need some serious help/advice

[d0sitmatr]

Hello all, my first post, although I have been browsing these forums for some time.
to the gist of my problem.

recently I built a new computer, base in teh amd am2 platform.
here are the full specs:
amd 64 x2 6000+
MSI k9n n4 570 SLi Platinum
2g wintec ampx pc6400
2x8800gts 320m
4hd 2-raid0 aray, 2xstandard all 7.2k rpm
2xopti drives
silencer DA750 PSU
winXP sp2 fully updated
all nestled in an NZXT zero case

the CPU came with a CM HSF, which on avg was just far too loud (even having my BIOS control the speed) and I would see my temps spike to 60c under load, which was also causing some stability issues (even though it shouldnt as that is well within specs for the am2 chipset) random lockups, having to boot into windows 2, sometimes 3 times befor eit would load my GUI, program hang issues... etc etc.

I asked and several people all recommended the same thing, that my temp was too high, even though within spec.
I went and bought a Zalman 9500 (not really thinking I needed to go WC, as Im not OCin yet) it installed pretty easily and I saw my temps idle aeound 35c-38c and never raise above 42c. but I also removed 1 of my GTS cards seeing as they run about 60c each I figured (correctly) that was adding to the high temps in my case overall.
so then my temps stayed well within recd specs and I was happy.
but after a couple weeks, and having a $3oo.oo card siting in a box, knowing I could use it, I started thinking about ways to decrease the temps of my graphics cards.
someone mentioned rivatuner as having the abilty to control fan speeds, and while Ive never used it myself, I have known of it for some time.
anyway, I install rt, and bump the single cards fan speed up to 95% (default is 60% for anyone wanting to know) but with it that high, my computer, again, was far too loud. so I bumped it down to 85% and now it runs 10c cooler, and has about the same db level as before.
now comes the problem, my CPU temp started idling at 41c, and under load spikes to 50c, and again, Im getting the same problems as before, lockups, and hacing to boot and reboot again just to load my GUI for windows.
now I know this is well within my CPU's running specs, and I simply cannot figure out what is the problem.
there are only 2 things Ive done as far as installation goes.
installing and running rivatuner (ive since uninstalled it after setting everything back to default) and installing the .NET framework (which I had to do to install RT)
is there some way either of those is causing my problems, or could it be something else entirely ?

 

[orion23]

Take most of your computer apart and build it again. Re-apply a nice, thin of thermal paste on your CPU and sit the cooler nicely.

Forget the riva tuner and let the nvidia drivers control your Video cards. Those cards can take the heat. Leave them alone.

What you could do is make sure to install a side fan if you don't have one already. Does your case have a front and a rear fan? Does it have a top fan?

Using to GPU's and a hot CPU will make your temperatures high, but it is not that bad unless things overheat, and they shouldn't.

Airflow is the key here!

Last thing, What Power Supply is that?

If that is a no brand PSU, you might want to take a look it. Using 2 8800GTS cards + that cpu and a bunch of drives under RAID will require a very good / reliable PSU.

 

[NXIL]

Looks like a very good PSU, a Silverstone 750:

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/da750/da750.html

Case: quad 120mm fans on the side panel, maxes out at seven 120mm fans and one 80mm fan....that should do it for airflow, assuming the fans are all working together.

http://www.nzxt.com/products/zero/

The Zalman 9500: I use one to keep a Pentium 4 PrescHott cool--dropped temps hugely from the stock Intel cooler. If it was cooling CPU down to 35C or so, and now it is bouncing around from 41 to 50C and getting unstable after installing the second 8800GTS, then the heat from that second card is apparently not getting removed from the case.

Note that the reviews on Newegg for your MSI motherboard are lukewarm at best, and lots of talk of northbridge heat problems:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813130048

Fan direction: I assume (?) you have the two rear 120s set as exhaust, and the 4 panel fans as intake? The top 80 should be exhaust, and the power supply should exhaust as well. And, a front 120, intake. 5 120s in, 3 120s out (one in PSU), and one 80 mm out....should be good flow with slight positive pressure (?) in case, which is good.

Actually, here is a good graphic of it:

http://www.madshrimps.be/?acti...tpage=2341&articID=535

And the case gets an overall good review....

So, as Orion said, it's all about the airflow: seems like the Zero case is quiet, but maybe it is just not moving enough air with two 8800GTS cards installed. You might try running your system with the side panel off and a desk fan blowing into the case. If your temps stay OK and the system is stable, it's an airflow problem.

Also, you seem to know your hardware very well, but, are cables bundled up and routed out of the airflow path? PC in a cool room?

HTH

NXIL

PS: concur with Orion about Riva tuner: delete....

 

[kotrtim]

I have a 3800+ on MSI k9N6SGM-V (nForce 403 with geforce go 6100)
Initially, when the cpu is new, the voltage is 1.080V @ 5X and 1.232 V @ 10X multiplier, but after a few weeks, i noticed that the voltage changes, now it is 1.104V @ 5X , 1.265 V @ 10X... weird, but everything works fine. Might this be the cause that increase your cpu temperature?

