Help sought with Intel Pentium III

[Rubicone]

Just last week I purchased a new Pentium III 800EB (Flip Chip PGA)installed it on a new ASUS CUSL2-C motherboard. The BIOS' Hardware Monitor program detected an error. I entered Setup, as directed, and noted that the V Core Voltage setting was in a state of flux causing the temperature of the motherboard to rise. I am not overclocking the cpu(and do not wish to)and have left everything at their default settings. What is the cause of this problem and what solution(s)do you suggest I try.

 

[jsbush]

If the voltage arn't stable it's probably your power supply! How many watts is it?

 

[Rubicone]

250 Watts. If there is a problem with the power supply what other symptoms would I see?

 

[KR]

I realize this may sound like a silly question but I'll ask -

Is the fan on your CPU's heatsink/Fan turning? If it's not (either binding, not plugged in or otherwise) excessive heat may be causing your CPU to heat beyond its operating range and draw excessive current. this may be responsible for the problem. Otherwise, I'd suspect a bad motherboard or CPU to be the cause, especially if the power supply has worked in the recent past.

 

[Rubicone]

How exactly can you tell if the heatsink/fan is in fact working? I have never seen them before, in action so to speak. I tried to listen and put my hand next to it to check for indications of ventilation. With respect to the power supply since before POST runs the Power Good Signal has to be given I do not believe this could be the problem, unless you know of other symptoms I can check for. Everything about this computer is new. If the motherboard/cpu is the problem what additional symptoms should I check? I have yet to install an Operating System because my motherboard started to overheat and shut down everything until I can find a solution to this problem. Any further suggestions you have to offer would be appreciated.

 

[hagbard]

Wasn't an Antec supply by chance?

 

[Rubicone]

L & C Technology Inc. is the name printed on the power supply. Would greatly appreciate some concrete suggestions on a solution.

 

[hagbard]

What temperature readings are you getting? If its under 50c, you're still okay. With voltage issues, the first thing I'd suspect are loose connections, then the power supply, then the regulators on the motherboard. Like the other gentleman suggested, you might also have a look at the fans, especially the cpu fan. Don't just put your ear up to the case, take the cover off while doing this and look. I have the same motherboard, and my voltage issues are power supply related, thus the question. Expect levels within 5%, especially on the + leads, with minor variation.

...hag

 

[Rubicone]

The V CORE Voltage reading for the CPU kept going from Blue to Red with readings ranging from 1.58 to 1.82v. The Power Fan was constantly in Red with readings ranging from 1630-1776rpms. The Motherboard temperature kept on rising and turned red when it reached 51 degree Centigrade at which point I shut down. Everything else was alright: CPU Temp 46.5; CPU Fan 4591 rpm. All these readings are available when I enter the Hardware Monitor section of Setup.Anyone got other ideas?

 

[AndyHui]

Take out all your components and remount the motherboard. Also make sure that you have dropped the CPU into the socket properly and that it is completely seated.

A MOTHERBOARD temperature of 50 degrees is WAY above normal, but it should be OK for the CPU temperature. Default vcore on a cC0 processor is 1.70 volts.

 

[Rubicone]

What a headache that is going to be surely there must be an alternative. Is there another way of checking that the CPU and motherboard are properly seated, if indeed that is the source of the problem.

 

[AndyHui]

Not really. It may be a fair bit of effort, but it's worth it to make sure that the motherboard isn't being shorted out and that you are not burning out your processor.

 

[Rubicone]

I took the board back to the retailer and had it replaced. The V CORE Voltage reading stablelized but the power fan speed stayed below 1800 rpms. The motherboard's temperature kept going up from the moment I booted up and reached 52 degrees Centigrade before I shut down. Different power supplies were tried but they were all from the same manufacturer, with no positive effect. What are my options at this point - a noted brand name of power supplies? Can't I change the power supply fan?

 

[Z24]

Is the fan on the power supply variable speed? Some change speed with temperature.

 

[Assimilator1]

Good point above ,also Rubicone ,does your m/brd have the latest bios? (which revision) ,it has been known on some m/brds to give false temp readings which is latter fixed by a bios update.
Does the m/brd temp still hit 52C if the cover is left off?
What are your room temps?

 

[Rubicone]

Since I have yet to install the OS I cannot update the BIOS. I would like to resolve this problem and not fry my motherboard in the course of installing the OS. The temperature still hits the same temperature regardless of whether or not the cover is off or on. Room temperature is 21 C. If I install the OS at what point will the motherboard receive irrecoverable harm at such temperatures (keeping in mind that I shut down the system after it reached 52C who knows how high the temperature would go over the course of time required to install the OS)? And what of the deliterous effects on other computer components (e.g.,DIMMs, CPU, expansion cards)?

