Athlon 64 CPU temp

[keith.langer]

Hi,

I just built a system with an Athlon 64 3500+ socket AM2 (ECS C51GM-M
1.0 motherboard), and I'm finding that the CPU temp is running very
high under heavy loads. I have cool n quiet enabled, and under no load
the CPU temp is about 46C and the case is about 40C. The ACPI temp
seems to run hotter the longer it's on, and right now it's 54C. HD is
38C When I run the CPU under a heavy load, the temp can jump up to
70C, with the case staying around 42C. It doesn't seem to make much of
a difference if I open the side of the case. Room temp is ~18C.

I am using the AMD heatsink and fan from the retail box. Initially I
mistakenly put thermal grease on the CPU even though there was a
thermal pad on the heat sink. After having temperature problems, I
removed the heatsink, cleaned heatsink and CPU with isopropyl alcohol,
and put arctic silver 5 on (size about 3/4 of a BB just like arctic
silver recommends).
Tried movinaag heatsink slightly after install to remove bubbles.
Reclamped heatsink. Same temp problems!

So now I'm particularly concerned about the CPU temp under heavy loads,
and the power supply temp under normal circumstances. The CPU fan is
running at about 2800 rpm, and the case fan is also running. The heat
sink never feels particularly warm, which makes me think that there's
still poor thermal conductivity. Is the AMD cooling solution just
lousy? Can someone make some recommendations as to how to decrease
these temperatures?

Can you guys tell me what temperatures you get under no load and under
heavy loads? Can you also tell me what you're using to cool it? I've
read some of the previous posts, and the tips haven't gotten me
anywhere.

thanks,
Keith

 

[keith.langer]

I should also add that I am not overclocking.

 

[Htnakirs]

It definitely seems like a heatsink problem. Try getting a replacement
from the dealer. Or another branded heatsink.
70 is the max stated at the AMD site, so its serious.

 

[TonyC]

Hi,

I just built a system with an Athlon 64 3500+ socket AM2 (ECS C51GM-M
1.0 motherboard), and I'm finding that the CPU temp is running very
high under heavy loads. I have cool n quiet enabled, and under no load
the CPU temp is about 46C and the case is about 40C. The ACPI temp
seems to run hotter the longer it's on, and right now it's 54C. HD is
38C When I run the CPU under a heavy load, the temp can jump up to
70C, with the case staying around 42C. It doesn't seem to make much of
a difference if I open the side of the case. Room temp is ~18C.

I am using the AMD heatsink and fan from the retail box. Initially I
mistakenly put thermal grease on the CPU even though there was a
thermal pad on the heat sink. After having temperature problems, I
removed the heatsink, cleaned heatsink and CPU with isopropyl alcohol,
and put arctic silver 5 on (size about 3/4 of a BB just like arctic
silver recommends).
Tried movinaag heatsink slightly after install to remove bubbles.
Reclamped heatsink. Same temp problems!

So now I'm particularly concerned about the CPU temp under heavy loads,
and the power supply temp under normal circumstances. The CPU fan is
running at about 2800 rpm, and the case fan is also running. The heat
sink never feels particularly warm, which makes me think that there's
still poor thermal conductivity. Is the AMD cooling solution just
lousy? Can someone make some recommendations as to how to decrease
these temperatures?

Can you guys tell me what temperatures you get under no load and under
heavy loads? Can you also tell me what you're using to cool it? I've
read some of the previous posts, and the tips haven't gotten me
anywhere.

thanks,
Keith

Your case temp looks on the high side too. You using some case fans to get
rid of the warm air in your case? Does the CPU feel like it's running at
these ridiculously high temp when you touch it? It's possible the temps are
being mis-reported.

I got Opteron146 @ 2.86Ghz, idles about 35c load 45c

 

[Wes Newell]

I just built a system with an Athlon 64 3500+ socket AM2 (ECS C51GM-M
1.0 motherboard), and I'm finding that the CPU temp is running very
high under heavy loads. I have cool n quiet enabled, and under no load
the CPU temp is about 46C and the case is about 40C. The ACPI temp
seems to run hotter the longer it's on, and right now it's 54C. HD is
38C When I run the CPU under a heavy load, the temp can jump up to
70C, with the case staying around 42C. It doesn't seem to make much of
a difference if I open the side of the case. Room temp is ~18C.

