P5WD2 CPU cooling

[treefrog]

My P4 3.4 (650) seems to be running a temperature: 54C idle to 67C at
100% utilization, according to ASUS PC Probe II. No over-clocking,
staright fans (no Q-fan, that just didn't work well at all). I've read
that software varies on its reporting accuracy, but it just seems to
be too hot, Intel spesc show OK up to 68C.

Has anyone successfully upgraded the CPU cooling on the P5WD2? I'm not
interested in water; searched several tech review sites and am
looking at the Zalman CNPS7700-Cu 120mm Cooler, and wondering if it
fits this board. My case is an Antec SX1040B2 with an Antec Truepower
2.0 (430 watts). Thanks in advance.

 

[Paul]

My P4 3.4 (650) seems to be running a temperature: 54C idle to 67C at
100% utilization, according to ASUS PC Probe II. No over-clocking,
staright fans (no Q-fan, that just didn't work well at all). I've read
that software varies on its reporting accuracy, but it just seems to
be too hot, Intel spesc show OK up to 68C.

Has anyone successfully upgraded the CPU cooling on the P5WD2? I'm not
interested in water; searched several tech review sites and am
looking at the Zalman CNPS7700-Cu 120mm Cooler, and wondering if it
fits this board. My case is an Antec SX1040B2 with an Antec Truepower
2.0 (430 watts). Thanks in advance.

The reviewer in this article says he didn't have a problem:

http://www.legitreviews.com/article.php?aid=202&pid=2

If you compare a picture of a P5GD2 board, to your board,
it looks like the P5WD2 shifts the LGA775 socket down a
few millimeters. (Your Northbridge heatsink is closer to
the video card, that it is on a P5GD2.) That means you
won't need quite as much clearance between the top edge
of the motherboard, and the bottom of the PSU casing.
The P5GD2 needs 14.5mm, so yours should be less than that.
Since you already have your motherboard, measure the distance
from the top edge of the motherboard, to the bottom of the PSU,
and see how close to the 14.5mm (0.57") it happens to be.

http://www.zalman.co.kr/product/cooler/7700-775MBlist_eng.htm

You can get pictures of the motherboards, by going to the
respective motherboard web pages here. Bring them to a
common scaling in Photoshop, before attempting a comparison.

http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/mbindex.htm

http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socket775/p5wd2-p/p5wd2-p_l.jpg
http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socket775/p5gd2-p/p5gd2-p_l.jpg

HTH,
Paul

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

My P4 3.4 (650) seems to be running a temperature: 54C idle to 67C at
100% utilization, according to ASUS PC Probe II. No over-clocking,
staright fans (no Q-fan, that just didn't work well at all). I've read
that software varies on its reporting accuracy, but it just seems to
be too hot, Intel spesc show OK up to 68C.

I had similar temperature readings with that CPU on my P5P800 with my
original case. The heatsink was so close to the power supply that it
was dumping a lot of heat into it. Getting a new case with a couple of
inches clearance solved the problem and my temperatures now are around
40C idle, and mid 50's at full load.

 

[Ed Medlin]

My P4 3.4 (650) seems to be running a temperature: 54C idle to 67C at
100% utilization, according to ASUS PC Probe II. No over-clocking,
staright fans (no Q-fan, that just didn't work well at all). I've read
that software varies on its reporting accuracy, but it just seems to
be too hot, Intel spesc show OK up to 68C.

Has anyone successfully upgraded the CPU cooling on the P5WD2? I'm not
interested in water; searched several tech review sites and am
looking at the Zalman CNPS7700-Cu 120mm Cooler, and wondering if it
fits this board. My case is an Antec SX1040B2 with an Antec Truepower
2.0 (430 watts). Thanks in advance.

I had the same problem with my I-630 (3ghz) and an Asus P5GDC Deluxe. I am
using a Lian Li PC60 case and it had done a very good job on about 3
different builds. I found with the slight change in the processor socket
location (checked with a thermistor for ambient temps) that I had a dead
area around the HS/Fan area creating a "hot spot". My case had an exhaust
fan in the top of the case and by removing it and taping the inside of the
vent that my airflow became better across the processor area. My idle temps
went from 52C to 40C and maxes out at about 58C under extreme stress. I made
no other changes. I now overclock it to 3.8ghz with only a 2C gain at idle
and no change at all in stress tests for max temps and it is stable as a
rock. It appears that the top exhaust fan was interfering with the airflow
across the processor area. I am still using the boxed Intel HS/Fan and it
seems to do it's job quite well. Some of my decrease in temps is probably
due to the phase-change HS material setting up, but the better airflow
across the MB area is probably the reason for the rest of the decrease in
temps. Hope this helps and good luck.......

Ed

 

[treefrog]

My P4 3.4 (650) seems to be running a temperature: 54C idle to 67C at
100% utilization, according to ASUS PC Probe II. No over-clocking,
staright fans (no Q-fan, that just didn't work well at all). I've read
that software varies on its reporting accuracy, but it just seems to
be too hot, Intel spesc show OK up to 68C.

