again his, IT WILL … i repeat … IT WILL OVERHEAT > what is a glued on heat sink? can i just put a little fan behind this computer? or what??? > SomeBody be real with me please!!! Sometimes a glued on heatsink can be removed (I have done this) and be replaced with a heatsink/fan combo. It is also usually possible to mount a fan in the computer’s case in such a way that it will blow on the cpu. as far as 75f for the room temp, a computer with insufficient ventilation could overheat at that temp… but it would also be very likly to also overheat at 70. I personally doubt that the problem is with heat…I would tend to think it may be your soundcard because you mentioned that the errors pop up when using sound related programs, try having your brother remove the card and run the PC without it for a while. One thing you could also do is let the PC run for an hour or so. Then turn it off, open the case and feel the CPU… if it is hot you need a fan for it. (make sure to discharge any static electricity in yourself by touching a grounded metal object before (and while) touching the CPU. also could you post the exact text of some of the errors you get? that may help someone here find the problem. * * * > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff\_42 \* > A P-II 400 or earlier need little to no cooling. I personally would not reccommend running anything above a 386 without at least a heatsink. I have fans on both my 486’s and my pentium. (I also have fans on top of my stereo and monitors…but that’s because it can easly get well above 90 (or even 100) in the summer with everything on.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temperature-for-a-computer/59343.md?page=1)