ASUS Motherboard Temperature

[Goff]

What would be a reasonable MB temperature range (C) for an ASUS MB
running an AMD 3700 ?? I have ASUS PC Probe and the default
threshold setting for the MB is 75C which seems WAY too high (But if I
knew it was too high, I wouldn't be asking, right?) TIA

 

[kony]

What would be a reasonable MB temperature range (C) for an ASUS MB
running an AMD 3700 ?? I have ASUS PC Probe and the default
threshold setting for the MB is 75C which seems WAY too high (But if I
knew it was too high, I wouldn't be asking, right?) TIA

75C is fine, it's not a question of what is too high but
what is instable at any particular temp and voltage which
will vary based on the FSB speed and voltage settings you
use (if overclocking, or depending on installed processor),
and whether this combination of things is stable or not.

Use your preferred application to test for stability, and if
you find it gets instable before reaching 75C, then adjust
the temp threshold down to a little before the instable temp
range.

 

[Paul]

75C is fine, it's not a question of what is too high but
what is instable at any particular temp and voltage which
will vary based on the FSB speed and voltage settings you
use (if overclocking, or depending on installed processor),
and whether this combination of things is stable or not.

Use your preferred application to test for stability, and if
you find it gets instable before reaching 75C, then adjust
the temp threshold down to a little before the instable temp
range.

Looking back at the OP's posting history, he was in the process
of replacing a fan on a heatsink in his system. It sounds
like this question is being asked, after the change of
cooling hardware. It may mean that thermal paste wasn't
fitted on the Northbridge heatsink, during reassembly.

The previous threads didn't identify the motherboard
either. So there are a few details missing from this
question, and filling in those details might make a
difference to the answer.

75C is a pretty high temp. Some chips can take 99C, as
listed in their spec sheet. (Intel lists the max
temp on their chips. We'd have to guess for
other brands.)

On some chipsets, running those kinds of temps, causes
the SATA ports to become flaky. So it really depends
what interfaces the chip has, as to what the consequences
might be. The Nvidia "all-in-one" chipsets, have
the Northbridge and Southbridge inside the same chip,
and that would be an example of a chip that might
develop flaky SATA ports if you get it too hot.

A crash caused by memory corruption, would also be
a sign it was too hot.

Paul

 

[Goff]

Looking back at the OP's posting history, he was in the process
of replacing a fan on a heatsink in his system. It sounds
like this question is being asked, after the change of
cooling hardware. It may mean that thermal paste wasn't
fitted on the Northbridge heatsink, during reassembly.

The previous threads didn't identify the motherboard
either. So there are a few details missing from this
question, and filling in those details might make a
difference to the answer.

75C is a pretty high temp. Some chips can take 99C, as
listed in their spec sheet. (Intel lists the max
temp on their chips. We'd have to guess for
other brands.)

On some chipsets, running those kinds of temps, causes
the SATA ports to become flaky. So it really depends
what interfaces the chip has, as to what the consequences
might be. The Nvidia "all-in-one" chipsets, have
the Northbridge and Southbridge inside the same chip,
and that would be an example of a chip that might
develop flaky SATA ports if you get it too hot.

A crash caused by memory corruption, would also be
a sign it was too hot.

Paul

You are correct concerning the CPU Heatsink/fan. The board is an ASUS
A8N-SLI , NForce-4 chipset, one 6600GT, and an AMD 3700+ CPU.
ASUS PC Probe currently reads, at idle, and without "Cool 'n Quiet;

CPU Temp - 29C/84F
MB Temp - 35C/95F
Ambient temp is 65F inside.

 

[Paul]

You are correct concerning the CPU Heatsink/fan. The board is an ASUS
A8N-SLI , NForce-4 chipset, one 6600GT, and an AMD 3700+ CPU.
ASUS PC Probe currently reads, at idle, and without "Cool 'n Quiet;

CPU Temp - 29C/84F
MB Temp - 35C/95F
Ambient temp is 65F inside.

Possible replacements:

1) Go to the estore.asus.com and get an exact replacement. Only
an option for residents of the USA.

http://estore.asus.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=231&catid=134
("Out of stock until first week of April.")

2) Thermalright HR-05-SLI Copper Heatsinks only - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16835109131

That is a heatpipe based cooler, intended for use with Northbridge
chips. The "SLI" designation comes from the ability to orient the
fin assembly, so it doesn't bump into a video card. Thermalright
makes a second model, with different mechanical details.

