Speccy

[johnoo]

Thinking of downloading this, but has anybody any user experiance?

Does it create any problems?

Thanks in advance

[Boris]

It works fine.

Causes no problems.

:D

I've used it ever since it appeared in January 2010.

[johnoo]

I have now downloaded this & note that all of the Temperatures are showing in a Yellow colour & the Temperature icons are Green.

If the temperatures go out of tolerance do the colours change?

If not how do I establish the operating temperature ranges?

[Boris]

Temperatures are showing in a Yellow colour & the Temperature icons are Green.

If the temperatures go out of tolerance do the colours change?

No

See http://www.piriform....raphs-in-speccy for monitoring temps.

What temps are you showing ? Can you post a screen shot ?

[johnoo]

Boris,

Thanks for your help, rather than posting screen shots I have listed the Temperatures that "Speccy" is showing, they are:-

CPU 23C

Motherboard, System temperature 45C

Hard Drive 42C

I assume by what you have said that Speccy temperature icons do not change colour, but would you advise of maximum operating temperatures please if you know them (& if it is that simple)

[Boris]

Temps depend on your actual make/model of CPU and whether it is running at stock speed or overclocked :)

Your motherboard + Hard Drive temps are warm rather than cool (but quite acceptable) - presumably you have no case fans fitted ?

23C tells me that whatever CPU you have is running nice and cool.

Here are my temps for this rig (my Number 2) :-

CPU

Intel Pentium E5800 @ 3.20GHz 32 °C

Motherboard

ASUSTeK Computer INC. P5B (Socket 775) 32 °C

Hard Drives

149GB SAMSUNG HD161HJ ATA Device (SATA) 22 °C

233GB SAMSUNG SP2504C ATA Device (SATA) 25 °C

This is in an aluminium case with 2 front intake case fans cooling the H/Ds plus another exhaust fan - hence the difference in our readings.

[johnoo]

Boris,

My unit has a fan inside the case, but I think only one.

For reference the details of the various units are:-

CPU AMD Athlon 7750- running at 23C

Motherboard ASUS V-M3N8200 running at 45C

Hard Drive Samsung HD160JJ running at 42C

AS you state, from your figures the Motherboard/Hard Drive are running warm rather than cool, but could you advise the critical Max temperature so I can keep watch on the situation?

[Boris]

If you look at the details tab for your H/D in Speccy it should show under the S.M.A.R.T. details this info :-

Temperature 21 °C

Temperature Range ok (less than 50 °C)

Status Good

The Temperature Range comment means it is OK

Both of mine say the same :)

Re. the motherboard i.e. system there is no maximum as such quoted, but IMHO - a reading of over 50C is too high

[johnoo]

Boris,

Many many thanks

[Boris]

My unit has a fan inside the case, but I think only one.

Where does it blow, - out of the case at the back, or in at the side/front ?

[johnoo]

Seems to be blowing out of a grill at the side of the case postioned near to the rear of the M/c

But there are also two grills at the back of the case & I think some air is coming out of one of these ( the one at the top of the rear panel).

[Boris]

Have you ever cleaned all the dust/fluff out of the inside of the case, CPU fan, case fans etc. ?

Always well worth it :) - amazing how it can make all your airflows better.

[johnoo]

Put the "Dyson" over the outside of the grill long tim e ago, don't feel skilled enough to take case off.

Will do an outside clean again this weekend.

[Boris]

don't feel skilled enough to take case off.

It is normally extremely easy - what make of PC is it ?

If not a "Brand" there are normally 2 little Phillips screws to remove from the rear lip (at the back) of the L/H (as you look at it from the front) side panel.

Then the side just slides off if you push it towards the back.

See "Opening the case" here :-

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/cleaning-the-inside-of-your-pc/

for pictures + guide etc.

[johnoo]

It's an Asus V series.

[Boris]

See Section 2.3 of this .pdf to see how to take off the side of a typical V Series case
/>http://www.tekwind.co.jp/backup_uc/support/download/manual/barebones_manual/v-series%20p5v900%20final%200320%20afternoon.pdf

[johnoo]

Thank you again, but are you politely saying that I am just about wasting my time putting a Dyson over the outside & sucking out the dust?

[Boris]

If you did what you said

and then took it outside,

took off the side and blew out the inside with a 2.5KW Garden Vac :0 :0 :0 :0

you'd be amazed by what the Dyson would have missed :D

(not that I'm saying you should) .............. but I've had to do this to some PCs I've been given to sort out because they've been "a bit warm".

That was for extreme examples

You can just hoover out the visible debris once you open the case, and then buy a can of compressed gas to blow out the "fiddly" areas.

Imagine what you see in your Dyson cylinder in a compressed form inside the case/fans/heatsinks

You will never remove all the muck from within the fan/heatsink vanes with just a vacuum suck from outside !

I've even had to screwdriver (with a small tip) out compressed fluff, fur, carpet fibres, hair from fans which weren't spinning.

Over the years I've found that the cleanest houses ......... if with animals and carpets (especially long-pile) are the opposite - if you look inside their PCs.

[johnoo]

OK, advise taken.

[johnoo]

Took Boris advise & cleaned out the machine this morning, felt it to be better than being outside cleaning the car. Quite a bit of dust/muck inside.

I took "Speccy" temperature readings before & after & I have attached PDF of the results in case it is of interest to anybody.

Looks to be a slight decrease in temperature in all areas, whether this is significant I do not know.

Computer Critical Temperature Log.pdf