Summer, my old nemesis, you taunt me yet again!

[Morganite]

Since my old computer stopped booting up, I had to transfer my internal dsl modem to my new computer, which generates a lot more heat.
Summer is coming, and we don't have air conditioning.
So, what I'm wondering is... just what are reasonable safe temperatures for my cpu and system to be running at?
I can live with not being able to play CoH or other cpu heavy games over the summer, but if I can't even have the system up to use IRC and look at websites, I'll be highly irritated...
-Morgan."This continuity is now a Princess of Darkness crossover."
"... They're all going to die, aren't they?"
"Yep. Popcorn?"

[Xenoproctologist]

Rule of thumb: if it starts crashing, it's too hot.

Honestly, the odds of actual thermal damage occurring are slim to none. While heat does decrease component life, we're generally talking about over the course of a number of years, by which time the computer will likely have long since been replaced anyway.

That said, my not-quite-comprehensive experience says:
CPUs start getting pretty crashy around 55c (discounting thermal protection).
GPUs get flakey above 85c.
Hard drives above 50c concern me.
Case temps above 40c can lead to tetchy motherboard components.
Chipsets always run much hotter than you think they should.

But, as always, refer back to the rule of thumb.

[jpub]

Depending on your equipment, that can rise somewhat.
On my older Athlons (especially the 939 non-dual-core x64s) the proc would hit 60C regularly under load. This was normal, as the thermal specs for that series said they would be stable until 80C.

On the newer AM2 procs, and both 939 and AM2 dual cores, they have much better heat protection and power control. Over 50C is noteworthy, 55C is worrisome.

On your GPUs, it depends. Because of the fact that they tend to run 100% of the circuitry in the main chip under load, they get stupidly hot. For NVidia, I'd be concerned if you break 90C, and worried at 100C. Be aware that they are designed to go to about 120C by NVidia. Not sure about ATI, since I never buy their shit.

HDs - I get worried if they break 40C.

MB - 50C is high, 40C is average. It depends on your flowthrough and what sort of thermal protection they build in.

I tend not to worry about case temps, mostly because I tend to run with the side off my case, especially in summer when the noise can never be heard over my wall AC anyway.--
Christopher Angel, aka JPublic
The Works of Christopher Angel
"Camaraderie, adventure, and steel on steel. The stuff of legend! Right, Boo?"

[Kokuten]

Purchase box fan
Replace case side with box fan
????
Profit!
Which reminds me, I have to find an arbor for my 120mm holesaw so I can ventilate my case side, that friggin GeForce 8800 GTS makes some serious thermals, srsly.Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979

[robkelk]

---

Which reminds me, I have to find an arbor for my 120mm holesaw so I can ventilate my case side

---

Will this one work?
(Not connected with the company, just a satisfied customer.)

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Kokuten]

it probably would, but it's virgin lian li sidepanel, so I'm going to go the conventional pilot bitted arbor routeWire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979