E8400 running at high temp after cleaning

[digitalbuda]

Hi there

I opened my case and noticed that the stock fan and heat sink had some dust on it so I decided to clean it. Prior to cleaning, the processor was running just fine.

After i cleaned off and reapplied the thermal paste on the processor and reinstalled it, the warning beeping sound came on and the temperature on the processor spiked to around 75 celcius. I removed the proc and the heat sink and made sure everything was fine and reinstalled it again and still the temps are high. In fact when i launch any application, the temps spike and the beeping sounds starts going off.

Any idea what's going on, did I miss something? Attached is the link Core Temp readings, it looks as though the proc throttled itself down to reduce the temperature.

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/2287/coretempreadings.png

Any suggestions is appreciated

 

[extra]

You may have bumped it and had the stock heat sink pop out on one side. The push pins aren't really the most secure mounting system in the world. I'd check that. Take it off, clean it, apply new thermal paste, re-seat it.

 

[digitalbuda]

I'll give it a shot, thanks for the quick response

 

[Harvey]

Remember to clean the mating surfaces befor you apply thermal paste, and use just a small amount to apply the thinnest possible coating, preferably a good brand like Arctic Siver 5.

Thermal paste is intended to fill any pits and gaps between the chip's cooling surface and the heatsink. It's not a perfect thermal conductor, and more is not better, but it's much better than any unfilled minute air gaps.

It may not be fashionable, but I use my fingertip to spread it. Windex on a soft rag or paper towel works very well to remove old thermal paste from computer parts and fingers.

 

[digitalbuda]

Thanks guys for the suggestions and the prompt response. Extra, you were right, those dang push pins aren't the most secure mounts. Three of them was securely in place except for the one, I really had to force that one in. I was afraid that I might crack the motherboard in the process. But once it made that click sound, I knew it was properly secured.

Now I'm getting much safer temps readings.
Core #0 is 39 and Core #1 is 37

Thanks guys