Cooling Question

When I run graphic-intensive games my CPU gets very hot (according to Coretemp, but my video card's fan makes a LOT of noise and I eventually get that "display driver stopped responding and restarted" error, which almost always freezes and quits my game. My question is: could a video card with poor cooling cause my processor to be running hot?

EDIT: While I'm at it, could it be a power supply related issue?

I'm not looking for information regarding my specific hardware; I'm more or less looking for whether or not these theories of mine have been known to cause problems in the past.

Take the case off of your computer.
Leave case off until problem source located.
Direct a table/desktop/floor fan on your computer.

Temps drop and stay reasonable.

It is summer. How's the ambient temp?

Well your graphics card running hot wouldn't be causing your CPU to run hot. It sounds like there is just a general cooling problem with your rig all around. Take the case apart blow out all the dust, then run the computer with the case off (or side off) and make sure that all of your fans are running, including the one on your graphics card (assuming it has one)

A graphics card can definately add heat to a case and cause the CPU to run hot. The key is air flow through the case. If you're using a stock Dell case there's probably not enough air flow. You don't specify the model but many have nothing but the PS fan. Others may have one additional rear exhaust fan. That may not enough if you modify the components and pack the case with drives.

carwiz said:

A graphics card can definately add heat to a case and cause the CPU to run hot. The key is air flow through the case. If you're using a stock Dell case there's probably not enough air flow. You don't specify the model but many have nothing but the PS fan. Others may have one additional rear exhaust fan. That may not enough if you modify the components and pack the case with drives.

Click to expand...

+1
karl

It's probably not the video card causing the high processor temp, it's more that the processor itself is running a tad hot. Actually, yeah, some graphics cards are built to exhaust the air into the case and not out of it. So running that altogether will cause the air in the case to be way too warm to be any effective for cooling.

A solution here may be to install a case fan in the back, or the front, or both.