Strange overheating problem

kdelover · 11-01-2010, 10:46 AM

Hi linux experts,

I am using ubuntu karmic kola 9.10. The problem i have been having lately is of overheating of my intel core2duo proc,where the temp reaches around 80-90 degrees and the cpu shuts down after a while and the message from the bios is of thermal trip.

Ideally my cpus temp is around 55 deg,the moment when the temp starts to climb and when i run a top command,i see arpwatch taking 100 % of cpu.After googling i came across this.

Code:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/arpwatch/+bug/357462

How can a process which is taking 100 % cpu cause a system to over heat and shutdown in few mins? I have had seen instances where processes taking a lot of cpu but not something like this.

Quote:

ryan@wsx04:~$ cat /etc/lsb-release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=9.10
DISTRIB_CODENAME=karmic
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 9.10"

Code:

ryan@wsx04:~$ dpkg -s arpwatch
Package: arpwatch
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: admin
Installed-Size: 468
Maintainer: Ubuntu MOTU Developers <ubuntu-motu@lists.ubuntu.com>
Architecture: amd64
Version: 2.1a13-2.1

Code:

ryan@wsx04:~$ sa | grep -i arpwatch
4     292.10re       2.06cp         0avio      5176k   arpwatch*

Thanks !!

TobiSGD · 11-01-2010, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kdelover

How can a process which is taking 100 % cpu cause a system to over heat and shutdown in few mins?

Simple answer: If your cooling system is ok they can't.
Check your fans and clean out your cooling system from dust.

H_TeXMeX_H · 11-01-2010, 11:54 AM

Also, make sure the CPU heat sink and fan are in place and working and dust-free. If the system is old, you may think about changing the thermal paste.