I'm stumped with this problem

[VisualDead]

My setup:

Antec TruePower 430 W
X SuperAlien Case - 6 fans (2 HDD, 1 side, 1 Top, 2 back exhaust)
P4C800-E Deluxe MB
2.8 C Ghz Proc w/Stock HSF
9800 Pro


My MB temp is 37 C and CPU Temp is 50 C, both under idle conditions. I can't seem to bring these temps down at all. My case fans are running at full power (still very quiet though). PSU Fan is at 1500 rpm, and CPU Fan is at 2800 rpm. I tried reseating the proc and heaatsink multiple times, each time I cleaned HSF and proc and reapplied Artic Silver Ceremique thermal paste. My case fans were initally running slow as I had them connected to the PSU's "smart" fan controller, but have since removed it so that now case fans are running at full speed. In BIOS, Q-Fan is disabled.
Ambient temperature is 20-25 C. Anyone have any ideas why my temp is so high? (p.s. this is the first time I have built a computer).

I plan to overclock this at some point, but I don't want to do so until I can bring temperatures down. My next step I can think of is to buy a better HSF (was thinking about the Zalmann 7000 Cu), but I am worried that it may not be enough, and anyways, even with stock Intel HSF my temps shouldn't be this high.

I've tried asking at other places, but no-one has really been able to help.

 

[Zepper]

Make sure that your fans aren't creating a slight vacuum inside the case. IOW, you want either the same cfs of air going in as going out or slightly less going out than coming in as higher density air cools better than lower density air.
.bh.
:moon:

 

[madcow235]

You said you put ceramique on, did you remove the thermal pad first? And that stock heatsink is crap so dont expect super duper performance especially on the fastest chip with that heatsink, the 3.0c and above have an uber copper based cooler, Also are you reading on die temps or in socket temps. And the zalman isnt that good i would recommend an sp-94 with a smartfan. It will cool your chip more then adequetally. One more thing put the top fan on exhaust since heat rises

 

[een]

You would need fans blowing from the front, if your case does not have a front intake, buy a front intake hdd cooler, the one that sits in a 51/4 bay...
And yes you definitely need more air blowing in and to should be exhaust

 

[VisualDead]

I have two front in-take fans (for the HDD) already. Also 1 side intake and top in-take, 2 exhaust fans at the rear.

 

[virtuamike]

Flip top to exhaust, give the hot air a chance to escape. With air cooling the reverse should hold true - negative pressure in your case will cool better because induced positive pressure creates turbulence, and that will definately not help. I agree, heavy air is good, but turbulence in any form is definately bad jojo.

The Zalman is fine as a CPU cooler. Even the stock is ok if you're not going overboard with the oc'ing. No, you don't need to buy any more fans or hdd cooler intakes or whatnot, you're fine with what you have.

If you have to, experiment. Hell, if I'm curious to see what would happen if you flip the fronts to exhaust (might work better than trying to cool your case with air that's warmed up by the hard drives), flip the 2 rears to intake, flip the side to exhaust, and have top exhaust, just to see what would happen.

 

[VisualDead]

Ok, I will flip the top to exhaust when I get home this evening. My MB temp seems to have dropped though, they are now high 20s to low 30s, which I think is fine. But my idle CPU temp is still about 48-50C. Any ideas why it may be so high? (I've ordered a new HSF already so that should help a bit) but even with stock HSF, 50C CPU temp is still too high.

 

[Zepper]

Here is another idea. Duct the CPU cooling air in from outside the case. Here is a review of the Badong (unfortunate brand name...) duct kit: Linkage .
The article mentions that it is available from Directron. But the similar Sunbeam kit is at SVC for less. Apparently Directron doesn't use the word "duct" in their description of the Badong kit, so a search on "duct" fails. The fact that Directron also leaves Badong's Chinglish description intact speaks volumes. Search on "Sunbeam" or "Badong" to find the kits at Directron.
.bh.