My computer had been shutting off after a short while, and the top part of the back of the tower is very warm to the touch afterwords. I guess that can't be good for the tower or anything in it.
Any advice or commentary?
Specifically the top back part? Is the vent fan up there working? It sounds like the cooling fan in the power supply is shot.
I suppose it's possibly the power supply, I didn't even know there was supposed to be a fan.
You should, like, open the box and take a look inside :P
Odds are the cooling fan has stopped working.
Quote from: DontSayBanana on November 09, 2009, 11:15:31 PM
It sounds like the cooling fan in the power supply is shot.
:yes:
You need to try to figure this out... if you keep trying to use your PC without fixing this you're going to cause permanent damage to, at the very least, the PSU.
Quote from: chipwich on November 10, 2009, 01:15:26 AM
I suppose it's possibly the power supply, I didn't even know there was supposed to be a fan.
Yeah; it's, like, the big vent grille in the back of the tower. :P
Quote from: chipwich on November 10, 2009, 01:15:26 AM
I suppose it's possibly the power supply, I didn't even know there was supposed to be a fan.
Electronics produce heat, heat that is usually disperse thru heatsinks & fans.
The big fan is working. I don't know if theres another one in the power supply.
Yes
Quote from: chipwich on November 10, 2009, 10:12:35 AM
The big fan is working. I don't know if theres another one in the power supply.
The big fan
is in the power supply. However, some PSUs (like the one in my desktop) need multiple fans to keep from overheating or slagging the components they're on top of.
Chip, have you checked to see that the intakes to the case, components, and PSU are clean? If they get clogged, you will have overheating even with working fans.
GPU intakes are especially prone to clogging.
what's the gpu intake and a psu?
and what's the safest way to dust the inside of a computer
Quote from: chipwich on November 10, 2009, 04:27:03 PM
and what's the safest way to dust the inside of a computer
Compressed air.
Quote from: chipwich on November 10, 2009, 04:26:38 PM
what's the gpu intake and a psu?
Some video cards have their own fans inside. The PSU is the power supply unit. That big vent fan on the back where you plug in the power cable is actually part of the PSU- it's all a big box slotted into the top-back of a tower.
And definitely use compressed air. Don't touch anything inside the case unless you absolutely have to; even if you don't fry your stuff with static discharge, human hands have amazing corrosive qualities to exposed circuit boards.
Quote from: chipwich on November 10, 2009, 04:26:38 PM
what's the gpu intake and a psu?
GPU = Graphics Processing Unit, aka 'video card'
PSU = Power Supply Unit, they convert alternate current to direct current
The best way to remove dust from electronic components is indeed compressed air - sometimes just blowing can work wonders - but the intakes aren't electronic components, you can use tissues or cotton swabs to unclog them.
Resolved thanks barrister.
I've never used compressed air to clean dust out of my PC and it's been fine. I usually just pick the dustballs out with my fingers and/or use a rag.
Isopropyl alcohol will make circuitry and other sensitive components as good as new without causing a mishap. Just make sure the rag you use does not build up electrostatic charge or leave threads. If you use compressed air to dust the case, be advised that it has to be clean air. If there is oil, water or other stuff in the compressor or tubing you will spray the boards with it.
Quote from: Iormlund on November 11, 2009, 02:18:30 PM
Isopropyl alcohol will make circuitry and other sensitive components as good as new without causing a mishap. Just make sure the rag you use does not build up electrostatic charge or leave threads. If you use compressed air to dust the case, be advised that it has to be clean air. If there is oil, water or other stuff in the compressor or tubing you will spray the boards with it.
You can buy a bottle of compressed air for a few bucks at your local computer shop. It has resolved a few overheating problems for me in the past when I had my tower on the floor.