Have you adjusted Boinc so it only checkpoints once every 15 minutes instead of every 60 seconds? If not your hard drive will die sooner then it should.

Most projects write only a few hundred bytes or less when they checkpoint. Writes that small probably don't even make it out of cache and onto the platter.

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Well, since i started this thread, and now having read all the replies with regard to the temps you guy`s are operating at, i can see my original post, about worries of my CPU running at just 35 deg C or so, was totally unfounded,LOL.

regards,

Tom.

Yes they were unfounded but you did the wise thing by checking. Every CPU model has a published set of specs available from the manufacturer in which the maximum operating temperature is given. That can range from about 70C to 100C. That's the temperature at which the transistors in the CPU start to degrade rapidly. Before I put a CPU I am unfamiliar with into service I go to the manufacturer's website and check the max. operating temperature.

If your CPU is constantly running up against the max. temp it will die within a few months if not weeks, depends exactly how often it hits max and how long it stays there. If it's running constantly at 5C below max it will last a little longer but you won't get the life out of it that you should. That's probably not a problem if you like to stay on the leading edge and plan to upgrade every year but still... frying a perfectly good CPU just because you can afford to when you could preserve it and give the machine to a poor kid whose parents can't afford the best is irresponsible, IMHO.

I like to stay 30C or more below the max and I like to do it with stock fan and heatsink if possible so I duct cool air from the outside into my computer case and in summer blow the hot air outdoors. It's winter here with outdoor temps usually below 0C so it's easy to achieve the temps I want.

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Have you adjusted Boinc so it only checkpoints once every 15 minutes instead of every 60 seconds?

Can you explain what this "checkpoint" is you refer to? I haven't seen that option.

Edit: Never mind! I found it.

frying a perfectly good CPU just because you can afford to when you could preserve it and give the machine to a poor kid whose parents can't afford the best is irresponsible, IMHO

+1

At first I used stock fan and heatsink; but lately I bought a 120mm fan with big heatsink. I did this for I have my 2 Pc's on 24h/265 days a year (or so I try).

I think investing on a big heatsink with a 120mm fan is a good investment; mainly because it can be relatively cheap.

Recently the fan of my little GTX550Ti died; I bought a big GPU fan; too big in my opinion but that's what they had and I need it fast... so I had to buy it. From then till now I really see a difference in the processing speed (not of hours but quite perceptible).

c u all

frying a perfectly good CPU just because you can afford to when you could preserve it and give the machine to a poor kid whose parents can't afford the best is irresponsible, IMHO

+1

At first I used stock fan and heatsink; but lately I bought a 120mm fan with big heatsink. I did this for I have my 2 Pc's on 24h/265 days a year (or so I try).

I think investing on a big heatsink with a 120mm fan is a good investment; mainly because it can be relatively cheap.

Recently the fan of my little GTX550Ti died; I bought a big GPU fan; too big in my opinion but that's what they had and I need it fast... so I had to buy it. From then till now I really see a difference in the processing speed (not of hours but quite perceptible).

c u all

Because I can I also leave the sides of the cases off to let some of the heat out.

I want to say thank you for this thread and for telling me about T-throttle which I now have installed on my lap top.

I've been concerned about the temps on my computer which have been consistently higher than my previous laptop and lately the temps have been climbing a degree or two and staying up there and its had me concerned so seeing this thread was basically an answer to a prayer I didn't realize I'd prayed yet.

I just used the default settings in the program and already the laptop is running about 15 degrees cooler and I am very grateful!

Barb,

Temperatures that are "consistently higher than my previous laptop" isn't necessarily cause for concern.

The only way to know if you should be concerned about the temp is to go to the manufacturer's website and get the official specifications (also called data sheet) for your CPU. Their specs will tell you the maximum operating temperature for your CPU. That is the number you need to go by, not whether it runs hotter than your previous laptop or your friend's laptop because maybe the CPU in your laptop is a different model with a different maximum operating temp.

Of course your CPU should never run at the max temp because that is the temp where severe damage occurs very quickly. I like to keep my CPUs and GPUs 30C below the max temp. Others I know claim they run theirs just 5C below max temp 24/7 for years with no problem.

