hot hot hot

[zigzag03]

i have a rev 1 p4c800 (pre "e") mobo that has started showing some instability. the cpu and mobo temps as displayed by asus mobo monitor are quite reasonable, the processor and vid card certainly make heat but nothing i can't keep my hands around. but the northbridge is SMOKIN hot, and the whole thing emits a hot smell. in fact, the smell has been there pretty much since the beginning, a couple years now. the instablity is recent. running a 2.4c p4. a 6800gt card, the usual drives, no overclock... anyone know if this is a common situation with this hot northbridge? it has a large heatsink on it, and i'm about to rig a fan on it, but should it be this hot? thanks zz

 

[Interitus]

sometimes mobo manufacturers do a pretty crappy job with the thermal paste on the nb heatsinks. it may even use a thermal pad that has over time melted away. try removing the sink and re-applying new paste. may solve your problem. I know lots of people that use passive sinks on their P4 875 chipset boards that don't get that hot so it could just be that simple.

 

[AristoV300]

Are you overclocking the 2.4C, becuase they are known to hit the 270's(FSB) pretty easy? You need to try to reapply the HS on the NB with some AS5 or get a active cooler.

 

[Navid]

You say that the Northbridge gets hot. Is it the Northbridge heat sink that gets hot? What exactly is hot? Is it hot to the touch, or are you relying on a software utility reporting a temperature that you think is the Northbridge?

You say you are not overclocking. That is unusual. The Northbridge heat sink should only be warm to the touch.

The only things that get too hot to the touch are the regulator FETs.

Edit:
Do you have a digital Volt meter? If not, you may want to get one. Use it to measure the voltages on an unused Molex connector while using the computer. Make sure that the voltages are within the 5% tolerance range. You can use prime95 to load the CPU. How does the 12V voltage behave under load or at idle?

 

[zigzag03]

thank you, i shall start with the heat sink as suggested and look for a fan possibly. and no, i am not overclocking. does it seem reasonable that a northbridge could generate that much heat to start with. makes me wonder is something on the mobo crapping out. also, the nb heatsink sits directly behind the back of the gpu on the vid card, no more than half an inch away. this can not help either!! thanks again zz

 

[zigzag03]

navid i wondered if that should be so hot, the heatsink is too hot to touch, i'm guess the chip is too. voltage i can monitor from the asus monitor program, they are all just a tad under spec, do you suggest i do not trust this and check for myself?

 

[Navid]

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: zigzag03
navid i wondered if that should be so hot, the heatsink is too hot to touch, i'm guess the chip is too. voltage i can monitor from the asus monitor program, they are all just a tad under spec, do you suggest i do not trust this and check for myself?

You should not trust any software utility for measuring voltages. You can get a Volt meter for $15.00 or more.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: zigzag03
navid i wondered if that should be so hot, the heatsink is too hot to touch, i'm guess the chip is too. voltage i can monitor from the asus monitor program, they are all just a tad under spec, do you suggest i do not trust this and check for myself?

Since the heat sink is hot, that means that it is doing its job. Just make sure that you have a case exhaust fan. I would not remove the heat sink or add a fan yet. I suggest measuring the voltages first.

If the Voltage is too high, that can be the cause of the problem. The problem is that there may not be a solution for it other than replacement under warranty!
But, let's go one step at a time.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: zigzag03
the instablity is recent.

You can use a dust buster to clean the inside of your case, the fans, the power supply, ...
Dust can impede air flow and lead to higher temperatures. This can be the cause of the recent instability.

You should always check the voltages as the first step in an instability investigation.
The second step is to check your RAM using memtest.
The third step is to check the CPU using prime95.
The last step is to check the graphics card using something like ATItool.

 

[Interitus]

Just realized what I typed made no sense lol.

If the heatsink is hot, then it's got good contact.

I mean well, I really do, just need more sleep to accurately help people hehe

 

[zigzag03]

thanks navid, i will check all of those things tonite after work. i ran out of steam last nite, sucks to get old. zz