Steaming hot CPU on older model XPS Gen 2 Full size tower

[Ballistic]

For starters this is not my computer or one of the computers used within my home... A woman I know that does my car insurance and gets me the best rates possible on a six month plan (with a little manipulation of paper works) asked that I look at it for her... At first it wouldn't do anything but after dusting and cleaning out the case as well as re-seating a few things I got it to boot to Windows but it began locking up and acting erratic so I downloaded a few programs to monitor temps, and found that the CPU runs at near 80C and above some times so I removed the heat sink, cleaned it thoroughly and when reinstalling I applied a bit of Arctic silver which got it down to around 75C but still too high and locks up after being on for about a handful of minutes... This heatsink is extremely hot to the touch... Any ideas ???


system specs:

Dell XPS Gen 2 Full tower PC
Windows XP Home
Intel Pentium 3.4 Ghz socket 478
2Gigs of ram (4X512)
Ati Radeon 9800 Pro GPU
120 Gig Sata HDD
Mobo: foxconn e210882
3 ide optical drives (1 dvd 2 CD/Rom)
3 80MM fans 2X back exhaust and 1X front intake
Sound audigy sound blaster card

 

[Ballistic]

I'm including images of the heat-sink and the tower... does anyone know if these came stock with 3.4 Ghz processors because I'm thinking someone may have tried to upgrade it but didn't also upgrade the heat-sink from stock in order to accomodate the added heat the new cpu would be pushing

 

[Hopalong X]

Did you put too much paste on the cpu? BB size is all you need.
See the gray spot next to the pea. That little dab covered the entire CPU.
I'm sure you checked that CPU fan is actually working and checked RPMs.
The cooler might be after market. Hard to tell unless it has a tag with make or model #..

 

[Ballistic]

The model of heat sink doesn't have a fan... I put the proper amount of thermal compound, it was hot before I changed it and reduced slightly after but still too hot

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Recommend a heat sink with fan and ditch the air funnel Dell normally uses. Did you check to see that all the fans are turning and a good air flow is going through the case?

 

[DirtyElf]

no fan on the heatsink for the CPU, i know some are designed that way but it never seemed like a good idea to me? are the case fans functioning properly and adequate?

http://www.lyberty.com/tech/sysspecs/XPS/index.html

it looks like the XPS gen 2 came with a p4 3.2ghz processor

 

[Ballistic]

no fan on the heatsink for the CPU, i know some are designed that way but it never seemed like a good idea to me? are the case fans functioning properly and adequate?

Dell Dimension XPS Gen 2 System Specs (Service Manual) -

it looks like the XPS gen 2 game with a p4 3.2ghz processor

Thanks for the link... that is the proper one... I couldn't find it myself, guess I wasn't trying hard enough ; )

 

[DirtyElf]

yeah no problem, hopefully you get it figured out. does sound like an ill advised upgrade was made to the PC. surprised its not dead.

 

[Ballistic]

Weird! Seemed as though all the fans may have been facing the wrong direction... after turning the back fans into two intake rather then exhaust and turning the front lower cabin fan into exhaust rather then intake, I was able to get the temps down into functioning parameters...

 

[DirtyElf]

quite odd that is. most of the time the rear fans are the exhaust (as they are usually higher, heat rises) and the front fans are usually near the bottom and facing out towards the fresh (cooler) air...

anyways, if it works then good job

 

[Ballistic]

quite odd that is. most of the time the rear fans are the exhaust (as they are usually higher, heat rises) and the front fans are usually near the bottom and facing out towards the fresh (cooler) air...

anyways, if it works then good job

Yeah... I was being foolish I suppose... I know for certain that those back fans were installed as exhaust fans from mfg but turning them allows the flow of incoming air to hit the heat-sink itself which allows it to cool appropriately but the green dell funnel was missing and that would have actually covered the heat-sink itself which I think was intended to pull heat off the heat-sink so now I have it to where it blows air onto the heat-sink opposed to pulling off of the heat-sink... Anyways after being able to ticker with it a few hours without the screen locking up after having it on for a few minutes due to over-heating cpu, I found multiple issues.... I called the woman and she told me that she knows nothing about the computer because she bought it at the flea market with a 15 inch LCD screen for $50 dollars since they couldn't get the computer to work but the LCD screen worked fine...basically the computer was a freebie since she pretty much paid $50 for the monitor and hoped someone could get the computer to work for her.

 

[DirtyElf]

frankenstein computer!