Hi I'm running a system just under a year old, Gigabyte KT400 mobo, athlon xp 2.6ghz (~2.1ghz), 512mb ram, radeon 9000. My CPU temperature is averaging about 62 degrees after being on for about 30 minutes. Case temperature about 40-50 degrees (i can get this cooler however). I think I have noticing a degredation in performance using some applications particurly half-life. I'm pretty sure it used to run alot cooler. I would replace the heat sink & fan, but it scares me s**tless getting those HSF restraining clamps on & off. If i do, could someone recommend a decent replacement HSF, thermal paste & maybe even some kind of tool to remove the clamps without gauging huge lumps of motherboard out! Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks ;-)

Your case temp is way too high, get it to cool down to mid 20s or low 30s by improving air circulation, add some case fans. Your CPU temp will be down to normal range.

Oh and would taking the hoover to my computer to remove some dust really make all that difference? Will raising it from the floor make any difference? (it is carpet underneath). And should I bundle all the loose wires together? or are these things irrelevant when it comes to processor temperature? Thanks.

I doubt any "degredation in performance" is caused by heat. We're not talking about a P4 that will throttle back. Usually when you have heat problems with an XP, you'll run into errors, shutdowns, etc. Your temps are on the high side, especially your case temp. Bring the case temp down & the CPU temp should drop along with it. As a general rule, the CPU temp at idle should be roughly room temp in Celsius + 20C (call it "Skip's Rule"...lol). The lower the better. If you do a search of this forum, you'll find plenty of info about temps. It's probably THE most asked question....

Excellent thanks. I have read lots of other posts but because system components vary so much i guess its a good idea to start a new thread. You think the hoover idea, & maybe removing the fan and cleaning it is a good idea? Also my PSU temperature (according to siasandra) is about 60 degrees. is this to hot? lol.

Jeez jam; Skip's rule? At any rate, I've always felt that: If you have a properly installed heatsink/fan and If you have proper airflow thru the case that 1. The psu fan will do an adequate job of case ventilation 2. Motherboard temps will be a few ° above room temperature 3. Processor temps will likely be below 55°C at idle 4. When checking airflow, start at the inlet grille. Some are small and rectangular and others big an' round. Some also have front connectors blocking them. I like to clean the inside of my rig with a cheap paint brush (unused ladies makeup brush works well to), canned air, hair dryer set on cool, vacuum cleaner to suck up dislodged dust, but not the dishwasher. Look for the little things too: If your pc is sitting on a carpeted floor, raise it an inch or two Front USB/Sound cabling and adaptors can sometimes be removed if you don't use them You can often place the hdd in front of the air inlet Clean the inside of your pc monthly If you have a VIA chipset, use Vcool Skip

LOL...yea, Skip...just giving credit where credit is due. I saw your "formula" on another post & always felt there should be some sort of guide or "rule of thumb" about CPU temps...& I think your's is very reasonable.