Has anyone successfully upgraded the CPU cooling on the P5WD2? I'm not
interested in water; searched several tech review sites and am
looking at the Zalman CNPS7700-Cu 120mm Cooler, and wondering if it
fits this board. My case is an Antec SX1040B2 with an Antec Truepower
2.0 (430 watts). Thanks in advance.

 

[treefrog]

Thanks to those who responded. I've re-cased the mobo etc. into an
ANTEC P-160 with 2 120mm antec fans, reset the stock INTEL heat sink
(after cleaning it and the processor contact area with alcohol - not
enough to give them a "buzz") with Arctic Silver 5.

After 24 hours of continuous running, while still using Asus PC Probe,
and the two temperature sensors provided with the case, the results
are:

-- CPU idles at 49C using, with two incidents of it reaching 65C;
-- mobo idles at 37C (according to both sensors), with a peak temp of
40C.

I'm hoping for another 3-4C reduction on the CPU after the 200 hour
burn-in on the Arctic Silver, but I'm thinking this works without a
heavy after-market heat sink (and thanks for the links to Zalman's
drawings - it would have fit).

My old ANTEC case had 3 80mm fans, two in the back and one in the
front. I removed the side panel and noticed an immediate reduction of
3C on the CPU and 5C on the mobo. Of course leaving the side panel off
isn't a very smart thing to do for routine operations, so I moved one
of the rear fans to the front to increase the inflow of cooler air,
and re-installed the side panel. Both the CPU and the mobo temps
increased to 52C and 41C, respectively.

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

Thanks to those who responded. I've re-cased the mobo etc. into an
ANTEC P-160 with 2 120mm antec fans, reset the stock INTEL heat sink
(after cleaning it and the processor contact area with alcohol - not
enough to give them a "buzz") with Arctic Silver 5.

After 24 hours of continuous running, while still using Asus PC Probe,
and the two temperature sensors provided with the case, the results
are:

-- CPU idles at 49C using, with two incidents of it reaching 65C;
-- mobo idles at 37C (according to both sensors), with a peak temp of
40C.

Your temperatures still seem to be too high. My 3.4 GHz Prescott idles
at around 40C, or about 10 degrees lower than yours. I could not tell
how much clearance there is in your case with the power supply so I
don't know if this is a problem. When I only had less than an inch of
clearance I was getting readings like you are getting.

 

[Ken]

Your temperatures still seem to be too high. My 3.4 GHz Prescott idles
at around 40C, or about 10 degrees lower than yours. I could not tell
how much clearance there is in your case with the power supply so I
don't know if this is a problem. When I only had less than an inch of
clearance I was getting readings like you are getting.

Your room temp? Whithout knowing that you can't compare.

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

Your room temp? Whithout knowing that you can't compare.

Around 25 to 27 degrees Celsius. Unless the OP's room temperature is
the same as our outside temperature in the summer (Las Vegas, NV) his
idle temperature is too high. It sounds like an airflow problem.

 

[treefrog]

Room temp 74F or 23.3C
CPU: 49C (according to PC Probe) - idling
mobo: 34C

clearances
about 2" between top edge of CPU heat sink and PSU
about 2.5" between back edge of CPU heat sink and 120MM rear fan
about 1/4" between north bridge fan less heat sink and CPU heat sink

other
removed HD trays not in use (2 of 4 in the case front)
PSU: Antec TruePower 2.0
case fans connected through mobo (vice the PSC "fan only" power molex)
C drive temp 33C

fan speeds
CPU: 2786rpm +/-
antec pro1200mm dbb, front case: 1896rpm +/-
antec pro1200mm dbb, rear case: 1985rpm +/-

I think I'll re-route the fan connectors to the PSU after next
shut-down. I typically run the machine 24/7. If that doesn't work,
I'll do still more research on the after-market cooling solutions.
Unfortunately, the thermal resistance of those I've found doesn't
appear that any of the air coolers will actually work. I'm beginning
to wonder if I have a "problem" CPU or heat sink.

I appreciate all of your comments; this has become a challenge. I've
had to learn a lot more than I wanted to - actually downloading and
reading the Intel thermal specs, researching after-market cooling
solutions, trying a new case (the Antec P-160 is great BTW - I'm using
ASUS ribbon cables with the HDx2 connections on the backside of the
trays and HDs in the lower-most trays, which eliminates the air flow
restrictions from the wiring/cabling).

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

Room temp 74F or 23.3C
CPU: 49C (according to PC Probe) - idling
mobo: 34C

Your room temperature is a little lower than mine and your motherboard
temperature is about the same adjusted for the room temperature. Your
idle temperature is closer to what I see under a moderate load.
Your clearances are about the same as I have so that only leaves the air
flow in the case, or as you mention the heat sink/fan. One last easy
test would be to take off the side of the case and direct a table fan at
the heat sink and see if there is any difference. I opted for a
Thermaltake case with 6 80mm fans, two in the front, one in the side
blowing in, one top exhaust fan, and two rear exhaust fans.