BOINC helps identify your CPU and GPU, in fact it goes so far as to publish the model name on your list of computers at every project you crunch for the whole world to see. From that page I see your laptop has:

AuthenticAMD, AMD A8-3520M APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics

You have an APU or Accelerated Processing Unit which is a CPU plus GPU combined on one die. BOINC identifies the GPU component as

AMD AMD Radeon HD 6520G/6530D/6550D/6620G (SuperSumo) (512MB)

At the AMD (USA) website, hovering my mouse cursor over the Drivers and Support menu I see they have forums... hmmm, maybe a good place to go if I can't find the max temp data I want. There is also an item named Compare Specifications. Well, it's specifications I want so that might be the way to the specs I want. Click it and get to here, enter the model info in the Refine Your Results box on the left and get to this page which gives max temp for your APU model as 100C.

It sounds like you are already using a software that reads the temperature sensors in your laptop and reports the temps. You can safely allow the temp to run at 70C constantly as long as it doesn't cause temps of other components in your laptop to get too close to their max temp. Others will say I am far too conservative and it's safe to run your CPU at 90C 24/7 (again, as long as that doesn't cause other components to overheat).

The other day I was in The Source (Radio Shack) and spotted a bin full of brightly colored balls tagged at $7. They were obviously split in half so I tugged the 2 pieces apart. Seeing I still had no idea what the ball was for, the clerk said "Put the 2 halves under your laptop to lift it up and improve the airflow and cooling". I bought one and tried it and found the temp dropped 5C. Not bad for $7 and it tilts the keyboard up which makes typing easier. Just don't put the pieces under the fan intake else it will have the opposite effect.

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Thank you for the info Dagorath!


I use a stand that I keep my laptop on that elevates it to help keep airflow movin underneath the laptop and also helps with ergonomic positioning for my hands. Its a metal stand sold by the plastics people, Rubbermaid and works very well for me and I think is probably a better long term solution than your balls are but accomplishes a similar function and more.

Its adjustable so you can set the height where you want it too.

This is the stand I have: http://www.amazon.com/Rolodex-Rubbermaid-Laptop-Orgnzr-Compatible/dp/B001TQHP7K

One other reason the high temps concerned me - My CAT, Callie. Sheis getting old and arthritic now and she loves to lay next to things that put out heat - the fans on my computers, the heater vents - anything she can get next to she will lay near and cook herself and that concerns me so with the temps on the laptops as high as they are it naturally concerns me with her laying right next to the output fan vents that she might get burned so if using a program to help the computer manage to maintain a cooler temperature will not only extend the life of the computer, but may also keep my cat from getting burned, well, its a good thing. So you see, it wasn't only from an equipment standpoint that I was glad to have this program come into my life but maybe to save a life too.

My cat too! He's still a kitten (25 weeks). He loves that heat vent on the laptop but before he curls up there he likes to read his email and send replies, the little boss. He's not very good at it yet, he just prances around on the keyboard and opens a thousand windows and swats at the things popping up on the screen but he did manage to get the email program open the other day and he was very proud of that accomplishment :-)

The air expelling from my laptop isn't hot enough to burn Raiser (short for Hell Raiser). My concern is that he'll get too close to it and block the airflow. To prevent that I slide it over close to the edge of the desk so there isn't room for him to lay. I also close the lid. Since I have power options set to not sleep/hibernate when the lid is closed it continues crunching which keeps the lid warm enough to appeal to him as a nice place for a nap.

Regarding my balls, it's actually only one ball. It splits into 2 hemispheres along the equator so each then has a flat side to prevent rolling around. The nice thing about the ball is that I can snap the 2 halves back together and toss it into my bag along with the laptop for trips.

Your rack is very nice, have never seen anything like it before. I'd love to try it. Since the bottom is mesh you could easily mount an auxiliary fan on the bottom of the mesh directly below the fan intake. The extra fan would increase the airflow considerably and reduce your CPU temperature. You could probably power it from a USB port though a better way would be to tap some power off of the laptop's power supply.

Raiser is my first cat so I don't have much experience with it yet but they say
cat dander can really plug up the cooling fins in a computer's cooling system and especially laptops. Do you blow yours out regularly?

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Yes I do blow mine out from time to time - (probably should more often) Just got a new vacuum cleaner that came with a mini kit attachment set and am excited to give it a try on the laptop (a shark vacuum)

My 4 cats haven't shown the propensity to want to have their own laptops however Shadow and Scrappy - the 2 youngest seem to think the keyboards are for dancing on...the 2 older cats pretty much ignore the screens though from time to time I catch them watching a program along with me so the movement on the screens does catch their attention. They do think I spend too much time on the computer though - have caught all of them shaking paws at me and the computer when I wasn't paying enough attention to them but to the computer. If you haven't learned yet shaking paw is a sign of a disgruntled kitty. Also learn to watch ears and tail movement for cat language - it will help you to communicate with your kitty a whole lot!

