CPU overheating
Soto
Posts: 1,450
Hi all.
Since yesterday, I have had random PC shutdowns due to high CPU temperature.
I moved to a new house very recently. Yesterday I used ZBrush and DAZ Studio for the first time since then. So the timing seems suspicious.
When I turn on the PC with the overheating error, the Bios shows me the CPU is at 90° and starts to go down very slowly. Today in the morning I got the same error just by trying to turn on the PC.
I am attaching some details. Just turned it on.
If someone knows what can cause this and how can I fix it, I would appreciate a bit of help!
Thank you!
Daz 3D is part of 
Connect
DAZ Productions, Inc.
7533 S Center View Ct #4664
West Jordan, UT 84084
Licensing Agreement | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | EULA
© 2025 Daz Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Comments
Maybe moving the PC resulted in a loose cooler? Or the heat sink compound lost the connection?
Just a random guess....
Agree with markusmatern. Open the case and check the seating of the CPU cooler. If you have to reseat the cooler, clean the cpu and cooler mating surfaces and make sure you apply fresh heatsink compound. Also, check the case fans, make sure they are operating properly, and clean them if necessary. You might also check your case airflow paths and make sure they are not obstructed or clogged with dust.
Yeah, if it has one of those #%$@%#@& stock Intel coolers with the twist-to-unlock fasteners, they could easily come undone, or not have been seated properly in the beginning.
Thanks!
Fortunately, I didn't have more shutdowns or startup warnings since I originally posted, and the temperature is better today (it stayed at 75° all day yesterday, today it's around 58°)
I have a water cooling system. I am not sure what are acceptable numbers. I might clean the fans a bit and see if that helps because I really wouldn´t know how to deal with anything more advanced than that XD.
I think my system is overclocked, I never asked for it, but I think it is. Can I use this to turn it off? Would that help or it's unrelated to the CPU temperature?
That's not dirty fans... that's something else. GPU looks fine.. but your CPU is getting pretty warm.
Is the water cooler pump working properly? Did you update the BIOS and have it forget something? (Really... check the fan curves, etc.) Verify that the water cooler is working properly. Has it leaked? Run tests with benchmark software etc. Open the case and take a look around. Are those fans even turning?
Typically a CPU\GPU is OK up to 90C at which point you will need to throttle your performance. I actually configured my GPU (RTX3080TI) to underclock and keep everything cooler.
I'm a big fan of your work Hellboy... the world would be a sadder place if you blew up your computer. :-)
I see you're using NZXT Cam software - is the CPU cooled with a NZXT AIO closed-loop cooler? If so, are you sure the pump didn't fail? Perhaps in the move it got jostled...always a chance. 75C at 12% load is way high.
I did a major cleaning of the PC and the temperature lowered to around 33°
It wasn't the Upside Down dirty but still got some good chunks of dust out. I don't expect that to magically solve the issue, but at least got a noticeable improvement in temperature and especially fan noise. It was time to clean anyway.
I am not sure what to look out for, but I tried to carefully check that everything cooling related was firm and in place. It all felt good.
I am using NZXT Cam because it looked simple and pretty, lol. I think my water cooling is Corsair. I lost my system specs in the move, it's around somewhere.
Thank you for the suggestions! If I get another shutdown, I'll have to take it out somewhere, but for now, getting half of yesterday's heat is promising.
I put a 20" box fan behind my computers to keep the air around them circulating.
Can you google for the information on your system and download a pdf? I was able to do that on an ancient rice cooker and other odd things.
I am glad you solved your problem, HellBoy!!
So, things went wrong again. Lots of shutdowns.
Taking the PC to repair would take 1 or 2 weeks. So, as a desperate move before doing that, I was just about to buy new thermal paste. While taking a look, I noticed that there was a frontal part of the case I didn't know was removable until today, right behind the water cooling fans if I'm not mistaken. It was DIRTY in there, like REALLY, really dirty. Stuffed in big cotton balls of dust.
After cleaning it all, I am getting low temperatures again and the fans, while spinning, are dead silent. Like turned off silent, and I can feel cool air flowing out of the case.
I hope this time it actually works. But if it doesn't, you'd think it's worth trying changing the thermal paste? That's as far as I'd venture by myself. It's been like 2 or 3 years since they changed the water cooling under warranty because it was wrongly installed.
Thanks!
Yeah, thermal paste could be some of the problem, and if your CPU has been running extra hot for a long time, you could have baked your thermal paste, and it might need replacement. Have you had experience removing a cooler? If not, just remember that once it's unlocked or unscrewed, don't try to pull it straight up off the CPU, you could dislodge the CPU in the socket causing damage to the pins or pads, or you could even de-lid the CPU.
Twist the cooler a few degrees, back & forth to help break the suction of the gooey thermal paste. If it's gooey it's probably OK, if it's dried out, it needs to be replaced. Remove the old paste with alcohol and Q-Tips or paper towels
However, based on your report of fresh breezes and silent fans, I think your problem is resolved.
Dust gets everywhere, you have to chase it down.
But running hot for a long time is also hard on fluid pumps, so don't overlook a potential problem with the cooler pump or fluid itself.
Think positive.