I am using the AMD heatsink and fan from the retail box. Initially I
mistakenly put thermal grease on the CPU even though there was a
thermal pad on the heat sink. After having temperature problems, I
removed the heatsink, cleaned heatsink and CPU with isopropyl alcohol,
and put arctic silver 5 on (size about 3/4 of a BB just like arctic
silver recommends).
Tried movinaag heatsink slightly after install to remove bubbles.
Reclamped heatsink. Same temp problems!

So now I'm particularly concerned about the CPU temp under heavy loads,
and the power supply temp under normal circumstances. The CPU fan is
running at about 2800 rpm, and the case fan is also running. The heat
sink never feels particularly warm, which makes me think that there's
still poor thermal conductivity. Is the AMD cooling solution just
lousy? Can someone make some recommendations as to how to decrease
these temperatures?

Can you guys tell me what temperatures you get under no load and under
heavy loads? Can you also tell me what you're using to cool it? I've
read some of the previous posts, and the tips haven't gotten me
anywhere.

I can show you mine (A64 754 3000+).

CPU Temp: +31°C (low = +15°C, high = +60°C) sensor = diode
M/B Temp: +30°C (low = +15°C, high = +40°C) sensor = thermistor

Room temp is 24C. I've got all 5 PCI slots filled with 4 HDTV tuner cards
and one IDE raid card. 3 HDD's, etc. The tuner cards run reallly hot
comparably.. Because of this, I've taken the side cover off and have an
800mm fan blowing on the tuner cards. I'm using a TR2-M6 cooler ($6.95)
and for HS compund I've been using 30 year old wheel bearing grease since
Sept. 1 of 2005 just to prove a point (being that all the hype about
cooling compounds is crap).

And now some wags about your problem. Doesn't sound like you have enough
AS5 to start with. 3/4 BB would probably be fine for a CPU without a heat
spreader, but it doesn't sound like enough for one with one. It might be,
but I think a full BB would have been better. With the side cover off,
running CnQ, room temp of 18C, the cpu temp probably should be about 25C
assuming the cpu cooler is installed properly and correct temp readings.
But, with the cover on and the case temp reaching 42C, the cpu temp would
probably be 45-50C at idle, so you might have a case cooling problem too.
Leave the side cover off until you get this under control and then check
the difference when you put it on and act accordingly.. If the cpu temps
you are getting are correct, the only thing I can see being wrong is the
cpu cooler either not having enough HS compound or it's not installed
properly. Start there.

 

[keith.langer]

The case has a fan on the side. When I touch the heatsink, it feels
warm, but not too hot (I can't touch the CPU without removing the heat
sink!). The room temp was actually about 25C, possibly because the
computer had been warming it up.

 

[keith.langer]

The amount of AS I applied was per Arctic's web site instructions for
an AMD CPU with a heat spreader. The amount was enough that the entire
heat spreader was covered when I pulled off the heatsink.

I just remounted the heat sink for a third time and reapplied AS. I
verified that the heatsink is clipped on both sides and the arm is
locked in place. The heatsink is on solidly.

I have now been running it with the side of the case off, so I'm
getting ambient airflow but the case fan is not hooked up. The
temperatures I'm getting are from SpeedFan, and I'm not sure exactly
what some of them are. Here's what I'm getting with a 100% CPU load:

CPU: 68C
System (motherboard?): 38
? 25 (video card?)
HD: 30
ACPI 43

The heatsink feels hotter, but not too hot to touch.

Room temp is 25.

The CPU temp can go up or down by 10-15 degrees in a matter of seconds.
I mention this because I had read on another post that the temp can be
measured from a diode on the CPU, or by a thermistor on the
motherboard. I'm guessing that this board uses the diode, but I
haven't yet confirmed this with ECS. They claimed that a reading of 70
is high for a thermistor reading, but not for a diode reading. I don't
know how true this is.

In the course of writing this post, I had removed the CPU load. The
current CPU temp is 39C with a system temp of 36C. The heat sink feels
much cooler (I got a reading of 32C from the base with an instant
thermometer).

thanks,
Keith

 

[Wes Newell]

I have now been running it with the side of the case off, so I'm
getting ambient airflow but the case fan is not hooked up. The
temperatures I'm getting are from SpeedFan, and I'm not sure exactly
what some of them are. Here's what I'm getting with a 100% CPU load:

Go into the bios from a cold boot and check the temps there. The cpu will
be running at full speed under some load. Temps there should be between
35-45C. If they are, then you can be sure that the speedfan temps are
wrong. If the bios temps stablize over 50C, then there's a problem
somewhere IMO. Quite possibly with the way the software is reading the
temps of the newer AM2 cpu's. How do the bios temps compare to speedfan?

