Processor cooling is the worst part of building computers!

[iCEhOT]

Just got me a new system, got an A-top xblade deluxe gaming case, with an asus p5p800 mobo, 1gig twinx pc3200 corsair memory, radeon x800 pro, 480W atx2.2 psu, 600gigs hdd space, and to top it off i got the retail intel P4 3.4GHz LGA775 processor.

Great spec, and cant be happier with it.

But the cooling!

Had a similar system before, but on a gigabyte sinxp mobo, 533fsb, and P4 3.06ghz, with a radeon 9700 pro - i know it's a small upgrade, but hey... Had cooling problems with that system, took quite a few different heat sinks and fans to get the best cooling solution for it (although it was loud).

Seeing this time i got the retail box for the CPU, i thought, let's try out the stock heatsink and fan.

Well, that was a mistake, it's complete crap, i'm getting idle temps of around 63C, and full load from around 85c to 90C (by that point it's crashing on me), the mobo temps are fine, around 25 to 30C. Although it might be thought of as being a bit stupid to do, i decided to touch the heatsink. And it was touchable, it was warm, but not hot, so it's definately not conducting heat properly. I know it's on there OK, as the pins are locked into the mobo pretty good, although i'm not taking it off yet cos i've just ordered a zalman CNPS7700-CU. So want this to at least run idling (to browse the web with etc) until that arrives without messing the thermal paste up. So i'm not 100% certain it's making proper contact, but i'm pretty sure.

So right now i have the side case open, and a house fan on full blast into the side of the case, with that prime 95 and 3dmark etc run without the computer rebooting due to the processor messing instructions up. It still runs hottish at around 80C (at full load), but not dangerously so now. So can put up with it for now.

I think it just goes to show that (unless it isnt making proper contact), intel's stock HSF is crap!

Cant wait to get some arctic silver 5, and my zalman on there, with pure coper, it should conduct the heat away from the processor much better.

Anyway, I suppose this was a bit of a pointless topic in a way, but just felt I had to have a moan somewhere about temperature fighting, coz i'm fed up with it, and it seems to take forever to get just right. And intel should be supplying something better than that thing came with - hate to see how it reacts in summer time!

[CrowdAds]

[Briton]

80C is pretty damn dangerous IMO. I have a pressie with a XP-94 heatsink on it that runs about 32C idle and 40C @ load. I also have an HTPC with NO fans save for the stock CPU heatsink and it runs 30C idle and 42-43C full load.

[iCEhOT]

How on earth did u get the temps that low??

(Unless ur living somewhere very cold??)

[sammy2066]

Originally Posted by Briton

80C is pretty damn dangerous IMO. I have a pressie with a XP-94 heatsink on it that runs about 32C idle and 40C @ load. I also have an HTPC with NO fans save for the stock CPU heatsink and it runs 30C idle and 42-43C full load.

40c under load on a pressie ... ?? did you just shift to antarctica bro??

[iCEhOT]

Ok update, just played around with the stock heatsink, and it was slightly off the processor on one corner, even tho it was held in damn good - needed pliers to pull that thing out, put some white goo on it for now, and still took me 3 times to get it seated perfectly, but now temps are 42C at idle, and under 100% load, it's going at about 53C - so that's much better, not sure if i should bother getting the zalman now, may sell it on ebay, cos these temps are fine..


Edit:

Make that 62C under full load (running 2 prime 95's)

[yaputzis]

I thought socket 775 Prescotts are running cooler. So I should be happy with my Precott running 49c 2xPrime95 @4.0GHz and 1.5v.

[PCBruiser]

I am moving this thread to the Cooling Forum. It is really a cooling issue not a chipset one.

[Tapir]

Originally Posted by Briton

80C is pretty damn dangerous IMO. I have a pressie with a XP-94 heatsink on it that runs about 32C idle and 40C @ load. I also have an HTPC with NO fans save for the stock CPU heatsink and it runs 30C idle and 42-43C full load.

Say that again?????

[MANOWAR]

Hey Briton,
What are your system specs? If you're using an Intel based Asus board and you use Asus Probe you need to add 5 - 10c to your processor temps. Don't ask me why this is but I know it's true:
Check my Lan Party rig in my sig. P4 2.4c @ 3.1 Asus Probe reports Idle CPU temps=19c and full load CPU temps=29c. No way in the world can that be accurate, not with that kind of an overclock. Even when you add the full 10c it still seems low.

Originally Posted by Briton

80C is pretty damn dangerous IMO. I have a pressie with a XP-94 heatsink on it that runs about 32C idle and 40C @ load. I also have an HTPC with NO fans save for the stock CPU heatsink and it runs 30C idle and 42-43C full load.

[yamawho]

Originally Posted by iCEhOT

Ok update, just played around with the stock heatsink, and it was slightly off the processor on one corner, even tho it was held in damn good - needed pliers to pull that thing out, put some white goo on it for now, and still took me 3 times to get it seated perfectly, but now temps are 42C at idle, and under 100% load, it's going at about 53C - so that's much better, not sure if i should bother getting the zalman now, may sell it on ebay, cos these temps are fine..


Edit:

Make that 62C under full load (running 2 prime 95's)

My Prescott 3.2E running at 3.8 Ghz is 49 deg running prime95.
Installed a Zalman 7700cu ... and your right, Intel HSF make good paper weights

[voodoun]

If you're using an Intel based Asus board and you use Asus Probe you need to add 5 - 10c to your processor temps. Don't ask me why this is but I know it's true

I was alarmed by this when I moved from an Asus to an Abit board - I was used to seeing the temps run lower as you noted - the case temp probes matched the Abit readings, a digital thermomether with probe confirmed it and an IR temp gun we use for checking cage temps convinced me finally I had been running much hotter than I had assumed. Gad-farking-zooks.

[Briton]

Originally Posted by iCEhOT

How on earth did u get the temps that low??

(Unless ur living somewhere very cold??)

I live in Massachusetts. The ambient temperature in my room is 20C. The SP-94 is a great heatsink; I have a Vantec Tornado 92mm running at 2200rpms (half speed) which is pretty quiet cooling it. I use Arctic Silver 5 as a thermal paste. The 2.4B chip I have in my HTPC (Aria case has HORRIBLE cooling) and it still only maxes out at 42C full load with stock cooler (this was in a full size ATX case at one point and had record temps of 22C (2C above ambient) at idle and 35C at full load.

[Briton]

Originally Posted by MetalMan

Hey Briton,
What are your system specs? If you're using an Intel based Asus board and you use Asus Probe you need to add 5 - 10c to your processor temps. Don't ask me why this is but I know it's true:
Check my Lan Party rig in my sig. P4 2.4c @ 3.1 Asus Probe reports Idle CPU temps=19c and full load CPU temps=29c. No way in the world can that be accurate, not with that kind of an overclock. Even when you add the full 10c it still seems low.

I've used it in a 8SQ800, PT880 Neo-LSR, ASUS P4S800D-E, Foxconn i865 mATX board, and a Soyo i865 board and all report within 1-2C of the other. Currently the Prescott is in the PT880 Neo-LSR and the 2.4B is in the Foxconn.

[iCEhOT]

My god, just installed the zalman - was loads easier to install than the intel clip thing... first time up, and it's working - got arctic silver 5 on there too..

Here's my new temps:

Idle: 38C
Full load (2 prime 95's): 55C
Mobo temp: 30C

and room temp i suppose is about 22C

So that HSF works loads better than the intel one - and that's not even giving it time for the arctic silver to fully harden.

[iCEhOT]

Oh and i should add, i can barely hear the thing, it's amazing!