CPU Temperature question

C

cristianangelin

Hi,

So I finally managed to build my first computer. It's awesome but I
have something troubling me a little bit.

There is some software monitoring the temperatures and they are all
fine except for the CPU!
It keeps spiking up to 75 - 76 degrees C whenever I use software like
Winrar and others.
I installed the heatsink and fan properly and also have the Silver
Thermal Compound as adviced on the CPU.

It is a Pentium D 830 3.0Mhz CPU.

What can I do? Don't want to fry a new CPU...

Thanks,
Cristian
 
S

spodosaurus

Hi,

So I finally managed to build my first computer. It's awesome but I
have something troubling me a little bit.

There is some software monitoring the temperatures and they are all
fine except for the CPU!
It keeps spiking up to 75 - 76 degrees C whenever I use software like
Winrar and others.
I installed the heatsink and fan properly and also have the Silver
Thermal Compound as adviced on the CPU.

It is a Pentium D 830 3.0Mhz CPU.

What can I do? Don't want to fry a new CPU...

Thanks,
Cristian

'some software'? What software? Have you reinstalled the heat sink
(remove heatsink, remove thermal compound, clean, reapply thermal
compound, reapply heatsink)?

--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/
 
M

Mxsmanic

There is some software monitoring the temperatures and they are all
fine except for the CPU!
It keeps spiking up to 75 - 76 degrees C whenever I use software like
Winrar and others.
I installed the heatsink and fan properly and also have the Silver
Thermal Compound as adviced on the CPU.

It is a Pentium D 830 3.0Mhz CPU.

Are you using a boxed version of the processor with the supplied fan
and heatsink, or did you use a third-party fan and/or heatsink?

Seventy degrees is a bit high. How is the computer case ventilated,
and what's the temperature in the room?
What can I do? Don't want to fry a new CPU...

It won't fry at that temperature, so that's not an issue. It's on the
high side, however. Running CPUs constantly at a high temperature
shortens their life expectancy (although they may still last for many
years).

Many Intel CPUs will automatically slow down or stop if they overheat,
thereby preventing damage (but sometimes significantly slowing your
machine). AMD processors will simply fry.
 
S

spodosaurus

Mxsmanic said:
AMD processors will simply fry.

That hasn't been true for years now. Of course, you may find a
motherboard manufacturer that hasn't bothered to implement thermal
protection using the on-die thermal diode, but they're the exception,
not the rule.


--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/
 
C

cristianangelin

This is what I have installed:

Intel Pentium D 830 3.0gGHz DT 800FSB Socket 775
Intel D945PVSLKR Socket 775 Motherboard
Intel Original Socket 775 Prescott Cooling Fan
Coolmax ATX 400w PS w/ Silent 120mm Fan Black
Plus drives and one PCI card.

The case is a Cooler Master Cavalier 1 with a 120mm rear fan and 80mm
intake fan.

I did remove everything, reapplied compound again and reinstalled
everything but still the same temperatures. It is all fine while
working but as soon as I install something or work with something like
WinRar (unpacking only so far) the temperature spikes up.

So you say I shouldn't be worried about the PCU "frying" on me?

What can I do since I want to protect my investment?

Thanks,
Cristian
 
S

spodosaurus

This is what I have installed:

Intel Pentium D 830 3.0gGHz DT 800FSB Socket 775
Intel D945PVSLKR Socket 775 Motherboard
Intel Original Socket 775 Prescott Cooling Fan
Coolmax ATX 400w PS w/ Silent 120mm Fan Black
Plus drives and one PCI card.

The case is a Cooler Master Cavalier 1 with a 120mm rear fan and 80mm
intake fan.

I did remove everything, reapplied compound again and reinstalled
everything but still the same temperatures. It is all fine while
working but as soon as I install something or work with something like
WinRar (unpacking only so far) the temperature spikes up.

So you say I shouldn't be worried about the PCU "frying" on me?

What can I do since I want to protect my investment?

Thanks,
Cristian

Your case airflow sounds like it should be fine. You're not the only one
having temperature problems with these CPUs:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1680299&enterthread=y

You might find some useful informaiton in that thread, and there's
mention of the throttlewatch program to see if your CPU is running
slower when it gets to those high temperatures. Towards the end of that
thread there's mention of difficulty properly mounting the stock
heatsink, and that it may take a few attempts and some fiddling during
application to get it right.

--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/
 
M

Mxsmanic

spodosaurus said:
That hasn't been true for years now. Of course, you may find a
motherboard manufacturer that hasn't bothered to implement thermal
protection using the on-die thermal diode, but they're the exception,
not the rule.

If the chip has overtemp protection, you don't need anything on the
motherboard.
 
J

jaster

Hi,

So I finally managed to build my first computer. It's awesome but I have
something troubling me a little bit.

There is some software monitoring the temperatures and they are all fine
except for the CPU!
It keeps spiking up to 75 - 76 degrees C whenever I use software like
Winrar and others.
I installed the heatsink and fan properly and also have the Silver Thermal
Compound as adviced on the CPU.

It is a Pentium D 830 3.0Mhz CPU.

What can I do? Don't want to fry a new CPU...

Thanks,
Cristian

I don't know the normal temps for your cpu but you could re-apply the
paste as a paper thin layer, or get a better hsf.
 
