How hot is too hot?!?!?!? Athlon XP 2100+ on ECS K7S5A/PC Chips M830LMR

[BPiersol]

As the topic said, I am wondering what the cutoff point is for being too hot. I run anywhere from 50 C to 68 C depending on fan speed. I have the Thermaltake Volcano 9 heatsink and fan, with thermal paste. The fan is adjustable, and I would like to run it as slow as possible because it sounds like a jet taking off at full speed. Any opinions?

 

[akira34]

I'd be looking to fix the system if it was running at anything over 60c under load. Over 65C under load and I'd be shutting it down and ordering a better processor cooler.

My own system ranges from the low 30's to 40's depending on what I'm doing with it.

Are your listed temps idle and load or what-not? When I was running a 2100+ my temps would range from the high 30's/low 40's to low-mid 50's (idle to load). That was with air cooling not liquid cooling.

If you're seeing the 68C temp regularly, look to get a better cooler. If it just spikes to that under extreme load, then don't push it that hard. Most mobo's [that I've used recently] have the shut-off setting to either 60C or 65C by default. Granted the older AMD processors have a thermal cap of between 80C and 90C (depending on the generation of the chip), you don't want to push it that high.

 

[0roo0roo]

thin coat of hs paste?

 

[BPiersol]

At idle I am at 54 C, and yes, thin coat of thermal paste. I guess everybodys idea of thin coat is different, but I would say thin I guess.

 

[akira34]

54C at idle is high. What thermal paste did you use on your processor? How's the air flow inside the case?

 

[BPiersol]

The first time I set the heatsink I used Arctic Silver, the second time (today) I used the paste that came with the volcano 9 hs/fan. As far as airflow in the case, I only drop about 2 degrees when I take the side off of the case.

 

[akira34]

Which Arctic Silver did you use? What paste did the HSF come with? I have a feeling you used either too much or too little paste on the chip. I suggest you get the instructions from the AS site and follow them to the letter for your processor and the compound you used. If that still doesn't work to reduce the temps, you have some other issues...

BTW, are you overcocking this processor or is it running at stock speeds?

 

[MichaelD]

You're running very hot. It sounds like either you've used too much thermal paste, your HS isn't seated correctly or both.

You did remove the stock pink pad and the plastic strip that covers it from the bottom of the HS before you installed it, right? (I have to ask)

Idling in the low-mid 40C's and stress temps in the 50's are warm, but acceptable. You're running very hot.

 

[BPiersol]

ok, heres what we have now. I pulled the side off of the case and put a full size window fan in its place. The coolest I could get the cpu was 40 C. That was at idle. I installed the heatsink/paste correctly. I've done it twice now, with no change to speak of. I'm starting to think that Thermaltake's Volcano 9 sucks. This is crazy! With a 12" fan blowing directly into the case on high the CPU temp should've been alot lower than 40 C, right?

 

[BPiersol]

Originally posted by: akira34
Which Arctic Silver did you use? What paste did the HSF come with? I have a feeling you used either too much or too little paste on the chip. I suggest you get the instructions from the AS site and follow them to the letter for your processor and the compound you used. If that still doesn't work to reduce the temps, you have some other issues...

BTW, are you overcocking this processor or is it running at stock speeds?

Not sure what Arctic Silver I have. The second time I applied paste, I used the Thermaltake stuff that came with the Volcano 9.

The only overclocking i am doing is on the FSB with Cheepomans bios for the ECS K7S5A. I have my 2100+ overclocked to a 2200+, so its nothing major.

 

[0roo0roo]

if its an old 2000+, those run hot regardless pretty much volcano 9 isn't that hot either....you can blow all the air you want and have nothing happen if the hs is the limiting factor. not worth upgrading hs for that processor.