You could control your fans with a program called "SpeedFan". I used it when I first got my computer to control the fans. It tells you the temperature and the fan RPM (i think its the RPM) and it allows u to control the speed as well.

http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php
 
--------------------


Proud WG member since December 2003

Ok so pretty much every digital device runs on something called a clock. Basically it controls how fast computer processes are dealt with. It generates what's called a logic high every set number of times per second. Processes can only be carried out on these logic high or clock cycle. It takes a certain number of these clock cycles to complete a process, depending on how the memory is addressed, the number of bytes, etc.

Generally the greater the clock speed, the faster the processor is. So when you see 2.0 GHz dual core intel processor, it means that each core of the processor is running at 2 BILLION clock cycles per second. So the hope is by overclocking, you can squeeze out a little more power from the processor or graphics card or whatever.

What limits the clock speed is how fast the transistors that make up the logic circuits inside a computer processor can switch between a logic high or low, or how fast memory can be retrieved. Since processes can only be carried out at a specific point in the clock cycle, you can run into trouble if you're information is not fully retrieved or fully transmitted but you're clock is already in the next cycle.

This leads to invalid computations and causes the processor to become unstable because part of your command has been cut off from the rest of it. This is the danger of making a processor run at speeds greater than what it is intended for.

What limits how fast data becomes available to a processor is basically down to the wire itself. An electric signal can only travel so fast through copper. So companies are trying to fix this problem by placing transistors as close as they can together. I think Intel is at like 45nm right now. Another solution, a more permanent one also is to move away from electricity and into optical components. This would also eliminate things like cross-talk, signal reflections and a whole bunch of other stuff I don't want to get into but I will if you're really that curious.

Most processors can actually withstand overclocking to some degree. AMD actually releases processors that come overclocked out of the box.

Another danger of overclock (my problem) is the amount of abnormal heat that's generated by the device. Generally overclocking a device reduces its lifetime because of the heat damage unless you can get rid of it.

SO, in a nutshell that's a lesson in computer architecture and electronics for you right there.
 
--------------------

/georgiopedia
 
--------------------