CPU too hot

[Terry]

I just changed motherboards. I cleaned the old chip and heat-sink/fan
with alcohol and used a lint free monitor cloth.

After booting the machine, I went straight to the bios. In about 1
minute temperature climbed to 75C.

I used Arctic Silver. I am afraid I used too much. The instructions
say ......The 3.5 gram tube contains enough compound to cover at least
15 to 25 small CPU cores, or 6 to 10 large CPU cores.

I was trying ti spread it thin, but ended up using about a third.

I have an Intel P4 3.2G chip.

Should I try to take some off or clean it off and start over?

 

[bushwhacker]

I just changed motherboards. I cleaned the old chip and heat-sink/fan
with alcohol and used a lint free monitor cloth.

After booting the machine, I went straight to the bios. In about 1
minute temperature climbed to 75C.

I used Arctic Silver. I am afraid I used too much. The instructions
say ......The 3.5 gram tube contains enough compound to cover at least
15 to 25 small CPU cores, or 6 to 10 large CPU cores.

I was trying ti spread it thin, but ended up using about a third.

I have an Intel P4 3.2G chip.

Should I try to take some off or clean it off and start over?

Be better off to make sure your heatsink is firmly seated on the chip.

 

[johns]

Pretty sure the Artic Silver is not the problem. I build
systems for a living, and I just put a goop of the stuff
right in the middle of the cpu, and don't spread it at
all. The pressure of the fan holder-heat sink spreads
it after the system has warmed up. If I use too much,
it just spills over the side and beads around the edge
of the cpu. So that stuff about just putting on a thin
layer is not true. After my builds, I test, and for most
AMDs, the idle temp is 33 degrees C ... sometimes
as high as 36 C .. but no more.

The only time I have seen the cpu temp go up like
yours has done is if I did not get the heat sink on
evenly, and it is tilted up on one side and not making
contact with the top of the cpu. I suspect that is
the problem here.

johns

 

[sillyputty]

The instructions that came with my AMD 4200+ 2.2 X2 CPU said to put
two thin lines in the shape of an 'X' on the CPU surface.

Also, when listing CPU idle temp it's important to also list the
ambient temp.

 

[Terry]

Pretty sure the Artic Silver is not the problem. I build
systems for a living, and I just put a goop of the stuff
right in the middle of the cpu, and don't spread it at
all. The pressure of the fan holder-heat sink spreads
it after the system has warmed up. If I use too much,
it just spills over the side and beads around the edge
of the cpu. So that stuff about just putting on a thin
layer is not true. After my builds, I test, and for most
AMDs, the idle temp is 33 degrees C ... sometimes
as high as 36 C .. but no more.

The only time I have seen the cpu temp go up like
yours has done is if I did not get the heat sink on
evenly, and it is tilted up on one side and not making
contact with the top of the cpu. I suspect that is
the problem here.

johns

Well I reseated the heatsink and slowed down the heat up, but after 5
min the CPU temp is 59C idle.

This is no where 36. More suggestions?

Thanks all

 

[JAD]

I just changed motherboards. I cleaned the old chip and heat-sink/fan
with alcohol and used a lint free monitor cloth.

After booting the machine, I went straight to the bios. In about 1
minute temperature climbed to 75C.

I used Arctic Silver. I am afraid I used too much. The instructions
say ......The 3.5 gram tube contains enough compound to cover at least
15 to 25 small CPU cores, or 6 to 10 large CPU cores.

I was trying ti spread it thin, but ended up using about a third.

I have an Intel P4 3.2G chip.

Should I try to take some off or clean it off and start over?

Getting wrecked over the thickness of the goop is not necessary.
Not paying attention at all to what your doing is also wrong.
It should not ooze out except for a very thin line at the space between the CPU and the
heat sink.
Its purpose is to fill VERY SMALL imperfections and scratches to eliminate air gaps.
How's the fan spinning? MAKE SURE the Heat sink is the right way round, it goes on only
one way.

 

[DaveW]

ABSOLUTELY!

 

[Bob Day]

Well I reseated the heatsink and slowed down the heat up, but after 5
min the CPU temp is 59C idle.

59 is certainly much too high, but I wonder if the CPU temp
you're measuring is accurate. You might see what Core Temp
says: http://www.thecoolest.zerobrains.com/CoreTemp/ ,
especially if it's the case that you have an AMD CPU.

-- Bob Day
http://bobday.vze.com

 

[Skybuck Flying]

Well I reseated the heatsink and slowed down the heat up, but after 5
min the CPU temp is 59C idle.

This is no where 36. More suggestions?

Check the airflow.

The CPU can be as much as over 100C if not cooled.

So you need cool air to go to the cpu.

That might be your second problem.

Not enough cool air going to the cpu.

Check the complete airflow path from the input to the output !

For example:

At the moment I have the living room door open.

The ambient/room temperature is 20 degrees with a cool breeze.

AMD Cool N Quiet is enabled, no further processing is active except Asus
Probe and outlook express.

