A colleague at work has suggested that running ClimatePrediction could burn out my CPU, as it would be running at 100% for several weeks. Is this a genuine risk? If so, is there anything I can do to mitigate the risk?

In the meantime, I am going to suspend my model, as I don\'t want to take the risk - apologies if this is an over-reaction!

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I do think this is an over-reaction. Lots of people have been running climateprediction models on computers similar to yours for over three years without burning out anything.

That said, it is true that many computers were sold without adequate cooling in the first place, and if you have not done anything to clean it out since you bought it it could have collected quite a bit of fluff, which will impede the airflow it needs to keep it cool. There is some advice here on things you can do to clean it out.

The other thing you can do is check how hot it is getting. Modern computers often have a way of keeping an eye on this - somebody else might want to suggest what they think is the best and easiest way for you to do this in your case.

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Modern CPU are designed to stop by themselves if their temperature is too hight.
You can check the temp of your CPU with programs like MotherBoard Monitor, but I wouldn\'t worry much if your PC is a modern desktop machine.
With laptop machine, it\'s possible that your CPU can warm too much.

Some users have been running CPDN for more than 1 year 24/7 on the same machine with no problem.
Edit: crossing with Andrew :o)

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Arnaud

Looks like you have a laptop, which can overheat more easily than most desktops. That said, many have been running CPDN on their laptops for a long time without problems. Best advice if you keep running it, make sure it is propped up so that air can freely flow under it, and that the vents are not covered in any way. Also, occasionally blowing some compressed air into the vents when it is shut down gets rid of the dust that can keep it warmer than it otherwise would be.

And, of course, there are laptop coolers that can help keep it from getting as hot as it otherwise might.

The CPU itself should not have a problem running 100% 24/7. The cooling system needs to be clean on a laptop. Dust bunnies and bad ventilation can cause problems.

I have been running CPDN on a laptop for a year, and the only time I had issues was when there was a buildup of dust. Once cleaned, everything was fine.

People think that processors burn out if over used. This is not the case. Processors are built to run 100% all the time. They burn out because they get old, overheat from lack of ventilation, or were bad to begin with.

Good luck, and happy crunching.

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+Most oft he newer mobo\'s have temp sensors for the board and the cpu. It merely takes having the appropriate software to monitor these signals.

For example, with my P5LD2 -DL, AI Booster not only tells me cpu temp (which for the PentiumD, I run at abt 58 degrees C, avg.), and mobo temp, but case fan speed as well as power suppply fan speed. Italso tells me the core voltage and I can obtain other readings.

Because of being able to keep an eye on these readings, I know when I start running 60 degrees C avg, it\'s time to clean out the case, specifically the cpu heatsink.

Now then, towers obviously have an advantage over laptops in volume to dissapate heat and choices for auxilliary cooling that laptops don\'t, so it\'s vital they have some one to observe temp trends.

While it\'s unlikely you\'ll fry your cpu while not seriously overclocking it, the cooler you can keep the electronics, the more efficiently they\'ll operate.

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