What's wrong with these temps?

I have a p4 2.8 and I'm getting temperature readings of 68 C from my bios. That in itself seems messed up but I want to know if this is the reason my system is shutting down and if I should return my processor to Intel. could I be getting inacurate readings? Could I have some sort of virus that is shutting down my system? what else could be causing these problems? I don't want to send my processor back because it'll take forever to get back and I need mt computer for work. Please Please help me.

i use amd processors but intel's cpu's are supposed to have something that shuts down the computer when it reaches a certain temp. im pretty sure they are not inaccurate readings. your best bet is to get ALOT of fans and especially by a new heatsink and fan for your cpu.and re-apply thermal paste. those temps are very very high. i know for amd about 50 degrees celsius is high. if you want to order fans i use newegg.com and there are many other sites. so i hope this helped.

If you think it might be incorrect temps, download motherboard moniter 5, and see what temps it gives you.
I doubt that it's the chip, and beware that if you send it back to intel and it's fine then they charge you an arm and a leg.
I'd do this:
Remove the fan/heatsink and processer. Clean the old thermal paste from the top of the processer and the bottom of the heat sink with a little pure alcohol on a cloth. Sit the cpu back into the socket paying atention to the orientation of the chip. Apply a little thermal paste/grease to the top of the processer. See here Then re-attach the heatsink and fan, plug the fan in and give it a boot.
If you're still getting high readings (My p4 2.8 idles about 36 and it a prescott) then you should invest in some quality thermal grease such as arctic silver, and get a decent heatsink and fan, preferably 100% copper with a large fan. I would reccommend the Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu.
Hope that helps

I think I made a big mistake I sent the CPU back. I have built dozens of systems and have never experanced this problem that is why I think It might be the CPU. I'm 100% positive that I applied the paste properly and I was using and upgraded fan an AeroFlow with a Copper Core. So I'll see what Intel tells me. I'll post the results if anyone is interested.

Yeah i'd be interested, good luck!

Well it worked the sent me a new CPU and that was fine no hassles and it only cost me $10 shipping.

congrats on fixing it.

Nicely done!!