CPU overheating / high load

[wayne-scales]

I am having a very strange problem with my CPU which started in the past 2 days.

Firstly when I amn't running anything (apart from background applications) my CPU temp is about 38C, CPU load is usually about 4% - 6% and RAM use is at about 360MB.

My problem is that for the past 2 days when I activate Windows Media Player and play an MP3 file my CPU does the following...

1) Core temp LEAPS from 38C to 68C+ (i havent allowed it go higher).
2) CPU load goes from 5% to 85%.
3) RAM used goes from 390MB to 550MB.

Strangely if I play an .avi / .mpeg with WMP there are no problems at all, also if I open an MP3 with Itunes there is no problem. I have tried un-installing WMP but the problem persists.

I have a DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7200, 2Ghz processor with 2GB of RAM.

Can anyone explain this strange occurence?

[JAC]

CPU load seems a bit high for WMP.

What is the cpu load when you are playing a .avi or .mpeg or MP3 with itunes?


If it is not as high as WMP, then I suspect you have poor heatsink interface between heatsink and cpu or the cooling fan is not working properly.


You say you tried uninstalling WMP, and the problem persists.. so did you reinstall WMP or is there a problem with another program?

[JAC]

I also assume you have run malware removers/detectors?

[D.8080]

What are your OS, WMP version?

Programs that are running along when WMP is started (antivirus, firewall etc.), instant messangers...?


Run antispyware software, those are pretty bad things.

I've heard that WMP causes a lot of troubles with some programs, I don't know if it's the cause of your problem, but more info we've got the best we can help.


Try downloading Winamp and run it, look if the mp3 cause the temp to rise again so high as 68°. Use the same mp3/wma.

[Unzlbunzl]

Try to disable the visualisation - have seen some using a lot of resources on some systems.

[wayne-scales]

OK.....first of all thanks for all the tips.

Sorry, when I said I un-installed I meant I re-installed WMP 10, the problem persisted, tried WMP 11 and the problem still persisted.

WinAMP doesn't cause any problems. I've tried application after application (games etc.) and the ONLY thing that causes the CPU over-load / over-heat is playing an MP3 on WMP.

My fans are workin fine, when the temp reaches 60C the fans go into overdrive and prevent it going any higher (i turned fans off once to see how high it would go and it hit 68 and probably would have gone higher)

Visualizations aren't causin problems either.

I'm using Windows XP.

I've run several spyware / malware applications and still nothing.

CPU load reaches a MAX of 10% when playin an .avi in Itunes and less with an MP3 (temp no higher than 42C)

Any more suggestions?

[bacterio]

have you installed any mp3 codec or shomething like that in your computer? if you've done try to remove the codec. maybe that's the problem

[wayne-scales]

No a codec isn't the problem because I have now discovered that simply activating WMP (but not if I play an .avi through it amazingly) causes this HUGE hike in temp and CPU load.

And I'm beginning to notice that certain other programs initiate the temp / load change at certain times. I'll give one example.........I have a small snooker game and ONLY when it's the computer's turn does the temp / load change occur, it cools when it is my turn. There are other weird things going on like that.

I won't bore you with all the details, could I have changed certain CPU settings without knowing? Could clock speed / BIOS settings be causing the problem (this is completely new territory for me).

[D.8080]

You never overclocked it then, you just put it together?

I think that there may be some software issue, now the real problem is to pinpoint where.


Even on good overcloks I've read so far that the temp doesn't rise that much, we are tlaking about small apps not massive rendering...

[Guest]

i saw on another site

about intel core 2 duo it says many cpu.s are broken from the factory and they named the same problem


i think it was toms hardware but im not sure call ur supplier and ask



if it not work buy amd =)

[JAC]

So you need to find a bechmarking / hardware tester software aimed at duo cores? if such a thing exists.

[wayne-scales]

eh.......ok! i ran a CPU tester called "hot CPU 4" which reported nothing, then I ran ATITool and after testing "max core" for 10 seconds the screen flickered and crashed, have I got serious problems?

[Unzlbunzl]

ATI TOOL is for graphic card - max care opverclockes it