Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Computer Overheating Solutions and Future Prevention

  Does your computer sound louder than normal? Is there more heat radiating from your computer than usual? Is there a burning smell coming from the computer? If so, you may be suffering from a computer overheating issue. Overheating is when a computer cannot sufficiently cool its internal hardware. Overheating can cause the computer to be slow, sluggish, and unresponsive. Overheating can also cause the computer to act erratic, with unwanted shutdowns and restarts being a common symptom as the computer tries to minimize damage to itself. If the overheating continues and is left untreated, it can cause irreparable damage to the computer's internal components.

There are several reasons a computer may be overheating. Using applications that put a large amount of strain on the device for long periods of time, like streaming or video games, is a common cause. There usually isn’t an underlying critical issue when this occurs; the machine is simply being pushed more than it can handle, causing an excessive amount of heat generation. This can be solved by simply taking breaks from using these straining processes and letting the computer shut down or remain idle. Another cause could be a ventilation problem. If your laptop or personal computer has blocked vents or fans, this could cause a serious amount of heat to build up. Ensure that the computer's vents are free of blockages and that the computer's fans are spinning correctly without making excessive noise. If the fans seem to be spinning slowly, this could be the root cause of the overheating. The computer’s fans are supposed to move a large amount of heat away from the computer's internal components; if the fans aren’t working at full capacity, overheating is very likely. Check the fans for any dust buildup, as this is the most common cause of underperforming fans as it can hinder movement. Clear as much dust or debris as possible and check if the fan's performance improves.

The absolute best way to prevent a computer from overheating is through frequent maintenance. Dust is a major hindrance to the system's airflow. By keeping a computer as dust-free as possible, any major overheating can be avoided, even if the computer is being strained. Another way to prevent overheating is to also pay attention to how many applications are running simultaneously on the computer. By limiting the number of applications running, the computer should have minimal strain and perform more optimally. One easy way to clear background applications is to restart the computer. This will restart many of the computer's functions and potentially close any unwanted applications. For a more detailed view of what applications are running, access the task manager program. Task manager allows the user to view and close running programs as well as see the overall performance of the computer. Overheating can also be limited by using an external cooling system, such as cooling pads or additional fans. This gives additional ventilation and aids the computer's internal ventilation system in moving hot air away from vulnerable components.


References

Bodnar, D. (2023, July 14). Why your PC is overheating and how to fix it.

https://www.avg.com/en/signal/computer-overheating-fix

How to troubleshoot overheating, shutdown, or thermal issue on a Dell Computer. How to Troubleshoot Overheating, Shutdown, or Thermal Issue on a Dell Computer | Dell US. (2023, July 20).

Gordon, W. (2021, December 2). Hot computers are slow and dangerous-here’s how to cool yours down. Popular Science. https://www.popsci.com/prevent-computer-overheating/ 


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