Once I bought a video for my tv that had critters doing critter activity that was supposed to entertain my cats...but the place we live now has plenty of squirrelvision and bird vision outside the windows that keeps them occupied even in the cold winter months here in Ohio.

I originally stumbled across the rack I'm using at a Walmart of all places...It collapses down to a minimum width so it barely takes up any space at all in my bag when I put my computer in my bag to travel with...its a very handy rack and I've even given the rack as a gift to other computer users...it wasn't appreciated at the time, but if they used it an didn't return it...I'm sure they came to appreciate it too.

Mine go to 50C when OC'd and at maximum load. Yes, 50C, no typo, just air cooling, not water cooling. Ne kecy.

What CPU, clock speed & vcore?

My old C2Qs (spec in sig) hottest core is running at 60-61C atm (running A@H & MW on the GPU, ambient's 21C, loaded vcore is 1.28v from CPU-Z), and I have good case cooling & the biggest cooler I can fit in my case (the tips of the heat pipe touch the case side ;)).

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Q6700, 1.65V, 3.6 GHz, CPU fan voltage boosted to 14 V for more RPM, cooling fins on heatsink deburred with emery cloth, case temp ~ 10 C, air temp at cool air intake ~15 C.

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I hadn't read all the thread when I last posted, I now see you pipe cold air from outside, no wonder your temps are so low! :P, good idea though.
I've wanted to but it's just not possible here.

That's 1 mighty overclock from your Q6700! :) although that's a seriously high vcore you've got going their! & it's far over Intel's maximum of 1.5v http://ark.intel.com/products/30790/Intel-Core2-Quad-Processor-Q6700-8M-Cache-2_66-GHz-1066-MHz-FSB.
If your serious about CPU life then I would drop that vcore if I were you ;). How long has it been that high?
Excessive vcore can severely shorten CPU life, far more than running temps close to the limit.

For the 1st year or 2 I had my Q6600 I had it at 3.34 GHz with vcore 1.408v (bios setting), latter I dropped it to 3.25 GHz & 1.38v to lower temps (for exceptionally hot summers) & reduced power usage.

Btw why did you deburr the HS? To stop slicing up your fingers? ;)

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Yah, we get free refrigeration here :-) Well, for part of the year anyway.

That's a very high vcore. I had to boost it that high to keep it stable at that clock speed and I didn't leave it there much more than an hour. I don't normally OC, I do it only to experiment to see what the limits are and what one can do on a tight budget.

I deburred it for the same reason you polish an engine's intake manifold ports... less turbulence, better airflow, a few more horses for nothing more than the cost of a little labor.

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Did it lower temps or noise much?

My Q6600 was overclocked all the time I had it & I ran DC on it 24/7 too, hence why I keep the voltages in the sensible range ;).

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I'm not sure. I renewed the thermal paste and deburred while I had the heatsink off. I also ran it through the dishwasher because there was a fine layer of shmutz on the fins that refused to come off when I hit it with the compressed air. Temps were lower after I reassembled it but I can't say for sure whether the new thermal grease, the cleaning or the deburring was responsible. I didn't notice any difference in noise level which is to be expected I suppose since most of the noise is from the fan. And remember I'm half deaf anyway so I would be last one to notice a small change in noise level.

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Lol.
Btw how would I remember when I didn't know in the 1st place? ;)

TBH I really doubt that de-burring would make much difference, it's a pitty you didn't do a before & after difference.
New thermal paste can lower temps quite a bit if the old stuff had dried out.

When you typed 'dishwasher' I envisioned washing machine, & thought bloody hell that would of battered both to pieces!, Then I re-read it, doh! ;)

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Because I told you a while ago?

I don't think it was your average heatsink. It was pretty rough, so rough I think it would have been rejected at the factory had a QC inspector noticed it. I've never seen another that rough and probably never will. As for before and after comparison, well, I wasn't about to reassemble it, record temps and then disassemble, debur and reassemble. I did have a baseline but that was with the old thermal grease.

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Re cooler, ah ok, I thought you meant is was a HS with normal finish.
Re disassemble/reassemble, yea it's a PITA that's true, but it is the only way you would know for sure, oh well nm.

Re hearing, no you didn't, not AFAIR anyway ;).

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