Impossibly Low / Incorrect Temps

[Belial88]

Specs:
Athlon II x3 (unlocked x4) 450 3.2ghz
Biostar A770E3
2x2gb Kingston HyperX 1333
GTX 460
Stock HSF
NZXT Gamma case (single stock 120 mm top rear fan, bottom PSU, many empty fan mounts and holes/ventilation)
Bios up to date ofc
(http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/bios.php?S_ID=450)

My temperatures in Coretemp are always around 15*C idle, with lows at 12*C. It is usually about 16*C with general web browsing, and maybe up to low 30s during long periosd of gaming. However, this is impossible - ambient temperature is a comfortable ~75*f, or 27*C. I know supposedly unlocking a 4th core can cause incorrect reads, but this is the exact temps with both unlock and stock.

And it's not just Coretemp - every program reads the same ~16*C. Speedfan, HWMonitor, AOD, and more.

In HWMonitor, there are THRM, TMPIN0 and TMPIN1 and TMPIN2 - I assume some sort of socket temps. TMPIN1/2 seems to follow my System temperature in bios at about 27*C, but do not seem to follow my CPU - when running prime95 for 30 seconds, in about 5 seconds CPU temps rise 20*C (and fall almost as fast when stopping it), these temps do not change more than 5*C. However, THRM and TMPIN0, which sit at an ambient of about 20*C, do rise to about 40*C in a few seconds. Still, these temps are too low and don't quite follow my general coretemp readings. While they may seem like my true CPU temp, they sit at a temp too low to be real (generally 20*C).

Now, in Bios, my CPU temperature reads at about 36*C, maybe down to 32*C when first entering BIOS. This seems more accurate, but no programs seem to have this temp reading. Are there any programs that simply just take the BIOS temp reading?

When running prime95 for about 10 minutes, Coretemp goes up to 55*C - which I initially thought meant my system was cool runnings. However, with a 20*C offset (making the 16*C idle to a more normal 36*C offset that seems to reflect bios) this means 75*C! You can see where my concern comes from...

I'm really not sure what to do. There's no way to really tell if Coretemp is even scaling correctly, as I believe Bios Health monitor will shut my PC down at 65*C, well below when my Coretemp+20 offset is reading 75*C. And temps usually get back to 30's within a minute or two of turning Prime95 off, so I can't really just run prime95, and then run to Bios as fast as I can.

Help! I can't even begin doing any sort of minor oc'ing if there's a possibility my system is going to 75*C at stock, and I have no idea if it's worth getting a HSF or additional cooling fans if my system is running just fine, or extremely hot.

 

[fffblackmage]

Well, if you plan on overclocking, you'll most likely need a better cooler anyways.

 

[mfenn]

The temperature sensors on Athlon II X3's sometimes do get FUBARed when you unlock. What happens when you re-lock the core?

 

[Belial88]

I don't mind people not reading the post as long as this topic is getting some discussion, maybe I can get this fixed :\

I know supposedly unlocking a 4th core can cause incorrect reads, but this is the exact temps with both unlock and stock.

Well, if you plan on overclocking, you'll most likely need a better cooler anyways.

I can't even begin doing any sort of minor oc'ing if there's a possibility my system is going to 75*C at stock

i could be on liquid cooling, but if my temp readings are so out of wack then there's no way to tell what my limits are. And if I'm getting 75*C in 2 minutes on prime95 on stock, then there are more pressing concerns than OC'ing at the moment.

 

[Belial88]

Hm, actually 75*F is more like 24*C. So TMPIN1 is the only 'physically possible' temp at 28*C in general usage (HWMonitor, Temp2 in Speedfan. It heats up to about 32*C when I slow my CPU fan down to 60% (which is the general bios temp!) but 28*C is still generally lower that what bios says.

Still, this must be a socket temp? Is this a safe temp to go by for temps?