My CPU is 41C at idle , 55C at max load, it is OK, no lockups.
The temperature read by Mainboard's BIOS is 27C idle and 45C max, i think this is the surface temperature, so your temperature is read from bios or directly using programs such as coretemp? If it is read with cputemp, 50C seems fine, but if it is the surface temperature, you might need to add another 10C, that will be approx. the core temperature

http://users.erols.com/chare/elec.htm

Athlon 64 X2 6000+
(dual 3.0GHz - 2x 1MB - rev. F3) 1.4V 90.4A 125W 63° C

your cpu temperature should not be more than 63C !!

try to configure the memory command rate to 2T and see if it helps. My MSI MB's Cool n quiet cannot function if command rate is set to 2T, only work with 1T, unsure about yours.

 

[f4phantom2500]

make sure your cables are routed very well, that actually makes a huge difference in terms of noise and the effectiveness of your fans. also man those 2 vid card and 4 hard drives need a lot of air to keep them cool man! if your case really supports that many fan throw on like 6 120mm fans in good positions and that should take care of it, assuming your cables are routed well.

 

[d0sitmatr]

all great answer people

I'll see if I can reply to everything in this post
@orion 23, NXIL answered most of your post, so I shant repeat what he said as he is correct.

I do have the cables in a single braide but the case doesnt allow a low of "tuck" room, there is almost no room behind the mobo tray to run anything other than fan lines, which was my next project after reducing my temps :thumbsup:
I do indeed have all the fans listed as you said, except the 80mm fan, the PSU is too long and it covers the rearset screw slots and will also be 3mm inside where the fan needs to sit, so I will need to do a slight casemod to get a fan there, but when I do, I'll be going with a 120mm there instead of the 80mm
the fans seem to have good cfm, I purchased four 44cfm 120 fans to replace 2 on the side and the 2 rear exhaust fans, but they actually provide less airflow than the stock ones do, so I didnt use them.
the case rocks for airflow, and is super quiet, I just need to rebundle some of the wires, even though they arent too bad, I can also get them much better. but I still cant see that as doing much more than giving me maybe 1c, 2c at most, as my primary intake are those 4 fans that are placed directly over the mobo pulling outside air directly onto the entire board.
the Zalman is situated with the airflowing directly at one of my rear exhaust fans, while the other exhaust fan is taking the heat that accumulates between the CPU and the upper most GTS.

@kotrtim
I use 3 different methods for reading my temps, all 3 of which Im unsure how accurate they really are
I use speefan to read the temps "realtime", but as that is a software based gauge, I cannot say how close it really is. 2nd method is an LCD temp monitor that Im afraid I have no documentation for, so I havent a clue whether it is correctly reading temps (I'll get into why) 3rd is through BIOS, which Ive heard isnt as accurate as Id like
the BIOS and speefan temps are fairly consistant with 1 another, I check spdfan just before a reboot, then enter BIOS during that same reboot, and the temps are reading within 2c of the other, however, the LCD's temp readings never really vary much, it reads CPU idle temp at 29c - 31c, even when the temp readings on spdfan and BIOS read 50c, which leads me to believe it isnt setup correctly. (it also reads my GTS temps as 30c, even under heavy load....)
are you recommending using coretemp to check my temps "realtime" or is that even an option? (Ive never heard of it before, so Im unsure if its a program or something else)

@f4phantom2500
Im running all the fans my case supports minus the 80mm mentioned above
__________________________________________________________________________

here is whats happening, and also something else Im afraid of might be wrong.
my CPU temps read idle about 36c-41c, depending on if the air is running. my core temp reads at 29c (not sure what the "core temp" is TBH, but Im assuming its the core of the CPU) my sysem temps read almost consistantly about 36c -37c, even when gaming, which is why Im pretty sure Im getting decent airflow
now, when I run some CPU intense programs (games or illustration) my CPU temps soar to 50c/52c.
thats a huge jump in temp IMO, which has me wondering, is it possible I cracked my CPU housing when installing the Zal ? while it was an easy install, the clip was pretty hard to lock down.

on another note, I just ordered some arctic silver and an extreme cfm 120 to place in the spot directly over the CPU (72cfm)
I should recieve those either Saturday or Monday, depending how NE shipped them.
once I do, Ill repost with how it goes, and continually check back here for updated posts by anyone
thanks again
~m

 

[orion23]

That jump in tempertures is normal!

 

[d0sitmatr]

Im not sure about that, Ive read in several places that too much of a temp change will shorten the life expectancy of the CPU, it may be good for the moment, but not for anything long term.
plus, that doesnt really address what is happening, once I hit that 52c mark the computer gets very unstable, and it really shouldnt.