 

[C. Sowash]

Can you guys tell me what temperatures you get under no load and under
heavy loads? Can you also tell me what you're using to cool it? I've
read some of the previous posts, and the tips haven't gotten me
anywhere.

I have an FX-55 with the retail AMD fan. Under heavy load the CPU temp reaches
52 deg. C.

 

[keith.langer]

Wes,

The BIOS temps are comparable to the speedfan temps with cool n quiet
disabled. The CPU temp runs 55-62C in the BIOS.

Keith

 

[keith.langer]

Wes,

I just ran another extended test. The computer was off for about an
hour, and then I started it and let it sit in the BIOS while I watched
the temps. The CPU temp quickly got to 55C, and then crept as high as
65 after about and hour. The system temp started around 32 and crept
up to 39. When I pulled off the side of the case (and the case fan
with it), the system temp actually went up a little, not down!

I checked some temps with my thermometer, and they look legit. The
temp of the air coming out of the case is 35C. The temp at the base of
the heat sink is roughly equal to the system temp. I don't know how to
confirm the CPU temp, but based on the fact the system temp creeps up
and the room is getting warmer, I'd say that the value is correct. Is
it possible that something in the CPU, motherboard, or power supply
could be causing the CPU to draw too much power? What if the CPU
should never have qualified as a 3500? I don't even know how to
underclock with this board to test that theory.

Keith

 

[Wes Newell]

I just ran another extended test. The computer was off for about an
hour, and then I started it and let it sit in the BIOS while I watched
the temps. The CPU temp quickly got to 55C, and then crept as high as
65 after about and hour. The system temp started around 32 and crept
up to 39. When I pulled off the side of the case (and the case fan
with it), the system temp actually went up a little, not down!

To me, this indicates 2 problems. First, there's a problem with the CPU
temp. It shouldn't go to 55C at all. And second, the case temp is getting
too high, which may be partly caused by the cpu if in fact it's running as
hot as the temps suggest. I understand why the case temp might go up when
removing the side cover. The side fan is blowing cold air onto the case
sensor. Leave the side cover off for all testing and don't worry about
case temps until you can figure out what's wrong with the CPU temp.
Since you say the HS on the cpu is getting hot, that indicates it is
transferring the heat well. Is the fan blowing good into the HS? With
hot air coming from around the HS? If so, I'd say it's definately
something to do with the cpu. About all you can do there is check the cpu
voltage in the bios for the right voltage. It could be that the oard bios
is not interpreting the default voltage properly and pumping to much juice
into the cpu. The voltage should be about 1.25-1.40v. If it's more than
that, then look for a bios upgrade to see if that will fix it or contact
ECS as they have a problem.

Besides the one case fan on the side cover and the PSU fan, are there any
more in the case? I assume the side fan is an intake fan as it should be.

 

[Wes Newell]

The voltage should be about 1.25-1.40v. If it's more than
that, then look for a bios upgrade to see if that will fix it or contact
ECS as they have a problem.

Just a quick follow up. They do make a low pwer 3500+ that only takes
1.20-125v according to amdcompare.com. Don't think it'd matter even at
1.4v, but you never know. I've got an old 1.5v hammer and a couple of
Semprons that run at 1.35v.

 

[TonyC]

Wes,

I just ran another extended test. The computer was off for about an
hour, and then I started it and let it sit in the BIOS while I watched
the temps. The CPU temp quickly got to 55C, and then crept as high as
65 after about and hour. The system temp started around 32 and crept
up to 39. When I pulled off the side of the case (and the case fan
with it), the system temp actually went up a little, not down!

I checked some temps with my thermometer, and they look legit. The
temp of the air coming out of the case is 35C. The temp at the base of
the heat sink is roughly equal to the system temp. I don't know how to
confirm the CPU temp, but based on the fact the system temp creeps up
and the room is getting warmer, I'd say that the value is correct. Is
it possible that something in the CPU, motherboard, or power supply
could be causing the CPU to draw too much power? What if the CPU
should never have qualified as a 3500? I don't even know how to
underclock with this board to test that theory.

Keith

Might worth checking the forums here http://www.ocworkbench.com

 

[keith.langer]

Wes,

It runs at 1.35V in the BIOS and the OS when there is a CPU load, and
1.1V when in cool n quiet mode. The fan actually pulls air out the
side and in from the back. I'm not crazy about this design since
there's not a lot of air behind it. I guess I could remount the fan or
reverse the wires to get it to flow in the other direction. It is
pushing a decent air flow. There is also a fan in the power supply.
I've also been concerned about the power supply temps, as SpeedFan is
reporting ACPI temps of 63 after the system is on for a while. I might
try remounting everything in a different case to rule out the case and
power supply, but I'll have to pull a bunch of stuff out of both cases.

