How would you know if your computer is having a fever?

Computers, like humans, are warm when they’re alive or functioning. They generate heat like any electrical equipment. While it’s normal for your PC to push the mercury a bit, it definitely isn’t so if it’s already testing the limits of the thermometer!

PC heat comes from a variety of sources, first and foremost of which is the CPU. The CPU is the heart and soul of the computer. Every process that is needed to keep it running goes through this component. Naturally, it generates heat. The more that it processes something, the hotter it gets. So don’t be surprised if your PC steams up to a few degrees whenever you’re playing Doom or graphics-intensive online games.

Excessive heat could damage your unit. CPU manufacturers have already addressed this problem or danger by attaching a heatsink on their chips. While this usually solves the problem, there are times when they’re not enough, such as when the system is overclocked. Overclocking puts a strain on the CPU, as well as on the heat sink. An overclocked chip usually generates excessive heat that fans could not contain. Obviously, the built-in or attached heatsink is not enough in this case.

You could help quell the heat by a number of ways. First, you could relocate your PC to a cooler location. Don’t place it besides other electrical equipment that also generate excessive heat. This would only aggravate the problem. Make sure that your unit is placed in a well-ventilated area. Second, check if the CPU or system fan is running properly. Sometimes, dust and other particles, such as hair, prevent fans from functioning at its peak. Third, ensure that the airflow ducts of your PC’s casing is unobstructed.

Make sure that your PC’s not frying itself inside. Some of the signs or symptoms which indicate that your computer is overheating include frequent shutdowns and restarts. Of course, you could easily ascertain if your PC has a fever by just touching its casing or its exhaust. You’ll immediately know if it’s generating normal or excessive heat.

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Every article about PC optimization almost always babbles of tips on how to tweak settings or hardware in order to inject a few liters of jet fuel in the CPU. Indeed, one optimizes his computer in order to get it to perform as fast as it possibly could. It could then be said that PC optimization is synonymous with PC speed.

Despite the very apparent similarity, PC optimization and PC speed are two different things. While PC optimization aims to put cheetah legs on your CPU, it’s also concerned with prolonging the life of your hardware.

Let me illustrate this difference through an optimization method known as overclocking. Overclocking involves shifting your CPU’s gear to its highest level. You could normally do this by changing some of the settings in the BIOS. By doing this, you’ll increase your PC’s speed by 10-20%. This is good as far as speeding up your PC is concerned. However, having your computer’s heart beat twice as fast as it normally does could have some deadly repercussions. Overclocking is synonymous to overheating. Overclocked PCs produces enough heat to make you want to take out some eggs and a frying pan.

PC speed focuses on giving you everything that your computer could produce in as little time as possible. On the other hand, while PC optimization also aims to add a few mph on your computer’s speedometer, it intends to do this with as little damage to your system as possible. In other words, PC optimization is also concerned with prolonging the life of your PC.

Hence, it could be said that underclocking is also a form of PC optimization. This may seem quite absurd considering that such method would slow down your PC. However, underclocking has a few advantages that could be beneficial to your system. For one thing, lower clock speeds mean less heat. As we all know, heat fries the life out of your PC.

PC optimization is not just about speed. Computer optimization is more about configuring your PC in such a way that it would perfectly meet your needs while preserving and prolonging the life of your hardware. PC optimization is all about efficiency. An efficient PC is one which could provide you with your needs for as long as possible.

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If you’re not a very demanding PC owner, then you’ve probably never heard of the term “overclocking.” I bet that if I dare you to guess right now what that IT gobbledygook means, you’d probably give me answers relating to time settings. Of course, answers following that line are far from being correct.

Overclocking refers to that process or method by which you speed up your PC by pushing its processor beyond the limit set by its manufacturer. CPU speed varies depending on its model. The one that I have right now is a 2.4 GHz Intel Dual Core processor. If you’re not into extreme gaming or heavy multimedia tasking, then a 2.4 GHz Dual Core chip would already satisfy your needs. However, if you think that God’s Will for you is to primarily play every online game that EA sports have created, then I bet my CPU’s second core that you’ve already mulled of trying to squeeze more out of your processor by putting a few more ticks into its clock.

Costless But Costly Upgrade

Overclocking is very tempting for both gamers and ordinary users alike. This is not surprising considering that putting a few more gigahertz into your CPU is like having your PC upgraded without being concomitantly punched on the pocket. And the difference is far from being negligible. You’ll definitely see a considerable enhancement in PC speed after overclocking it.

As with all things, there’s a downside to it. Overzealous overclocking could drive your PC to extreme exhaustion. This would eventually lead to a massive computer cardiac arrest. Overclocking your PC to almost twice its prescribed speed is like whipping a horse every second in order to make it run two times faster than it normally does. It will definitely run faster, but not for long.

Intel Roasting on an Open Fire

If you’re bent on adding a few digits on your CPU, be ready for the consequences. I’m not saying though, that overclocking would always lead to disaster. I just want you to be aware of the possible results or consequences, both good and bad (especially the latter), when you try to demand more from your processor. Make sure that your CPU and other PC fans are also working double time as overclocking is also synonymous to overheating. Don’t you dare put steroids into your PC when you can’t put ice in your system.

Overclocking is a very effective, but also very risky way of increasing PC speed. As with all quick fixes, they are littered with perils. I therefore suggest that you try other optimization methods first before resorting to this extreme measure. There are many ways by which you could speed up your PC, such as by defragging your hard drive or cleaning up your Windows registry so that no unnecessary instructions are flexing your PC’s muscles. These overclocking alternatives may cost you a bit, but in the end, it would actually save you from spending more when you eventually have buy a new chip and motherboard if overclocking toast your computers’ internals.

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I’m sure you already know by now that this site is dedicated into making sure that you get the most out of your PC. There are a myriad of ways by which you could inject steroids into your computer so that you could squeeze every gigahertz that its processor could offer.

But as with any performance-enhancing drug, there are side effects. The medicine or solutions that we offer you in this site are the ones approved by the FDA (pardon the metaphor). Like the human body, computers also have their limits and could breakdown if it is pushed beyond its capacity.

This doesn’t mean that we won’t give in to your curiosity. We’re of the belief that one should know the dark side of things in order to understand and fully appreciate the lighter face of things. Hence, on Wednesday, we’ll be featuring an optimization method that sometimes put PCs into cardiac arrest – overclocking.

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