P4 2.8C retail - temp ok, thermal paste cleaning?

[cmetz]

I have a P4 2.8C (retail HSF) that was in an 875PBZ motherboard that needed to go RMA. I could be mistaken, but I recall that the CPU's idle temp was about 45C. (the case it's in has poor cooling)

When I removed the HSF, half the thermal interface material was on the heatspreader and half was on the heat sink, so I cleaned both carefully with rubbing alcohol (the way I'd normally do it with AS3/AS5). I applied AS5, assembled in a new motherboard (IC7-G Max2), and let the system come up and start running memtest86 a while to heat it up, then cooled off, then checked the idle temp. 54C. Hmm. Maybe I did something wrong.

So I disassembled, cleaned again, and then realized there's a peel-off on the heat sink under which there's another layer of Intel-supplied thermal interface material. Peeled, stuck on, reassembled, retested, no change in temperature.

What is a reasonble expectation for idle temp on a P4 2.8C with the retail HSF? 54C strikes me as high, but maybe I'm just behind the times. Are there any issues with the BIOS CPU temp reporting in the PBZ or IC7-G Max2 that might explain the 9C difference?

Am I cleaning the Intel thermal interface material incorrectly? I thought that rubbing alcohol was the correct way to do it - again, maybe I'm just behind the times. It certainly seemed to work, that and some elbow grease.

Anything else folks can suggest I look at to lower the temps on this?

Thanks!

 

[Corporate Thug]

i was running my 2.8C without intake fans and i was idling at 45C
i improved my air cooling and now i idle in the mid 30s

however, i never had stabilty issues even when my CPU hit 65 under full load but i am more comfortable with temps something like high 30s when idling.

are you using the stock HSF?
btw, abit boards are notorious for reporting temps on the hot side

 

[Triforceofcourage]

I am running a P4 2.8C also on a asus 865PE non deluxe mobo. My temps right now are 38 for the processor and 35 for the mobo really at idle just surfing the web. When I start encoding or playing games it goes as high as 51 for processor and don't remember for mobo. Not sure if this helps but more info= good

 

[Mephit]

That seems way to high to be idling. I have the same P4 2.8C with the Intel HSF running at reduced RPM and my idle temps are in the mid to low 30's.

 

[orion7144]

The abit boards report the temps ~7c too high. there is a huge thread over at the Abit forums

 

[cmetz]

orion7144, thanks for that clue - I'm seeing about 9c more than my previous board, and ~7c of error plus not having let the thermal compound burn in might just explain.