Do you guys think that AMD tech support will help me out on this one?

Keith

 

[Wes Newell]

It runs at 1.35V in the BIOS and the OS when there is a CPU load, and
1.1V when in cool n quiet mode.

Well. that sounds normal.

The fan actually pulls air out the side and in from the back.

Which fan? The case fan in the side panel? It should be an intake fan,
sucking air into the case. The psu fan is an exhaust fan sucking air out
of the case. If you have a fan in the lower front, it should also be an
intake fan. If you have yet another fan just under the PSU on the back, it
should be an exhaust fan.

I'm not crazy about this design since
there's not a lot of air behind it. I guess I could remount the fan or
reverse the wires to get it to flow in the other direction.

Just reverse the fan. Don't mess with the wires.

I've also been concerned about the power supply temps, as SpeedFan is
reporting ACPI temps of 63 after the system is on for a while. I might
try remounting everything in a different case to rule out the case and
power supply, but I'll have to pull a bunch of stuff out of both cases.

I'm a little confused on your fan setup. If you only have the PSU fan and
the side cover fan and they or both trying to suck air out of the case
then it trying to create a vacumm and it will over heat everthing in the
case including the psu because they are fighting each other. The only fans
that should be exhaust fans blowing air out of the case are the PSU fan,
any fan mounted on the top of the case, or any fan mounted on the back of
the case just under the PSU. All other should be intake fans. That system
shouldn't need but the one side cover fan as an Intake and the SPU fan
which is an exhaust fan.

Do you guys think that AMD tech support will help me out on this one?

I hope so. I'm out of ideas.

 

[Spete]

Hi,

I just built a system with an Athlon 64 3500+ socket AM2 (ECS C51GM-M
1.0 motherboard), and I'm finding that the CPU temp is running very
high under heavy loads. I have cool n quiet enabled, and under no load
the CPU temp is about 46C and the case is about 40C. The ACPI temp
seems to run hotter the longer it's on, and right now it's 54C. HD is
38C When I run the CPU under a heavy load, the temp can jump up to
70C, with the case staying around 42C. It doesn't seem to make much of
a difference if I open the side of the case. Room temp is ~18C.

I am using the AMD heatsink and fan from the retail box. Initially I
mistakenly put thermal grease on the CPU even though there was a
thermal pad on the heat sink. After having temperature problems, I
removed the heatsink, cleaned heatsink and CPU with isopropyl alcohol,
and put arctic silver 5 on (size about 3/4 of a BB just like arctic
silver recommends).
Tried movinaag heatsink slightly after install to remove bubbles.
Reclamped heatsink. Same temp problems!

So now I'm particularly concerned about the CPU temp under heavy loads,
and the power supply temp under normal circumstances. The CPU fan is
running at about 2800 rpm, and the case fan is also running. The heat
sink never feels particularly warm, which makes me think that there's
still poor thermal conductivity. Is the AMD cooling solution just
lousy? Can someone make some recommendations as to how to decrease
these temperatures?

Can you guys tell me what temperatures you get under no load and under
heavy loads? Can you also tell me what you're using to cool it? I've
read some of the previous posts, and the tips haven't gotten me
anywhere.

KV8Pro 3rd Eye mbd, AMD 3200+ 64 cpu, Zalman cooler, three hdd's of which
two are cooled, Geforce 6600 GT videocard, aluminium case, side open. Room
temperature is about 30 degrees now (heatwave). CPU temp is at about 75-80
degrees. I have to check the Cool and Quiet setting though. I always thought
the temp was a bit high, normal temp (no heatwave ) is between 60 and 65
degrees. It has been running like this for the past year or so.

I may have to check this out....

 

[keith.langer]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with this problem! AMD insists that
it's impossible for their CPUs to run above 70. Apparently not!

 

[Wes Newell]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with this problem! AMD insists that
it's impossible for their CPUs to run above 70. Apparently not!

You guys are just overlooking the problem. The CPU isn't really running
at over 70C because the actual temp is much less than what is being
reported by your software. Your software is likely reporting the temp
20-30C higher than it actually is. This has been a known problem in the
past with some bioses reporting wrong CPU temps on newer cores.