C

cristianangelin

Wow... I checked the forum you posted and it seems as if the Intel D
processors are real "flame-throwers" as they say there.
Wish I had known that before investing.
It seems as if the best way to go is to buy a new high-end heatsink and
fan???
 
C

cristianangelin

Ok.
Ripped out everything and started again.
Guess what! Now the CPU temperature is down to 55 degrees C while
working!

I must have done something wrong when I installed the heatsink the
other THREE (!!!!) times...

Anyway, it's my first build so I guess I was bound to make some
mistakes.... ;)

Cheers!
Cristian
 
C

Conor

Ok.
Ripped out everything and started again.
Guess what! Now the CPU temperature is down to 55 degrees C while
working!

I must have done something wrong when I installed the heatsink the
other THREE (!!!!) times...
LOL, sounds about right.

Just a note to say that Intel stock coolers are crap. You'd be better
off finding an aftermarket copper one.
 
D

DaveW

You need to install a Heavy-Duty CPU cooling fan on the CPU. The stock one
does not cool adequately, as you found out.
 
K

Kenny

Ok.
Ripped out everything and started again.
Guess what! Now the CPU temperature is down to 55 degrees C while
working!

I must have done something wrong when I installed the heatsink the
other THREE (!!!!) times...

Anyway, it's my first build so I guess I was bound to make some
mistakes.... ;)

Cheers!
Cristian

The temperature is still a bit high, I have a 650 Prescott with stock
cooler in a room that averages ~75F and the processor idles at 41C and
peaks at ~47C with a load. The supplied heatsink is more than adequate
if the computer is not overclocked, just remember not to over apply the
Arctic Silver. The perfect amount is drop that looks like a grain of
rice and spreading it with a finger or credit card is not necessary.
 
M

Mxsmanic

DaveW said:
You need to install a Heavy-Duty CPU cooling fan on the CPU. The stock one
does not cool adequately, as you found out.

The stock cooling solution is fine as long as you don't overclock.
 
S

spodosaurus

Kenny said:
The temperature is still a bit high, I have a 650 Prescott with stock
cooler in a room that averages ~75F and the processor idles at 41C and
peaks at ~47C with a load. The supplied heatsink is more than adequate
if the computer is not overclocked, just remember not to over apply the
Arctic Silver. The perfect amount is drop that looks like a grain of
rice and spreading it with a finger or credit card is not necessary.

Do not spread it with your finger! You do not want to introduce oils
from your finger into the thermal compound. Put a plastic sandwich bag
over your finger first (it's pretty effective).

Ari

--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/
 
M

Mxsmanic

spodosaurus said:
Do not spread it with your finger! You do not want to introduce oils
from your finger into the thermal compound. Put a plastic sandwich bag
over your finger first (it's pretty effective).

The thinner a thermal compound is, the better. The idea is to ensure
that all parts of the heatsink pad are in contact with the processor
pad (by replacing any air gaps with something that conducts heat
better), but nothing more. Any unnecessary thickness to the compound
layer reduces thermal efficiency, so applying any more than the
absolute minimum necessary only makes everything run hotter.
 
K

Kenny

spodosaurus said:
Do not spread it with your finger! You do not want to introduce oils
from your finger into the thermal compound. Put a plastic sandwich bag
over your finger first (it's pretty effective).

Please read the last three words of that paragraph-

Placing a plastic sandwich bag over a finger is wasted motion.
Perhaps you should instruct others to wear a condom over their head
while this procedure is being performed to avoid the presence of nasty
germs in the workspace.

The only steps which are required for a successful application, is a
drop of Arctic Silver & the heatsink's downward pressure.
 
S

spodosaurus

Mxsmanic said:
spodosaurus writes:




The thinner a thermal compound is, the better. The idea is to ensure
that all parts of the heatsink pad are in contact with the processor
pad (by replacing any air gaps with something that conducts heat
better), but nothing more. Any unnecessary thickness to the compound
layer reduces thermal efficiency, so applying any more than the
absolute minimum necessary only makes everything run hotter.

That's why you put a baggy over your finger before spreading:
introducing skin oils into the compound and then heating it leads to
rpemature degredation of the thermal compound.

--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/
 
S

spodosaurus

Kenny said:
spodosaurus wrote:






Please read the last three words of that paragraph-

Placing a plastic sandwich bag over a finger is wasted motion.

You do not want to introduce skin oils into the thermal compound.
Perhaps you should instruct others to wear a condom over their head
while this procedure is being performed to avoid the presence of nasty
germs in the workspace.

If only your father had worn one...
The only steps which are required for a successful application, is a
drop of Arctic Silver & the heatsink's downward pressure.

Then why did you tell the OP to spread it out with a credit card or his
finger? Get your story straight.



--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/
 
K

Kenny

spodosaurus said:
You do not want to introduce skin oils into the thermal compound.

This Phobia about "skin oils" can be avoided by placing a drop on the
processor and mounting the heatsink directly after that, sport.
If only your father had worn one...

Filter my messages. . .
Then why did you tell the OP to spread it out with a credit card or his
finger? Get your story straight.

Check out the last three words of that paragraph, dear child.
What does "is not necessary" mean in your little world?
 

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