Why Is My PC Overheating?

Last updated on November 19th, 2024 at 12:46 am

It can be very scary when you find out that your computer is having overheating issues. You will now find out why your PC started to overheat, and later on, you will learn some ways how this can be prevented.

One reason your laptop or desktop PC can overheat is when you try to make it process more things than it can handle. For example, let’s say you have a laptop with an Intel Pentium processor that you bought in the 2000s. You might still be able to access the internet, but if you try to watch an HD video on YouTube, it will struggle to play it.

If you try to play a game that’s more advanced than Bejeweled, it will not run as smoothly compared to a modern PC. On the other hand, you can have overheating issues simply by having a powerful computer. The more powerful your CPU is, the hotter it gets.

If you are building your own PC, here are some PC-building mistakes that can cause your computer to overheat:

• Putting too much thermal paste on your CPU can lead to bad airflow, which overheats your PC
• Incorrectly applying thermal paste can lead to excessive heat, which can cause a shutdown
• Failure to connect the CPU fan to the motherboard can cause overheating issues.

Fan and heat sink issues can be very annoying to experience when building a PC. You might have almost installed Windows before your PC crashed. When your processor is constantly running, it can heat up so fast that a bad heat sink connection won’t be able to keep it under control, which can lead to an abrupt shutdown.

If your PC is working fine for a while, you might soon run into environmental problems. For example, if you’re using a PC on a hot summer day without air conditioning it can lead to poor performance and an abrupt shutdown if it’s not cooled enough.

Malware can also be a reason why your computer is overheating. For example, crypto-malware has grown in popularity, because it gives cybercriminals the ability to use all of your computer’s resources so that the hacker can earn money. This malware can infiltrate your computer when you accidentally download malicious programs that contain cryptocurrency miners.

If your PC’s intake vents are clogged with dust or the exhaust fans stop working, your computer will excessively heat up. The more you use your computer, the more dust and grime will build up over time. This can cause your computer to have bad performance and continuous reboots.

Overclocking is another way your PC can get overheated. While it might be fun to push your CPU to the limit if you’re a PC enthusiast, overclocking without proper cooling can lead to many shutdowns because of the extremely high temperatures.

When your PC has a catastrophic error because of overheating, it is easy to know when it happens. You might get a Blue Screen of Death (BSoD), for instance.

Or worse, your PC will simply turn off and go black, which may lead you to hear a loud pop. You might even see smoke coming out of your computer. You can tell by the awful stench from your PC that something bad has happened.

Use your nose as a guide until you see where the scent is coming from. If it’s your CPU, it’s game over. You’re going to have to get some replacement parts or possibly a new PC.

When you’re doing demanding tasks such as gaming, video editing, or heavy multitasking, make sure your PC meets the requirements. Some PCs allow you to upgrade certain parts until it’s powerful enough. But if your PC is too old, you might need to get a new PC altogether. 

If you have pets in your home, make sure that there isn’t any pet hair on your PC. Pet hair can clog your PC, which can lead to constant rebooting and slow performance.

It is good to clean your PC with a computer vacuum and a can of compressed air, as it can solve the issue that you are having with overheating. If you are cleaning a laptop, you can use cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol to clean its vents.

Check your PC’s resources by going into Task Manager, and if you see high resources on your GPU or storage drive while idle, you probably have malware.

Make sure to do a deep virus scan on your PC with a reputable anti-virus to remove it, and check Task Manager again to see if your resources are back to normal.

Before installing your heat sink, try to put just a little bit of thermal paste on the center of your CPU. If you think this won’t be enough, don’t worry. It will eventually spread on its own.

Additionally, make sure that your PC has good ventilation. If you have a desktop, you can add more fans if there’s enough room.

If you’re an overclocker, make sure to have a high-quality cooler installed on your CPU. OEM coolers from Intel and AMD don’t cool your CPU enough for heavy overclocking. If you have a laptop, investing in a high-quality cooling pad might be a good idea.