Is my computer going to melt?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Albert
  • Start date Start date
A

Albert

Hello!
My computer is working perfectly, but I'm wondering if I am pushing it too
hard.
I run a couple of software applications which carry out very long iterative
processes. Some can take hours. I like to monitor the processes with the task
manager. I have a Core 2 Duo CPU, and I have seen that while running these
long processes, one of the Cores is continuously running at 100%.
Is it dangerous to keep the CPU running at 100% for such a long time? Am I
asking for trouble?
I thank you in advance for your answers.
Albert C

Thermaltake 550W PSU
ASUS P5NSLI MoBo
SoundMax Integrated Digital HD Audio Sound Card
Intel Core 2 CPU 6300 @ 1.86GHz
1 GB SuperTalent RAM
2 x NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT (3 Samsung LCD Monitors)
Maxtor 80 GB SATA
Marvel Yukon Gigabit Ethernet Controller
Win XP Pro SP2
Fans all over the place
 
Albert said:
I run a couple of software applications which carry out very long
iterative
processes. Some can take hours. I like to monitor the processes with
the task
manager. I have a Core 2 Duo CPU, and I have seen that while running
these
long processes, one of the Cores is continuously running at 100%.
Is it dangerous to keep the CPU running at 100% for such a long
time? Am I
asking for trouble?
Click to expand...

<bunch of hardware specs but not one of them is a temperature reading>

So get a monitor to watch the temperatures of your computer,
especially the CPU's temperature. Your motherboard maker probably has
one. Otherwise, you could use SpeedFan.
 
Albert said:
Hello!
My computer is working perfectly, but I'm wondering if I am pushing it too
hard.
I run a couple of software applications which carry out very long iterative
processes. Some can take hours. I like to monitor the processes with the task
manager. I have a Core 2 Duo CPU, and I have seen that while running these
long processes, one of the Cores is continuously running at 100%.
Is it dangerous to keep the CPU running at 100% for such a long time? Am I
asking for trouble?
I thank you in advance for your answers.
Albert C

Thermaltake 550W PSU
ASUS P5NSLI MoBo
SoundMax Integrated Digital HD Audio Sound Card
Intel Core 2 CPU 6300 @ 1.86GHz
1 GB SuperTalent RAM
2 x NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT (3 Samsung LCD Monitors)
Maxtor 80 GB SATA
Marvel Yukon Gigabit Ethernet Controller
Win XP Pro SP2
Fans all over the place
Click to expand...

Some processors are kept at 100% for years (for example, people doing
"Folding At Home" or "SETI"). As long as they are adequately cooled,
they can take it. Intel has a warranty on their CPUs, so it pays for
them to provide a good enough cooler so they'll last for the
warranty period :-)

Also, a number of these new dual core processors, have a TDP of 65 watts.
This is less than the Pentium D generation, where some of the top end
processors were 130 watts. So this generation, while still needing a
cooling system, aren't quite as demanding of cooling solutions. Of
course, that changes if you apply a massive overclock. But at stock,
65W is a relatively low power compared to the previous generation.

I wouldn't worry about it. The power supply is more likely to fail,
than the CPU.

Paul
 
SpeedFan should be able to read the temperatures from your equipment.
I run multiple machines continuously at 100% usage for grid computing,
and am yet to see any of them fail since 2001.
 
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