Max temps for an X2 3800+

[VirtualLarry]

Just upgraded a friend to an X2 3800+ (939) CPU. His heatsink (from a 3000+) is an all-aluminum block, no copper, no heatpipes. Currently overclocked to 2.65Ghz, from 2.0Ghz. According to CPU-Z, the vcore is 1.4v, although the VID default is 1.35v, and I have the BIOS set to auto-detect default volts. Perhaps the board (Biostar 939 NF4) overvolts.

Anyways, the temps are reading 70C for Core1 and 79C for Core2, with CoreTemp 0.95.4.

I used Kingwin thermal paste, a dollop in the middle of the core. I didn't spread it around. I wonder if that could be part of the problem.

Amazingly, it's prime-stable in this condition, so I'm thinking just leave it alone. What do you think?

Oh, CoreTemp reports a TCaseMax of 73C too. So if AMD's also have an ~15C delta between TCore and TCase, then I'm probably just barely alright.

Edit: Ugh, core2 just hit 83C. That seems too hot to me.

The heatsink is almost too hot to touch, so I guess I'm making good thermal contact with the CPU. It seems that the stock heatsink/fan is not quite up to the task. Should there be an 11C difference between the cores?

 

[Bill Kunert]

My X2-3800 at 2.6GHz hits 60C max fully loaded. I think you need a better heatsink for your overclock. From what I've read 60C is about as high as you want to go. 70+ degrees would scare me. At idle I get around 30C with a differnce of about 6 degrees between cores. This decreases to about 3 to 5 degrees under load.

 

[myocardia]

CoreTemp is an Intel-only software. AMD processors have no sensors in their cores, that report temperature. As long as you keep the socket temp below a maximum of 55C, you're fine. BTW, Temp 1 (the top one) is always the socket temp for AMD CPU's.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: myocardia
CoreTemp is an Intel-only software. AMD processors have no sensors in their cores, that report temperature. As long as you keep the socket temp below a maximum of 55C, you're fine. BTW, Temp 1 (the top one) is always the socket temp for AMD CPU's.

Err, wrong. CoreTemp was written for both, all A64's have digital temp sensors.
here is a thread discussing the temp sensors
another link

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry

Originally posted by: myocardia
CoreTemp is an Intel-only software. AMD processors have no sensors in their cores, that report temperature. As long as you keep the socket temp below a maximum of 55C, you're fine. BTW, Temp 1 (the top one) is always the socket temp for AMD CPU's.

Err, wrong. CoreTemp was written for both, all A64's have digital temp sensors.
here is a thread discussing the temp sensors
another link

From your very first link:

AMD will not comment on whether the Digital Temperature Sensor on the Brisbane chip is broken, but the author of the popular "CoreTemp" program insists that it is.

BTW, in my first post, I meant the pre-AM2 chips, like you (and I) have, they have no thermal sensing diode at all, in the core.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If you read the coretemp web page, you would clearly see that AMD64 chips have DTSes in them, and are supported.

 

[cw42]

I use Core Temp with my X2 939 3800. But for some reason on my brother's X2 4200 it doesnt give a max tcase. Regardless of the max tcase given, imo anything higher than 60C is BAD. With my X2 3800 and Opteron 165 my load temps are usually around 55 with idle in the 30/40s.

btw what do you mean by "dollop" of thermal paste? i usually like it between the size of a grain of rice and a small bb. Then I put my HSF down, squish it, rotate it back/forth a bit, then lock it in.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I finally gave in and decided to re-seat the heatsink. The paste looked fine, it was evenly spread, no missing spots. Same temps. The heatsink just can't keep up with the CPU. Going to replace the heatsink soon, perhaps I can find a heatpipe heatsink on Ebay.

Also, I manually set vcore to 1.35v. This shows up as 1.36v in CPU-Z at idle, but under load, it goes UP to 1.408v, Reverse vdroop!

 

[fluffmonster]

If the heatsink is very hot, its pulling the heat from the cpu. Sounds to me like a case airflow problem. Leave the side panel off for a while and see what impact that has on the temps...if they go down, that would offer some support for the insufficient airflow hypothesis.

 

[error8]

I don't really like to install a cpu heatsink using the arctic cooling method. I've installed my cpu this summer using exactly this method and I was getting 68 C on an athlon x2 4000+. I've cleaned both the cpu and the heatsink an reapplied the thermal paste by spreading evenly on the cpu, and a very little spread on the heatsink surface, and the temperature dropped more than 10 C. Try to reinstall the heatsink doing like I did and you should get better temperatures.

 

[Rhoxed]

i have a 3800+ x2 running at 2.8ghz 24/7 - 3.11ghz max OC (toledo) wont break 55C max load idles at ~30-33C. using a zalman 9700NT

using stock cooler i only got to 2.45ghz within reasonable temps (57C at load)
i would suggest getting a decent cooler and seeing what you can max the chip at.

 

[Gerbil333]

My S939 X2 3800+ is sitting at 37C. I've never seen it above 45C. It's cooled by a Thermalright XP-90 hsf w/Panaflo L1BX (thermally controlled 92mm fan, currently at ~900rpm).

 

[geokilla]

I asked the same question a long time ago. This should help. Also, if you don't wanna read through all those posts, like what myocardia said, AMD temps are registered through the socket temp and not the core.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: geokilla
Also, if you don't wanna read through all those posts, like what myocardia said, AMD temps are registered through the socket temp and not the core.

Except... that's incorrect.

 

[geokilla]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry

Originally posted by: geokilla
Also, if you don't wanna read through all those posts, like what myocardia said, AMD temps are registered through the socket temp and not the core.

Except... that's incorrect.

Yes it is. Please go to the 2nd page of the forum. I've got a link linking to AMD's processor thermal information and how they calculate and read the temperatures for their processors.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Sucess! I got a four-heatpipe AMD heatsink off of ebay for $20, and load temps have dropped to 66C, instead of 83C. I was able to increase the overclock from 2.65 to 2.75Ghz too. The heatsink had thermal goop pre-applied, so I cleaned the grease off of the CPU and just used that stuff.

One minor annoyance - the heatpipe heatsink had a 4-pin PWM fan connector. The mobo only had a 3-pin fan connector, but there were a couple of caps right next to it on the board, so the 4-pin jack wouldn't fit. I had to pop out the pins and swap the 4-pin and 3-pin connectors on the heatsinks. Now everything works.

Edit: There's now a 15C delta between cores for some reason, under load.

Hmm, a strange click noise, and the PC froze up solid. Prime95 hadn't errored though. I'm going to clock it back down to 2.65, the PSU in this box is weak.

 

[geokilla]

Newegg has the Cooler Master TX2 on sale for $2+shipping. It's a $20 rebate.

I bought this cooler in Canada for $5 AR and it lowered my temps by about 15C. Video card temps dropped as well. With better airflow and better intake/exhaust setup, it should be capable of getting 5C cooler. Oh, and it's not loud

 

[VirtualLarry]

I've got a couple of Hyper TX2s on my C2D rigs, they cool about 10C better than the stock intel coolers (E2140s). I could have used one here, but I thought that the AMD heatpipe heatsink would be easier to install.