Let me share an interesting experience with you that is a bit related: Since installing XP Service pack 2 about 3 days ago my computer was shutting down under heavier loads. For example, after playing games such as Call of Duty or Rome: total war the box would shut down out of the blue after 10, 15 minutes. After investigating the problem I found out that the problem was the cpu overheating: I downloaded SpeedFan it showed me the following: Idle: CPU temp 62C Fan speed: 5500RPM Under load test: CPU temp 80C Fan speed: 5500RPM Apparently the idel high temp is quite normal for my system (Pentium 4 3ghz on a Asus P4S800 with Hyperthreading). During testing I would watch the temp climb to 80 to 85C (while the fan speed stayed constant at around 5500RPM) before it would shut down. In the first step in my process of elimination of the problem I assumed not to trust the software designed to shut down the system when the cpu overheated(whatever it was): I reverted back to the previous version of xp (that includes service pack 1a) when all was fine. After repeating the load my tests the computer it no longer shuts down due to cpu overheating. SpeeFan reports: Idle: CPU temp 62C Fan speed: 3000RPM Under Load test: CPU temp Maxed out at 73C Fan speed: 3500RPM As you can see the variable fan speed started out lower and changed to handle the temperature. No more problems. So, should I blame the service pack 2 for shutting down my computer? Should I blame it for not reading the fan speed correctly? Should I blame it for setting the initial idle fan speed too high thus having no where to go when the cpu gets hotter? Should I blame service pack 2 at all? How can I safely install and use service pack 2? Does SpeedFan get its data from the bios or the OS? none

You blame everything except the guy who built the PC. I could assure you that SP2 has nothing to your high CPU temp.

You have some good ?'s. I've heard of no such SP2 problems like this. However, the Prescott does run pretty hot...maybe background processes ask more of the cpu; I simply don't know the answer to that one. My first suggestion would be to try different temp monitoring programs, look around to see if a bios flash addresses temp reporting, and to finally measure cpu temps with a sensor/thermocouple. It's also interesting you state SpeedFan reports 5500rpm in one paragraph and 3000rpm in another. Seems SpeedFan might be incompatible with your mobo or isn't configured properly. Keep after it and let us know what you find. Skip

Well I have made a fool of my self here it appears: The problem was a heatsink absolutely covered in layers of dust. I tried to find out how I could remove this whole topic/thread or edit my messages, but I could not find anything. Can I have it removed please? Its just too embarrassing to leave it here. Thanks for all your help. none

People always blame the last thing they did....drinking included

I blame SP2. I have a new Thermaltake Spark7 and after SP2 the fan speed just goes high high high, the fan works based the temperature, but it has a sensor, so it has nothing to do with the monitoring software. I remove SP2 and all goes back to normal. Install SP2 and the fan speed goes high again. I believe this has something to do with an extra process or something.