[AccessD] OT: processor heating

I just thought I'd give you guys a heads up.

I have a computer which somehow is able to inform the system of
temperatures, which is not uncommon these days.  In my case I have a Case In
temp, a Case Out temp, and a Processor temp.  I monitor these using Mother
Board Monitor, a shareware system monitor program that displays the
temperatures in my task bar at the left.

My system started out running about 100-105 degrees F for the proc.  Over
time that ended up running 125-135 F for the processor.  It turned out to be
a variety of things - Outlook was pegging the processor so the proc was
running full tilt all the time.  A patch from Microsoft fixed that but I was
still running 115-120.

I had a fan on my video adapter which was failing - nothing to do with the
temps described above, but it was making a racket.  I finally took the
system out, opened the case, discovered the little fan making a racket (and
running very slowly) and got rid of it (my video chip doesn't run that hot
anyway).  While I was at it I decided to vacuum everywhere.  The front case
fan was almost totally clogged with Blonde Labrador hair.  But while I was
in there I decided to pull the fan off the proc heat sink and look at the
heat sink.  It was also almost totally clogged with dust and dirt.

Between cleaning the front cover area and the heat sink, my proc temp is now
running back down at 100-105.

The moral of the story is to get a copy of MMB and pay attention to it.
Clean your case occasionally and be aware that the processor heat sink can
get really clogged up in which case the fan is doing very little good, so
don't be afraid to remove the fan and vacuum the heat sink as well.

John W. Colby
Colby Consulting
www.ColbyConsulting.com