Athlon Heating Up

[Paradigm]

I'm working on a new system with an SLK-800 on a 2600+ with some Arctic Silver 3 and I'm using a relatively low CFM fan to try to keep it quiet. I acually have the 2600+ underclocked because despite reading that my 8k3a MB would handle up to the 2600+ there is no 16x multiplier in the BIOS to use the suggeested 133 x16 clock speed.

Yet my CPU is holding at around 60 degrees C. I'm worried about burning out my CPU if I try to put a load on it.

Does this sound too hot for the setup. I didn't think that underclocking a chip would produce more heat. Or is it possible that I just did a bad install job? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Shooters]

If I remember correctly, that board actually reads temps a little higher than other boards, but 60C does sound a little high especially when you're using a massive heatsink like the SLK-800. I'm not sure how that heatsink mounts, but on my SK-6, you have to make sure that the lip on the bottom of the heatsink is lined up with the lip on the CPU socket. Also, the clip isn't symmetric, so you have to make sure that the pressure point is directly over the core.

By the way, the 2600+ is a 166MHz FSB chip, so you should be running at 166 x 12.5.

 

[mechBgon]

A couple things here...

1) make sure the end of the SLK-800 with the screwdriver-tip receptacle on the clip is oriented towards the raised, solid-plastic end of the CPU socket. The clip is not symmetrical, and if it's not oriented this way, the clip's pressure point doesn't correspond to the location of the CPU core :Q

2) the 8K3A reads the true core temperature of the CPU, not a watered-down estimate from outside. Even very good aircooling leaves people with mid-50's readings on this board.

3) make sure that the heatsink has been slid as far away from the raised, solid-plastic end of the CPU socket as the clip permits. This is important because the Thermalrights can move back & forth on their clips somewhat. Here's a shot of the SK-7, and the same principle applies to the SLK-800 despite its different construction:

photo, see how the heatsink avoids touching the raised, solid-plastic end of the CPU socket

photo 2, see how the heatsink is snug against the non-screwdriver-tip end of the clip

 

[mechBgon]

Sorry for the crummy-quality JPGs there, by the way. I just got done with a Windows reinstallation and I don't have my image-editing software installed yet, so I had to fall back on Paint and Imaging for the moment

 

[mechBgon]

Actually, another thought crossed my mind... I wonder what voltage your old motherboard is feeding your CPU :Q Could you take a peek in your BIOS and see if it's in-spec?

 

[Macro2]

Listen to Mech, something is not quite right.

 

[Paradigm]

Wow, you used Paint just to aswer my question. That's service. Thanks for the clock speed tip. I'm running at 166 x12.5 now. Never trust what you read in a non-anandtech forum.

So, if the mid 50s are what I'd expect from say an 80 CFM fan on this HS, then maybe 60 isn't so bad for one rated in the low 40s. Still, I think I'll pull my system apart and try to clean everything off good and do a reinstall.

And gimme a sec and I'll check the voltage. What is spec anyway? I couldn't find anything at AMDs site that was CPU specific, and I don't trust what I was reading before anymore.

 

[Paradigm]

It was set to default at 1.650 V. I still can't find official spec anywhere...

 

[mechBgon]

I checked the spec for the Thoroughbred-B 2600+ that features the 333MHz bus on page 23 of this PDF file at AMD, and if that's current, then it's supposed to be 1.65 volts. I agree that with your quieter fan, I wouldn't be too troubled by the 60C temperature reading if the system's stable.


Oh, and we're all about customer service, here at the Forums

 

[BDSM]

Hey there Paradigm. Something is seriosly wrong! Your temps are way too high! With that kinda hsf they should be at least under 40c. Unless you have an EXTREMELY high ambient temp. Btw what is your case temp?

Have you applied any thermal compound?
Are you sure the heatsink is mounted properly?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: BDSM
Hey there Paradigm. Something is seriosly wrong! Your temps are way too high! With that kinda hsf they should be at least under 40c. Unless you have an EXTREMELY high ambient temp. Btw what is your case temp?

Have you applied any thermal compound?
Are you sure the heatsink is mounted properly?

BSDM, those are sensible suggestions, but this motherboard is sort of a unique case. It reads much higher than most others do, with the exception of the ABit nForce1 boards that routinely gave readings approaching 70C just because of how they are calibrated.

 

[robcy]

There are two kinds of 2600+ there is the 266 and the 333 fsb. 60C is pretty high for either, something does not seem right. I use a speeze 5R281B1H3G (http://www.speeze.com/products/fcc.asp?ProdID=79) which is no way near as good as your SLK-800 even with the slower fan, and I don go above 51C overclocked @2400mhz, and under full load for hours. I would be a little worried.

 

[Shooters]

I just realized that there are two versions of the 2600+ processor. One runs at 2.133GHz on a 133MHz FSB (16x multiplier), and the other runs at 2.083GHz on a 166MHz FSB (12.5x multiplier). You should check to see which one you have if you want to run everything in spec.

Edit:
Looks like robcy beat me to it on the FSB issue.

 

[BDSM]

Alright. Maybe it's the board and then everything is fine.. What you need to do is to find someone else using the board and ask for their temps.

 

[megamanS]

Perhaps the layer of Arctic Silver 3 you applied is too thick? Just a thought.