About Technology

A computer's worst enemy is heat. Too much heat can cause hard drives to fail prematurely and entire systems to become slower and less stable. A hot day can combined with inadequate or malfunctioning cooling inside a PC can, in fact, spell the end of a computer altogether.

But there are steps you can take to keep your PC cool enough in a heatwave. By paying attention to how much heat stress your PC may be under, you'll not only extends its lifespan but enjoy more trouble-free computing during the time you own it.

Danger signs. How can you tell if your PC is suffering from heat-related stress? The best way is to take its temperature directly. Because overheating is a fairly common concern among system manufactures today, many PC's provide temperature readings either through the BIOS or through system software. Occasionally temperatures for a CPU - the main processor in your computer will rise higher than 60'C, but usually such temperatures should not normal. If they are, your computer will likely slow down, as performance throttling safeguards kick in, or become unstable.

Keeping it cool. There are plenty of steps your can take to keep your PC cool. Firstly open up your PC from time to time to make sure all internal fans are operating. Open the case while your computer turn off. When the case is open, turn the computer back on and make sure that all internal fans spin up and operate consistently. You should see two or three internal fans in your average computer usually one fan is over the central processor. Try to locate your PC in a cool room or a cool place.