Getting almost 80 degrees C with good cooler. Why?

[Xschtar]

Hello,

I have a E6600 on a P5W DH Deluxe with 2GB TWIN2X memory and a Scythe Ninja Plus for cooling. My FSB is set to 375, which gives the processor a speed of 3,37 GHz or something. Vcore is 1,45, Vdimm is 2.10. The problem is, my cooling doesn't really work. My temperatures are like 10-20 degrees above what they should be. I have great airflow in the case, but lots of cables. The heatsink has two 120mm fans blowing on it, but it doesn't really get hot. It stays cool. Therefore, CPU temperature as shown in the BIOS is ok, around 40 something idle. Now, TAT shows the core temps and they are not so good (temps are in Celsius):

At idle: 54 / 53 degrees
Full load: 67 / 65 degrees
Full load after a couple of minutes: 77/76

This is kind of high, right? Well, I remounted the cooler and applied more thermal paste. Before, the temperatures were all 10 degrees higher and the max core temp was over 90 degrees. I hope this hasn't damaged the cores, I've been running like this for 3 weeks, not knowing the core temps. So when I checked the cooler it wasn't touching the CPU metal thingy save for a round spot in the middle. So I creamed on some more thermal paste (and a little on the side, oops!) and the temps dropped. But they are still too high! What should I do?

Pictures from when I remounted the cooler:

http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc07140fs9.jpg
Before

http://img266.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc07142xc8.jpg
Before

http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc07147rz6.jpg
After

http://img246.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc07148ox1.jpg
After

 

[Zepper]

Sounds like the CPU and HSF surfaces aren't mating properly. One or both must not be flat. It also may not be mounted properly to get full contact.

.bh.

 

[Xschtar]

But there is only one way to mount the cooler, and I've mounted it two times. If the mating of the surfaces is not proper, what can I do about it? I have not the skills to be lapping anything. My brother does, but he is in Germany studying stem cells or some crap.

 

[jgigz]

I'm assuming you're using AS5 or some other thermal paste?

 

[Xschtar]

Arctic Silver 5...

 

[jgigz]

Does it seem to be unstable or actually that hot, because it could just be a bad sensor

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: Xschtar
Arctic Silver 5...

Sad to say AS5 is way over rated!! In fact there are many thermal pastes that are just as good on the market now.

There is even a thermal compound put out by Zalman that when reviewed against AS5 tied AS5 or was better...ZM-STG1
http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/product/view.asp?idx=198

Also if you are seeing those type of temps you need to check your over all airflow from front of case to rear of case....

You also should pull your heatsink and using a flat edge like a ruler check to see if the heatsink`s bottom is level.....

Since you don`t have the skills to lap your heatsink I would get online or on the phone and try to RMA that puppy!!

Good Luck!!

 

[Xschtar]

Umm... RMA? Read my... ass?

 

[idiotekniQues]

lapping isnt hard.

also, that plastic retention system seems to be not the best.

if you are willing to mod and get creative, there is a great mod to really mount these sinks with adequate pressure. i have a scythe ninja plus rev. b and my temps are terrible at 1.35v my idle is 50 and my load is not too bad, only going up to 60-62 after 15 minutes but that is not good enough for me. temps meaured with TAT

i am going to do a slightly modified version of this mod:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=117054

i am going to use AS5 instead of that stuff he suggests. i will also lap my heatsink. there are links in that thread of how to lap a heatsink, it doesnt take much skill.

 

[tersome]

You're using easily 5x as much AS5 as you should be. Have you followed the instructions on the AS5 website? Clean off everything with isopropyl alcohol and apply a thin line down the center of the processor.

You only need a thin layer of thermal paste. Too much of it will insulate the CPU.

 

[Bluefront]

Here's the deal.....some later Ninjas's don't contact the CPU with enough pressure. A thin copper shim between the heatsink and the CPU will give the extra pressure necessary for a proper fit. Try it....the heatsink should have little/no movement possible after a correct install.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: Xschtar
Umm... RMA? Read my... ass?

read my post please..you asked for help....

Your heatsink could not be totally flat on the bottom which means even if you are using some sort of thermal paste you still will not get a good flush contact ......

