What is an "OK" CPU Temp?

[gmarsh1]

Helloooo friends, Just what is an "acceptable" cpu temp? I'm running a P3-500 on ABit BE6 with 256megRam.. I have a full tower ATX case with one cpu fan and two side by side "regular size" case fans located at the top of the case.
The CPU probe runs from 40-42 Deg C and the case temp is routinely 37-38 deg C. Of course, I don't keep my house at 37!! so it seems that it's a little warm in there...
What do you all think? I saw a post or two about putting another side wall fan in directly pulling air into the mobo area...is that a good idea? Has anyone tried using some air filters to keep the dust down?

Please let me know what y'all think.

GeoR

[kongkong]

You are pretty safe, don't need to worry about the temp.

I am getting 42~48C for both CPUs (@BP6) and MB. Sometimes, it will raise more than 50, when the room temp is pretty high and with full-load.

Intel's specs say that the max safe range is 80C.

[arn]

I have an intake at the bottom of the case and an exhaust at the top. The one on the bottom has an airfilter (you can readily see through it) to keep the dust down. Its just a cheap furnace filter cut down to fit.

Cpu (366@568) runs 34-38C, depending on how warm the house is. I have 2 fans on the cpu. Case temp runs 18-23C.

At first I just had some holes drilled into the top of the case. It looked bad and I didn't think the air flow was very good. I used tin snips and cut a nice clean large hole, used a rubber gasket to cover the cut edge and installed a wire grill salvaged from the power supply off an old computer.

Looks a lot nicer and reduced the cpu temp 2-3C. Runs cooler now with the case cover installed then removed, provides that air flow.