AMD Power Monitor Tool is set to minimal power management or something like
that

AMD X2 3800+ CPU temperature is 30C degrees ! Pretty cool ! =D

Bye,
Skybuck.

 

[peter]

You the same guy with the Northbridge Fan??
I would take it apart and wipe off all of the Arctic Silver and clean with
Alcohol and a lint free cloth...I actually use a sponge tipped Q-Tip and
Isopropyl Alcohol...but I have used my wife's nail polish remover in the
past.
Then squeeze a very small amount on and spread it carefully.....I use an old
Credit Card or a small piece of flexible cardboard with a smooth edge.
At times I place 2 drops in the center and spread slowly towards the
edges.The object is to get an even thin ...thin layer on the CPU to cover
the slight imperfections and to act as a conductor.
Then put it all together....................and test the temp again.
Are you using the default Intel Heatsink and Fan?? The Air needs to go
somehwere...out the back by means of a fan would be ideal....with a little
help from the PSU Fan sucking some of that hot air out.
peter

 

[Terry]

You the same guy with the Northbridge Fan??
I would take it apart and wipe off all of the Arctic Silver and clean with
Alcohol and a lint free cloth...I actually use a sponge tipped Q-Tip and
Isopropyl Alcohol...but I have used my wife's nail polish remover in the
past.
Then squeeze a very small amount on and spread it carefully.....I use an old
Credit Card or a small piece of flexible cardboard with a smooth edge.
At times I place 2 drops in the center and spread slowly towards the
edges.The object is to get an even thin ...thin layer on the CPU to cover
the slight imperfections and to act as a conductor.
Then put it all together....................and test the temp again.
Are you using the default Intel Heatsink and Fan?? The Air needs to go
somehwere...out the back by means of a fan would be ideal....with a little
help from the PSU Fan sucking some of that hot air out.

Thanks for your suggestions all.

I am the Northbridge guy, but I am trying to get two computers going

The machine with the hot CPU is a new motherboard. I am using an old
CPU and heat sink. The temp today in Georgia was 100, but the room is
a cool 70. I haven't tried to put the side back on the computer yet.
My optimism for building computers is over. The fan is running fine.
The bios reports the fan speed at about 2400rpm.

Others have suggested using a temp monitor. I am currently using the
bios to check the speeds. I am guessing that the external monitors
would be getting the information from the bios?

Still reporting close to 60C

BTW I did clean it with a lint free cloth and alcohol.. I will take
it back off and try reapplying a lighter coat.

Thanks

 

[Terry]

Getting wrecked over the thickness of the goop is not necessary.
Not paying attention at all to what your doing is also wrong.
It should not ooze out except for a very thin line at the space between the CPU and the
heat sink.
Its purpose is to fill VERY SMALL imperfections and scratches to eliminate air gaps.
How's the fan spinning? MAKE SURE the Heat sink is the right way round, it goes on only
one way

I think I may have had the heat sink in upside down the first time.
The base and heat sink latches look like they will work at 0 and 180,
but not at 90 and 270.

After reading this I looked at the heat sink and the label that says
"Intel" is upside down if it were standing upright in the case, but I
think this must be the correct way.

I tried turning back around to the way I had in originally, but one of
the catches would latch and the other one wouldn't.

Are there markings on the heat sink to tell you which way to orient it?

 

[peter]

There are various Temp and Fan Monitoring Applications out there....
SpeedFan is good....if you take the time to read the notes
MotherBoard Monitor is good if you have an older mobo.
Then there is Everest which reads everything to do with your
system...hardware and software.
Then there are Applications that work with specific CPU's like CoreTemp
with Intel CPU's
They read the actual diode on the mobo directly..and they read the temp.
diode on/in the CPU itself if available.
The P4 chips do run a little hotter than the average chip...but 60 is still
a little warmer than comfortable....low 50's would be better.
Even back in 2003 when it came out reviewers where saying it needed better
cooling than the stock Intel unit it came with.
peter

 

[sillyputty]

I think I may have had the heat sink in upside down the first time.
The base and heat sink latches look like they will work at 0 and 180,
but not at 90 and 270.

After reading this I looked at the heat sink and the label that says
"Intel" is upside down if it were standing upright in the case, but I
think this must be the correct way.

I tried turning back around to the way I had in originally, but one of
the catches would latch and the other one wouldn't.

How the hell can a heat sink be attached upside-down?

 

[helmut]

How the hell can a heat sink be attached upside-down?

you fix a trapeze to the ceiling then hang upside down from that whilst
working on the mobo..I have built computers this way for years..

 

[sillyputty]

you fix a trapeze to the ceiling then hang upside down from that whilst
working on the mobo..I have built computers this way for years..

Of course!

 

[sdlomi2]

Well I reseated the heatsink and slowed down the heat up, but after 5
min the CPU temp is 59C idle.

This is no where 36. More suggestions?

Thanks all

Tell us the cpu and mobo and more about your system. Also, about the
hs/cooler. May be too small cooler for cpu being run. s