0 pts.
 Why do I keep getting alarm sound?
DiI've got an older home built PC and I'm trying to run down the cause of a problem. I'm hoping you may have an idea. First off, the system: P4 (socket 478) 2.8 Ghz Abit BH7 v1.1 MB 1gb RAM The problem: We are getting a alarm sound from the MB. It sounds like a heat alarm to me (HI/low like a European police or ambulance siren). We have checked the MB manufacturers forum for help, and only found more people with the same problem. I've checked the CPU temp in the Bios and "it's normal". All fans are working fine, and the inside of the tower is pretty clean (no dust bunnies clogging up the heat sinks or fans). This alarm sound comes on with no rhyme or reason, at boot-up or after hours of use <shrug>. The entire system slows down when this happens. It just happened and I opened the case again; the memory Dimm seems "warm" I wouldn't call it hot. Any ideas?

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ASKED: July 28, 2008  2:59 PM
UPDATED: July 28, 2008  7:06 PM

Answer Wiki:
The temp sensor is generally attached to the heat sink near where the heat sink contacts the CPU. If the heat sink has a poor thermal connection to the CPU, the CPU can be running a lot hotter than the heat sink sensor is reading. The fact that the system slows down when the allarm goes of seems to indicate that the CPU is slowing down to protect itself. You might want to go to Radio shack and purchase some heat sink grease, it is a white compond that comes in squeeze tube and olny costs a couple of bucks. Remove the heat sink from the CPU, (be careful here, do not force the parts to seperate, you might be better served checking with the manufaturer of the MB for details.) Clean both surfaces, then apply a dab of the new compound (it does not take a lot to work!) and replace the heat sink. This one might be reaching...but, does the system use any kind of HD monitoring system such as S.M.A.R.T. The sound might indicate a failing HD.
Last Wiki Answer Submitted:  July 28, 2008  7:06 pm  by  Flame   14,895 pts.
All Answer Wiki Contributors:  Flame   14,895 pts.
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