 

[Assimilator1]

Since I have yet to install the OS I cannot update the BIOS

What??? ,you don't need an installed OS to update the bios ,to update the bios you boot off a floppy with a few basic DOS files ,checkout your m/brds website for precise instructions.

Asus CUS L2 bios update info
How to update your bios

 

[Dark4ng3l]

Ya you dont even boot the os when you flash your bios.

 

[Rubicone]

How would I explode the zip file once I boot up from the floppy and enter an A prompt without a utility to perform this action? Is the file self-extracting? Forgive my ignorance but I have not done this before. Will updating the BIOS solve the problems I have noted in the above posts? Is it the practice of MB manufactures not to give information on why a BIOS update is necessary?

 

[Assimilator1]

The bios file is not in a zipped file ,it can be read straight off by the flash program

Will updating the BIOS solve the problems I have noted in the above posts?
Maybe ,its worth try seeing as it costs 0 ,I noticed they mentioned a cpu temp calibration but saw nothing about case temps though.

Is it the practice of MB manufactures not to give information on why a BIOS update is necessary
Sometimes yes! ,like eg PCChips ,they tell you zelch abtout there bios updates:| ,Asus though are 1 of the best for updating bioses & telling you why ,I would be surprised if they didn't disclose something.

 

[bacillus]

<< The bios file is not in a zipped file ,it can be read straight off by the flash program >>


I think what Rubicone was implying is that the bios files on the Asus website are zip files which need unzipping before being copied to floppy.

 

[Rubicone]

You're right that's what I meant with respect to the file being zipped. I'm just wandering whether better circulation, after updating the BIOS, is the next thing I should try, before replacing the power supply or the motherboard. To what extent is the motherboard's temperature directly related to the ambient temperature within the case and not some other
factor(s). Anyone have any ideas to offer. By the way below is a list of readings that Hardware Monitor in BIOS indicates just to give everyone a bit more information to work with.

MB Temperature 51 C (highlighted in red once it reached this level, started at 30 C)
CPU Temperature 51 C (Started at 46.5 and when up in conjunction with the motheboard temp.)
JTPWR Temperature N/A
CPU Fan Speed 4560 RPM (was initially 4623 RPMs)
Power Fan Speed 1785 RPM (highlighted in red when below 1800 RPMs once in awhile went slightly above 1800 RPMs started at 1650 RPMs)
Chassis Fan Speed 2343 RPM
VCORE Voltage 1.71 V
+3.3V Voltage 3.47 V
+5V Voltage 4.94 V
+12V Voltage 12.41 V (started at 12.35 V)
-12V Voltage -12.52 V
-5V Voltage -5.41 V
Do these figures help any in diagnosing the problem(s)?Someone else suggested the following. Any comments as to veracity of what he/she is writing:


&quot;Try this first:If you're using the stock heatsink that came with your processor, remove the thermal pad off the bottom of the heatsink and apply thermal compound. Artic Silver is best, but the cheap stuff from Radio Shack will do 'till you get some. This is probably the most important thing you can do. Then look at your bios again to see temps.

Incidentally - the temps in bios reflect a full load on the processor - you shouldn't go over 45 celcius.

I would simply disable fan monitoring for now and just keep an eye on it. You can tell if the fans are working. Leave the cover off for now so you can check it.&quot;

 

[pm]

The motherboard sensor is on the motherboard. So if it is reading 50C, then that would imply that the inside of your case it 50C - which is extremely high. Since the inside of a working CPU cooled using 'conventional' cooling (ie. heatsinks and fans) must always higher than the temperature of the air that is being used to cool it, then it's not surprising that the CPU temperature is so high.

If the cover of your case isn't off, take it off. If it is already off and you are seeing 50C still, then flash the BIOS with the latest one from the Asus website. If you are having issues with unzipping and the rest, then use a friend's/work computer. Asus has had a bit of a history of having BIOS's that read thermal sensors way off from what they really are, so this might solve it.

If the BIOS flash doesn't do it, then it sounds like something else i s the problem, but I have no idea what.

 

[KR]

The fan speed of your &quot;power supply fan&quot; (most power supplies don't provide for monitoring of the fan speed from my limited experience - enermax is an exception) seems extremely low. I tmay be that the fan is on it's way south and not exhausting the hot air from your case. A new fan runs around $7-10 or you might wannt to go for a new power supply wihch is in the $40 range. As stated, 51C case temp is really high - a 51C CPU temp is marginally high but in-spec. The varying voltages of the vcore might be a result of overtemp of the power supply. I'd certainly be suspicious in that area with that low a fan speed.

Though a 250W supply should be enough for most systems, a good quality 300W is a better choice, especially when overclocking.

 

[smp]

can it be a short? I'm not a pro by any means, but I know what happens when you attach one wire from one end of a battery to the other.. the wire (short circuit) gets all hot. I would go with the reseating of the mobo suggestion.