Overheating X2 5000+ (stock)

[The Bakery]

Just installed my X2 5000+ on the stock heatsink from my old 3800+.

Using cheap Dynex thermal paste (maybe I will upgrade to AS5 but
the silver content by weight only varies < 10%) I get the following:

*** My top end load of 62c is after 1+ hours playing Bioshock.
*** 3DMARK 06 CPU test 2 causes auto-shutdown at 65c

Idle at 39c-41c
load at 56c-62c

Obviously I need a new heatsink and fan, yeah?

So for AM2 - there are very limited offerings. I don't want to spend more
than $25-$30. Since I'm forced to buy a heatsink I want one that will
afford me the headroom to overclock down the road.

Quick-
Is a copper based heatsink absolutely necessary?
Does high quality thermal paste matter?
Can I fit non AM2 heatsinks on my 5000+?

 

[TheWrongTree]

Copper is better than aluminum, but either can be okay.

Thermal paste does matter. It's worth a few degrees over the cheap stuff, all things being equal.

Most heat sinks/fans fit multiple socket types. Look at newegg.com and go to power search under fans/heatsinks and check all the boxes that include AM/2 under socket type. You'll find no shortage of possibilities.

I have this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835118004 and it keeps my 5000+ under 40 degrees C always (of course I keep my house flippin freezing for most people, too).

However, there are a ton of other excellent options. Most of the decent aftermarket ones willl do just fine.

 

[Gillbot]

AC Freezer 64 Pro

 

[The Bakery]

Ahhh yes, the power search.

Looks like the AC freezer pro is the price point winner too.

Thanks!

 

[Sylvanas]

Another vote for Zalman, my 9700CNPS works great 50c load tops ambient 28c with my 5000+ BE- but I hear good things of the AC freezer Pro.

 

[BlueAcolyte]

Err, Zalman and $30 does not go well.

 

[RKS]

Try re-seating the HSF.

 

[skillyho]

I'd reseat the HSF first....that seems out of line even with AMD's factory coolers. I have another PC with a uATX ECS mobo/4200+ and it only gets up to 44C @ 2.4GHz under Orthos for about 30 minutes.

 

[The Bakery]

I've reseated the HSF three separate times, ensuring that the thermal paste is indeed
flush and in proper amounts each time. Also ensured that no overclocking features are
turned on, and adjusted my CPU fan to 100% always on.

As a matter of fact, I first tried mounting the HSF with the OLD compound in tact and
it ran 3c cooler than when I had reapplied the compound and re mounted. (???)

Each time using a razor and alcohol to thoroughly clean the surfaces.

I'm using dynex thermal paste which isn't the best, but has 70-80% silver by weight.
I'm not sure what the original paste was - but it was likely preapplied to my 3800+

My CPU runs about 39-40 idle - jumps to about 55 on load, but after a bit of activity
starts to creep above 61. As soon as I stop the application, my temp drops to about
55 and then settles back to about 40.

Wouldn't that mean my heatsink is doing it's job, but just can't transfer enough heat
away at load to keep the CPU from increasing in temperature gradually???

Edit - I ordered the AC freezer Pro and AS5 Friday, hopefully that will help because
the only game I can play now is TF2. Witcher and Bioshock start to fry after 30 min.

Should I be concerned that this CPU is defective?

 

[skillyho]

You can use s754/s939 HSF on any AM2 board....same locking mechanism (just re-read your OP).

Have you tried running it with the side panel open to see if there is a change in temps? You do have intake/exhaust fans, correct? Have you checked VCore to make sure something isn't off with it? Are you using SpeedFan / CoreTemp?

 

[The Bakery]

Vcore is not overclocked - I'm running those temps with both case sides open,
tilted. When running case closed - I get an increase.

Everest for the temp monitoring, backed up by checking the idle temps in BIOS
and using the Biostar fan utility to 100% the CPU fan.

edit - I also set the shutdown to 65c, which it hits running the 2nd CPU test
in 3DMARK06. Also, when the temp monitor hits 61/62 for more than 10 min
or so, I can notice lag in the game. So I'm pretty sure it's mostly accurate.

My case is well ventilated - pulling 80mm from the front and 120mm from the
back, the front being entirely mesh. All components and case dusted, plus I
keep all my wiring neat and tucked.

Everything seems fine - it's like the heatsink is just not able to transfer the
heat. I've read many other reviews of this chip idling 40 and load at 55-60.

But I've also seen more reviews of this chip idling and load lower.

My mobo VRM are known to get real hot, but I never had any issue with my
3800+ and I pushed the load on that more than this 5000+ doing raytracing,
stress testing, etc.

 

[skillyho]

Does Everest show individual core temps like Speed Fan / Core Temp? Sounds like you've covered all your bases and the stock sink just can't dissipate the heat effectively.

I'm also just tossing this out here FWIW...I had a GA-965P-S3 last year that relayed the NorthBridge temp as being the CPU temp until a BIOS update. This was a big problem b/c the S3's passive NB sink was always toastey. When I used CoreTemp/SpeedFan it showed me the proper temps.....just tossing it out there.

 

[The Bakery]

Gotcha - I was worried about the inconsistency, that's why I set the mobo shutoff to 65c to
see if it was actually getting that hot. The only reason I'm taking that as truth is the performance
hit I witnessed in Bioshock when the register reached 62c.

My order is heading here from TN today - probably won't arrive till tomorrow.

And I think I have too much work to do to play with it - booooooooo.

We'll see when I get the proper cooler.

Thanks guys.

edit - spelling is fun

 

[The Bakery]

Put the freezer pro on with AS5 - idle 41c, load up to 53c with the case closed

I can finish 3DMARK06 and play games now with no problems.

The 5000 is supposed to be rated for up to 72 MAX. But 53 still seems hot for
a chip that's intended to be overclocked, don't you think?

It is a good improvement from 65 max for sure.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

High idles with less unreasonable loads, too much TIM or a loose mount.

 

[Wogdog]

Your temp may lower as the thermal paste cures. I was reading about the same temps when I first started. In about 2-3 days later the temp went from 40 down to 33-34 idle. I have the same trouble too on load, run anything that runs both cores at 100% my temp shoots up to 50+, I am going to replace my Alpine 64 with a different heatsink and see if that does the trick. Think the HS is getting overwhelmed

 

[The Bakery]

Let me know how that works.

My gut feeling tells me that my chip runs too hot, acceptable for daily use, but
still on the upper end of desirable. But that still leaves me puzzled. I've got a
decent aftermarket cooler, a ventilated case, a small process chip, no overclock.

Yet still, I'm 55c at load and 40c at idle.

Edit - 55-68 is listed as MAX for the chip

I purchased this chip to afford me an overclock on it's efficient power handling
to hold me until I upgrade in the future, and the way it looks, an overclock will
easily put me outside good temps at load.

I mean... it's an enthusiast chip on a small process, I've got good cooling and
no overclock.

It just seems that once I overclock, this is going to run too hot and negate the
entire reason I bought it, or for that matter, the whole reason the chip was
produced in the first place.

Am I asking way too much of this chip?

I feel confused, what gives?

 

[Wogdog]

I will let you know, I do have a GeminII sitting around, with work it's hard to find time to mount it up. Also afraid of the size of it. I'll either put this on or get another better reviewed hs. I know how you feel, thought with the lower power use and 65nm size it would run cooler at load than its currently doing.