Mysterious Slowdown

MS63 · 2005-12-02, 12:49

My Christmas is about to be ruined!

I am currently doing a first LL test on a 10,000,000 digit number - exponent around 35,000,000. It has been scheduled to complete testing on Christmas day - my Christmas present to myself. (Comments about how sad I am and getting a life are NOT required, thank you.

)

Everything was progressing steadily with a per iteration time of 0.077 - 0.080 during idle time.

Then, over the past two or three days, the per iteration time increased gradually until it is now 0.101 - 0.103, pushing forward the completion date all the time.

I can find no reason why this has happened. There are no extra processes running. Prime95 is still using 50% of the processor time (3.0GHz P4 with HTT). There is ample memory. Nothing has changed.

HELP!

Please.

Prime95 · 2005-12-02, 13:57

Get a program called throttlewatch. Maybe a fan is dying, the CPU is overheating, and the CPU speed is throttling back. This happened to me on a laptop.

MS63 · 2005-12-02, 14:23

According to ThottleWatch, throttling between 0% and 75%. Ooer!

According to AIDA, CPU temperature 81C (maybe just a wee bit hot!) and fan running at 2500 rpm.

Looks like you've hit the nail on the head, oh wise one.

A new fan is being acquired and will be installed soonest.

Thank you.

PS Should I turn my computer off? Is it possible or likely that my processor will die if I leave it running at this temperature?

Thanks in advance.

crash893 · 2005-12-02, 14:33

its probably possible but

would you really want to risk possibly frying a motherboard just to make up a very breif boot

also if your dead set on makeing xmas

boot to safe mode and then set it to prority 9 or 10 ( i prefer 9) it may make it go a few points faster but the big gain is nothing will steal from it

sdbardwick · 2005-12-02, 17:35

If the CPU heatsink fan is still running, the first thing to try is cleaning the heatsink/fan with an aerosol duster or compressed air.

MS63 · 2005-12-02, 19:21

Permanently set on priority 10, crash, but thanks for the tip.

I'll give that a try, sdb. Thanks.

No new fans available in this backwater town. I'll have to order on-line.

In the meantime, am I risking a processor meltdown? I've read (since my hot processor came to light) that the P4 starts throttling at around 80C but will continue running at over 100C. Provided that there's no real danger of catastrophic failure I'm happy to leave my system running.

Does anyone have a definitive answer to this, please?

MS63 · 2005-12-03, 01:09

Dust, fluff, and more dust. The heatsink was smothered. Superbly insulated!

Removed, cleaned, and replaced.

EVERYTHING NOW RUNNING BEAUTIFULLY!

CPU temperature 63C, throttling 0%, Prime95 back up to speed.

LESSON LEARNED!

It's going to be a good Christmas after all.

Many thanks for your help, chaps.

moo · 2005-12-03, 05:18

Remember computers make great space heaters and amazeing air cleaners 0-0

crash893 · 2005-12-03, 15:50

dust out the psu too

if it gets hot you can get voltage flux and that aint good for prime either

moo · 2005-12-03, 17:02

Actually best thing to do is buy can of compressed air and just take it to a garage or a deck outside and just blast away... Good yearly mant. Also i might susgest for your prescot since they run hotter and fan is spinning more to blow it out every 6 months.

MS63 · 2005-12-03, 23:38

Lots of sound advice there. Thanks for that.

I've never performed any preventive maintenance on any of my PC's over the years. I will be doing so henceforth.

2005-12-02, 12:49	#1
MS63 Oct 2005 2²·3² Posts	Mysterious Slowdown My Christmas is about to be ruined! I am currently doing a first LL test on a 10,000,000 digit number - exponent around 35,000,000. It has been scheduled to complete testing on Christmas day - my Christmas present to myself. (Comments about how sad I am and getting a life are NOT required, thank you. ) Everything was progressing steadily with a per iteration time of 0.077 - 0.080 during idle time. Then, over the past two or three days, the per iteration time increased gradually until it is now 0.101 - 0.103, pushing forward the completion date all the time. I can find no reason why this has happened. There are no extra processes running. Prime95 is still using 50% of the processor time (3.0GHz P4 with HTT). There is ample memory. Nothing has changed. HELP! Please.

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2005-12-02, 13:57	#2
Prime95 P90 years forever! Aug 2002 Yeehaw, FL 3×11×13×19 Posts	Get a program called throttlewatch. Maybe a fan is dying, the CPU is overheating, and the CPU speed is throttling back. This happened to me on a laptop.

2005-12-02, 14:23	#3
MS63 Oct 2005 24₁₆ Posts	According to ThottleWatch, throttling between 0% and 75%. Ooer! According to AIDA, CPU temperature 81C (maybe just a wee bit hot!) and fan running at 2500 rpm. Looks like you've hit the nail on the head, oh wise one. A new fan is being acquired and will be installed soonest. Thank you. PS Should I turn my computer off? Is it possible or likely that my processor will die if I leave it running at this temperature? Thanks in advance.

2005-12-02, 14:33	#4
crash893 Sep 2002 2³×37 Posts	its probably possible but would you really want to risk possibly frying a motherboard just to make up a very breif boot also if your dead set on makeing xmas boot to safe mode and then set it to prority 9 or 10 ( i prefer 9) it may make it go a few points faster but the big gain is nothing will steal from it

2005-12-02, 17:35	#5
sdbardwick Aug 2002 North San Diego County 801₁₀ Posts	If the CPU heatsink fan is still running, the first thing to try is cleaning the heatsink/fan with an aerosol duster or compressed air.

2005-12-02, 19:21	#6
MS63 Oct 2005 36₁₀ Posts	Permanently set on priority 10, crash, but thanks for the tip. I'll give that a try, sdb. Thanks. No new fans available in this backwater town. I'll have to order on-line. In the meantime, am I risking a processor meltdown? I've read (since my hot processor came to light) that the P4 starts throttling at around 80C but will continue running at over 100C. Provided that there's no real danger of catastrophic failure I'm happy to leave my system running. Does anyone have a definitive answer to this, please?

2005-12-03, 01:09	#7
MS63 Oct 2005 100100₂ Posts	Dust, fluff, and more dust. The heatsink was smothered. Superbly insulated! Removed, cleaned, and replaced. EVERYTHING NOW RUNNING BEAUTIFULLY! CPU temperature 63C, throttling 0%, Prime95 back up to speed. LESSON LEARNED! It's going to be a good Christmas after all. Many thanks for your help, chaps.

2005-12-03, 05:18	#8
moo Jul 2004 Nowhere 809 Posts	Remember computers make great space heaters and amazeing air cleaners 0-0

2005-12-03, 15:50	#9
crash893 Sep 2002 2³×37 Posts	dust out the psu too if it gets hot you can get voltage flux and that aint good for prime either

2005-12-03, 17:02	#10
moo Jul 2004 Nowhere 809 Posts	Actually best thing to do is buy can of compressed air and just take it to a garage or a deck outside and just blast away... Good yearly mant. Also i might susgest for your prescot since they run hotter and fan is spinning more to blow it out every 6 months.

2005-12-03, 23:38	#11
MS63 Oct 2005 2²×3² Posts	Lots of sound advice there. Thanks for that. I've never performed any preventive maintenance on any of my PC's over the years. I will be doing so henceforth.