I've been dealing with a frustrating issue where my CPU temperature randomly spikes to 90-100°C, even when I'm not putting it under any heavy load. I've checked the task manager and other monitoring apps, but nothing shows that it's above 50% usage. I've already tried several fixes: I replaced the thermal paste, did a thorough cleaning, swapped out the CPU cooler, and even wiped my PC clean to remove unnecessary files. I've also run multiple malware and virus scans, but nothing seems to help, and the problem resurfaces within 10-15 minutes. I'm wondering if it's time to replace my CPU or if there's something else I might be missing. Any advice?
4 Answers
This sounds more like a power delivery issue on the motherboard rather than the CPU itself. Have you done a complete format of your PC? Sometimes malware can hide quite effectively, and it might be worth checking again just to be safe.
What CPU do you have and which cooler? That info can really help in diagnosing your issue better.
From what you're describing, it seems likely to be a motherboard issue instead of the CPU. It's odd that the temps are so high without heavy usage.
Are you talking about temps or load when you say 90 to 100? Also, what CPU and cooler do you have? Make sure your fans are actually spinning and when you installed the cooler, did you apply the thermal paste? That kind of info can make a difference.
The 90-100 is referring to the temps. I've got an i9-9900K running with an NZXT Kraken M22. Everything is spinning properly and I definitely used thermal paste. It's weird because my computer is around 5-6 years old and this issue has only started recently.
I’ll definitely give formatting another shot. I did a full wipe last time, but I can try again to see if that helps.