In which case since you said-- If the mating of the surfaces is not proper, what can I do about it? I have not the skills to be lapping anything.

So your only alternative is to RMA the heatsink which people do.....or get another different heatsink..

YES--AS5 at one time was the best now it is just one of many thermal pastes that are good but certainly not the best!!

 

[Zepper]

(RMA = return material authorization) shorthand for send it back in exchange for a flat one or one with a proper mounting pressure.

.bh.

 

[Xschtar]

Ok, thank you. Sorry if you misunderstood, JEDIYoda, I just didn't know what RMA meant. I am going to test the stock cooler, and if it gets me better results, I am going to send back the Ninja to the store I bought it from and hope for a new one. Or I could try the solution with the thin copper plate... but where would I get one?

 

[Howard]

It looks like the Ninja is hitting the capacitors on the bottom (looking at the pics). I don't see how only one side of the mating surface could get good contact.

If you look carefully, on only one half of the area is the compound being squeezed... so it seems to me. If the IHS was simply concave, the compound would be squeezed around in a ring around the middle.

 

[Xschtar]

I am now running the stock cooler and the temps have dropped a few degrees. It's still hot, but now it's the stock cooler, so that's normal, right? Howard, I heard there was some problem with the Ninja Plus Rev. B fitting, but I haven't seen it hitting any capacitors but maybe that could be the problem...

 

[Bluefront]

The problems I've heard about involve pressure. Are you using a back-plate on the back-side of the board? If not, the pressure of the clips apparently bends the board slightly, resulting in insufficient pressure on the CPU.

A stiff metal back-plate may fix your problem......a shim might also. You can buy copper sheets of different thicknesses at a good hobby shop. Cut out a square piece, lap it on fine sandpaper, cover both sides with TIM. You might have to try different thicknesses to get sufficient pressure.

 

[Xschtar]

But how come I have these problems and everyone else is fine without building a back-plate?

 

[aigomorla]

maybe u got unlucky and got a concave IHS.

 

[paydirt]

I did not mount my motherboard, CPU, & heatsink properly the first time and my system would post and then shutdown after the CPU hit 80C+.

1) Motherboard should be mounted onto the case and actually resting on top of the spacers that come with the motherboard. If you did not do this step, then the heatsink may not have enough room to clamp down on the mobo.
2) In the second pics, you are using too much Arctic Silver 5 paste. Go to the official Arctic Silver website and check out the pics of how to apply the paste (it takes very little), you also need to apply the paste in a certain direction.
3) (what everyone else said) You probably are not getting a good connection between the heatsink & CPU. You need to press down hard when you install the heatsink, you should hear 4 clicks to attach it to the four corners around the CPU, and there is probably a locking mechanism.

Good luck!

 

[BadThad]

Unless you mount a S775 cooler with the mobo out of the case, you're taking your chances. I know it sucks, but you should take out your mobo and install the cooler using a piece of foam to support it on a hard surface. I've experiemented quite a few times with mounting coolers on S775 and it's amazing that those pins don't always "poke thru" the bottom of the mobo all the time. The amount of finger pressure it requires is down-right scary IMO. ALL FOUR PINS MUST BE COMPLETELY PUSHED THRU!

On a side note: Who ever designed this mounting system should be boiled in oil. My fav cooler mounting system was the old P4's with the levers. Now those were a breeze!

 

[Dutchmaster420]

just a quick question since there so much talk about arctic 5 here...if im going to keep my oc stock, i dont need arctic 5 right?

 

[Elfear]

If I were a betting man, I'd say the culprit is the IHS on your cpu. The C2D procs are notorious for being hit and miss with IHS flatness. My E600 had a pretty good base and I never had to modify it but my QX6700 was terrible. I ended up lapping it and dropping temps 45-50C.

Lapping isn't all that hard. Just be careful and read the guides online. I've used 8-9 Ninjas before and I never had a problem with them being out of spec, as far as flatness goes.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: Dutchmaster420
just a quick question since there so much talk about arctic 5 here...if im going to keep my oc stock, i dont need arctic 5 right?

uu need some form of TIM. IT doesnt have to be AS5, AS ceramic is fine as well at half the price of AS5. Even the generic goop you get with HSF's will be fine, but you should put some form of a TIM on any modern CPU