Where is the "thermal event" likely to be happening?

Thread Starter

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
I have a Dell "dimension 4600 tower computer that has served very well for quite a while, but now it has developed a problem of goung black screen on the monitor and then switching off. Sometimes I get a message about a "thermal event" occurred but no hint what part overheated. is it likely to be the power supply, the CPU, or the video card? Or some other part? The speed is stock, no overclocking, only 2 hard drives and 2 DVD drives, and the video board. Any cluse as to what the OS is watching?
I did also pick up some malware that keeps firefox from working, but Chrome still works so I think that part of the hardware is OK.

So where would the OD see an overheat?
 

Irving

Joined Jan 30, 2016
3,845
How long between black screen & shutdown?

First guess, given that order is PSU rail to video card (assuming it's got an aux rail from PSU) then general PSU shutdown.

Measure some volts...
 

bertus

Joined Apr 5, 2008
22,270
Hello,

Has dust been collected at the CPU cooler?
Is there still a program running at the background?
You could try a program like malwarebytes to remove the malware.

Bertus
 

Thread Starter

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
Shutdown is almost immediate after the black screen sometimes, , possibly a second or two in some cases. but sometimes the hard drive light stays on and I need to switch the power off.
 

abrsvc

Joined Jun 16, 2018
138
Shutdown is almost immediate after the black screen sometimes, , possibly a second or two in some cases. but sometimes the hard drive light stays on and I need to switch the power off.
I would look at the CPU. Specifically, remove the heat sink and replace the thermal paste. Over time, this paste gets dry and doesn't perform as well as it should. Replacing this should be easy and cheap. Try this first.

Dan
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
8,813
First step is to clean out all the dust. If you have a compressor, that would be useful. Pay attention to the hole in the case that are there for airflow.

Bob
 

Thread Starter

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
I would look at the CPU. Specifically, remove the heat sink and replace the thermal paste. Over time, this paste gets dry and doesn't perform as well as it should. Replacing this should be easy and cheap. Try this first.

Dan
Thanks Dan, I had not thought about that possibility.
 
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