Is this going to be unstable?

[glugglug]

I don't like the temperatures my new CPU runs at with the stock HSF, with the default settings it is above 60C at IDLE, and gets thermally throttled frequently.

So I am using RightMark CPU Clock Utility to undervolt my E6400 from the default 1.325V to 1.162V.

Looks great so far with about a 15C difference! I have it going up to 1.250V when it gets to full load.

It has been running a few hours this way, and I ran a virus and spyware scan, and watched some TV with the new settings (and about a million files to scan) to test it a bit. Am I likely to see instability with these settings using some other apps? The SSE heavy CPU torture kind of stuff will generally raise it to full speed at 1.25V, which I figured will probably be ok because the E6600 runs at that voltage at a higher clock rate with basically the same core.

I'm very surprised what a large difference in temperature that 0.163V is making.

 

[BassBomb]

reseat your heatsink so your stock idle isnt rape

 

[glugglug]

Originally posted by: BassBomb
reseat your heatsink so your stock idle isnt rape

Already tried that.

BTW, the 60-65C is the true core temp at idle with stock voltage. The temp the motherboard socket sensor reads at idle which most apps show rather than CPU core sensor is upper 45-50 at idle at stock voltage (still too high). The voltage reduction is bringing this down to a much nicer 32-34C, with the actual core temp at 47-51C.

 

[Accord99]

It's not unusual for Conroe. My E6600 is stable at 2.6GHz/1.1v. But a E6400 should in no way be hitting thermal throttling temperatures at stock speeds.

 

[glugglug]

Another thing I noticed is the fan spins slow until the CPU temp gets near 70C.

Maybe the motherboard fan control is made for Prescott?

 

[The-Noid]

Get a 3pin to molex and just run it off an extra molex connector. Then you know it is going to run at full speed the whole time .

 

[yiranhu]

Did you install your HSF correctly? 60C at idle is not right at all. My stock cooler can cool my PC down to 30C or less at stock (low ambient temp). Make sure you have thermal material in between HSF and cpu. Also make sure your HSF is clipped in all the way. If you lift up your motherboard, you should see the white pins pushing through on the other side. In fact you may need to have the motherboard out while installing the HSF so that you don't break the mobo while pushing in the HSF.

P.S. Do you have a Dell? I have a dell in my office that while doesn't idle quite as high as yours (40C) but under load goes to 83C!@.
P.P.S. I undervolt my 6300 while it is overclocked by 50%! It's at 2.8 GHz (400*7) and Vcore is 1.23 v. It is completely stable! Because of the undervolting and the sunbeam CPU cooler, the CPU temp never goes above 50C (that's core temperature I mind you!!#@#)

 

[Squeetard]

I have my e6400 stable at 3.4ghz with 1.275 vcore. Runs 40-50c.

 

[sandorski]

there is only 1 way to know what's stable, trying it

 

[glugglug]

Looks like its the stupid default fan settings to barely move (often stopping completely) until the CPU is on the verge of overheating.

I went and changed it to always run the fan at maximum speed, and now the core temp is 36-40C in RightMark, with SpeedFan showing a cool 22C.

 

[Roguestar]

Use the Intel Thermal Analysis Tool to tell you the true core temperature.

 

[glugglug]

The Thermal Analysis Tool thinks that it is a Pentium M, not a Core 2 Duo, with a current clock speed of 0MHz and a few other obvious errors.