Why is my cpu running so hot?

[warth0g]

hey i'm having a problem w/ my cooling on my computer. I have an athlon xp 1800, kyro 64mb video, 512 mb ram. I have an extra fan running on the back of the case which i finally just got running again. My problem is that my cpu is running in the 50s in degrees celsius. If i try to play a game it will undoubtedly get to the 60s. Why might my cpu be running at such a high temperature?

 

[xdviper]

did u put thermal paste on the cpu before putting the hs on? if the heatsink had thermal paste, is the heatpropy seated in the socket?

 

[warth0g]

well my friend built it for me, if i remember correctly he had a bit of trouble adhering the fan but i could be wrong about that...i don't really know much about these things at all. If i just press it onto the cpu harder might it be more effective? again, i have not much of an idea of what i'm talking about, any advice is much appreciated.

 

[xdviper]

ok, do you use those sliver clips on the mobo from the heatsink? are they both connected to the mobo?

 

[kllrnohj]

how many fans TOTAL in your system? and where?

also, is your hs really big and copper looking? or is it really small and silver looking? or somewhere inbetween? (you wouldn't happen to know what the hsf is, do you?)