An overheating computer spells trouble. You would want your girlfriend to be smoking hot but trust me, neither you want your computer to be smoking, nor hot. Yes, we are talking about computer overheating problem.
Besides shortening the life span, overheating also causes your PC to slow down. Since in the world of computing, the slow and steady only ends up cursing at the screen and raising his hands in utter dismay, I am pretty much sure that you would be keen to avoid that.
Symptoms of PC Overheating:
Placing your hand on the computer only to retract it immediately exclaiming “Ouch Hot!! Hot!!! “, sure is one sign that it is overheating. But besides that overheating may cause the system to stop unexpectedly, display random Blue Screen of Death/Protection Fault messages, shutting down or restarting on its own. It may also lead the fan to spin faster to dissipate the heat being generated thereby making it louder and noisy.
Causes and Cures of Overheating:
Ventilation
Just like the radiator of a car prevents the engine from overheating, the computer has been provided with fans and cooling vents to maintain the flow of cool and hot air in the system. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they function as the lungs of the computer and you really don’t want to be messing around with them. It is the lack of proper ventilation that is the major cause of overheating. To maintain the proper ventilation you should:
Dust is the mother of all overheating problems and your enemy number one. Dust and debris clog the air vents, therefore, impeding the air flow. Accumulation of dust and lint over the fan causes it to work harder and become noisy as a result. A layer of this filth which acts as an insulator, covering other heat generating parts such as the RAM and the Hard Disk can also be a cause of overheating.
Also Read:How to Preserve and Sync Data in a Mason Jar Using Pi
Do check out this video for a tutorial on How To Clean Your PC
So by now I think you too would acknowledge the fact that we can’t ignore the power of even a small speck of dirt, can we?
Environment
Ensuring a cool environment for your laptop can also go a long way in minimizing overheating. Although I wouldn’t recommend that you nominate your device for an Ice Bucket Challenge or arrange an environment such as the one shown in the image, but instead try to use it in a cooler room (say someplace with an air-conditioner). A small drop in temperature might just do the trick. Also, it would be advisable to prevent placing your computer in the periphery of devices which emit hot air right onto it.
If you want to keep your computer safe from overheating, never overcharge the battery. Most people plug in the chargers of their laptops and keep them connected even when the battery is charged to a 100%. Never do so, because not only does it cause overheating but according to some computer experts, it also reduces the battery life.
To prevent overheating it is advisable to keep updating your BIOS along with other device drivers. Go to Run > Type msinfo32.exe and check your BIOS Version/Date. In case a newer version is available on the website of your PC manufacturer, go ahead and download it.
PC Settings
Tweaking the power settings of your computer is also an effective solution to overheating. Less power consumption leads to less heat generation.
Found these tips useful? Tell us how you prevent your computer from burning.