The cooler could benefit from having a fan mounted next to it.
If the chipset was still too hot, more air flow over the fins
would help.

Since the clip isn't apparently very good, you may want to
visit the hardware store, and improve the design a bit.

3) MCX-159CU

http://www.swiftnets.com/products/mcx159-CU.asp

This is a Northbridge cooler, with an included fan. Fan is 18dBA,
which is below 30dBA or so audibility figure. Swiftech products
usually have nice surface finish on the base of their coolers.
There are no heatpipes in that unit, but yet it is rated
with a theta_R thermal resistance of 1.25C/W. If the chipset
was 20W, that would mean the chip temp would be 35C (case air temp)
plus 1.25*20 = 60C as a rough estimate.

For a cooler like the 159, you'd want to verify the corner to corner
spacing of the mounting holes. The brackets on the 159 have limited
adjustment range, so you pretty well need the standard hole spacing
to be able to use it.

4) I would not recommend the Zalman NB47 or similar 35mm square
passive coolers for a chip like that Nvidia one. The problem is,
the theta_R on those coolers is too poor for comfort. A more
substantial cooler is required. And preferably with some air movement.
On some heatsinks, 200LFM of air, improves cooling performance by a
factor of three, and should not be ignored. As you can see in the
calculation in (3), it still runs pretty hot with a 35mm cooler
without heatpipes.

The HR-05 comes with some thermal paste, and a thin layer should be
applied to the top of the chip, once it has been cleaned with some
isopropyl alcohol. Thermal paste compensates for the unevenness of the
surfaces, and paste is a better conductor of heat, than air. By
displacing any air between the two surfaces, you get better cooling
performance. When the motherboard is manufactured, sometimes they put
a gob of material in there, and too much of it, acts as an insulator.

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/35-109-131-05.jpg

There are various discussions about fans and cooling for that motherboard,
on the Asus forums. There are too many posts for me to read right now,
and 1418 threads might take me the rest of the day.

http://vip.asus.com/forum/topic.aspx?board_id=1&model=A8N-SLI&SLanguage=en-us

HTH,
Paul

 

[GT]

You are correct concerning the CPU Heatsink/fan. The board is an ASUS
A8N-SLI , NForce-4 chipset, one 6600GT, and an AMD 3700+ CPU.
ASUS PC Probe currently reads, at idle, and without "Cool 'n Quiet;

CPU Temp - 29C/84F
MB Temp - 35C/95F
Ambient temp is 65F inside.

I would get some other temperature software, because I don't think the CPU
will be 29C, unless you have water cooling. Also, your original question
said the motherboard temp was 75, but now it is 35 ?!?

 

[kony]

I would get some other temperature software, because I don't think the CPU
will be 29C, unless you have water cooling. Also, your original question
said the motherboard temp was 75, but now it is 35 ?!?

The 75C figure was a threshold setting in the (bios or
monitoring software) to shutdown or set off an alarm. Since
the thermal load of it isn't going to change much, unlike
the CPU, it usually tends to indicate a fan failure when a
board is equipped with an active fan cooled 'sink, IF it
even gets that hot when the fan fails which it might with
nForce4.

Regardless as you noted if the temp is now 35C there isn't
anything more than needs be done unless/until the present
(fan on a sink?) fails.

 

[GT]

The 75C figure was a threshold setting in the (bios or
monitoring software) to shutdown or set off an alarm. Since
the thermal load of it isn't going to change much, unlike
the CPU, it usually tends to indicate a fan failure when a
board is equipped with an active fan cooled 'sink, IF it
even gets that hot when the fan fails which it might with
nForce4.

Regardless as you noted if the temp is now 35C there isn't
anything more than needs be done unless/until the present
(fan on a sink?) fails.

But CPU at 29 sounds like software error to me, so I thought different
temperature software was called for. Do we know if he has water cooling?

 

[kony]

But CPU at 29 sounds like software error to me, so I thought different
temperature software was called for. Do we know if he has water cooling?

Yes it's possible that reading is wrong, probably is if
there isn't either a very low room ambient temp or a *very*
good cooling subsystem, and yet there is no report of
instability so we'd have to assume his temps are being
effectively managed as they are on anyone else's board, but
yes a second way to read these temps would be a good idea
like comparing the bios health screen values or software
like speedfan... then abandoning the present Asus software
or trying a newer version if they don't sync.