PLEASE! I need help with my ASUS A7N8X motherboard! What can I do?

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
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Well I am having a problem. I just purchased the asus a7n8x motherboard, and also an xp 2400+ CPU. By default, the bios bus MHZ is set to 100mhz (then multiplies it by 2). My cpu booted up at the default as the 1800+ speeds. However, when I went into the bios, ,the temp monitor read 85C. I was like "WTF?". SO i booted up windows, downloaded the Motherboard Monitor 5. The temperature on there now read 42C. I then installed the ASUS probing software (bundled with mobo), and I got the same 42C temp.

WHile those temps sound fine, here's the prob. When I go to set it to the 2400+ speeds (133mhz bus speeds instead of 100mhz), it boots up as the 2400+. If I go into the bios, the temp is like around 100C. One time I got to windows and checked MBM and the Asus probe software. The temps came up as around 46C, which is fine. However, due to the Asus C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection), my computer shuts itself down. So basically, my temperatures are fine according to everything EXCEPT the bios monitor, but since the BIOS has the C.O.P. feature, it shuts down my machine.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to fix this problem? My bios is the latest version of the bios as well, 1001.E. Please someone lead me in the right direction! Thanks.
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
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It sounds like you installed your heatsink backwards, or part of it. Please shut the system down and leave it down until you correct this, or you are going to damage your CPU. More details coming in a moment.
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
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All righty then. Socket-A heatsinks have a step cut into one end of their base, with a few rare exceptions. Click here for a photo that shows the step cut into a typical AMD heatsink. It's there just for the heck of it... NOT! :D It is there for the purpose of clearing the solid-plastic part of the CPU socket.

The heatsink clip is not symmetrical either. The pressure point of the clip is closer to one end than the other, so it will be centered on the CPU core. If you bought a heatsink that comes disassembled, such as a Thermaltake Volcano 7+, you must make sure that the longer leg of the clip is towards the end of the heatsink which has the step, so the pressure point of the clip is over the CPU core.

For good illustrations, download this instruction sheet and pay attention to illustrations 7, 13 and 14: Heatsink installation guide

If you happen to have a Thermalright SLK-800, SK-7, SLK-700 or SK-6, push the heatsink away from the solid-plastic section of the CPU socket as far as the clip will let it go, to avoid the pitfall illustrated in Figure 14 (this happened to me with my SK-7).

I can't wait for Hammer. No more possibility of reversing a heatsink on those puppies! :p
 

Macro2

Diamond Member
May 20, 2000
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I've been having a similar problem and my Heat sink is on correct. My BIOs reads cpu 56-57 C with a taisol copper bottom. lapped to a mirror and antec silvered.
BIOS reads 31 C motherboard, 56-57 C cpu
MBM 5.2.2.0 reads 31 Mobo, 38-40 C socket and 49 C on the thermal diode. (yeah there is a patch for thermal diode)
Asus probe reads 40 C for the cpu...I'm assuming thats the socket. That's all I get. When I installed it it said it can't find LM something....

So why is the bios reading 57 and everything else says different?
 

Insane3D

Elite Member
May 24, 2000
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Good info as usual mechBgon. :)


I tend to agree that the MBM reading is incorrect if the Asus thermal protection is shutting the board down. One other thing to try when you mount your HSF. First, I suggest installing with the board outside of the case. Second, once you have it installed, hold the board up to the light and try to look between the bottom of the HSF and the CPU socket...you shouldn' see any light between the core and the HSF bottom. If you do, remove it and try again..

:)
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,094
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Hmm okay guys thanks for the tips. I am like %99 positive my heatsink is on correctly. I am going to take it off and try again. I have heard of some similiar problems like this th ough. Could updating the BIOS possibly fix the incorrect readings from my bios? I'll post results when I re-install the HSF.

-Drew
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,094
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Okay good news :D

Well I took my HSF off of my CPU,a nd I did notice that there was a LITTLE part of the CPU with no thermal paste on it. So i added some more, then turned it back on. But now the temp was even HIGHER than before r unning at 1800+ speeds. So i turned it off, took the HSF off and now it looked like TOO much thermal paste. So I wiped it off of my heatsinkk, and placed it back on the CPU because there was a fair amount of paste still on there. I turned my CPU on, and finally, at 1800+ speeds the BIOS read like 65C. FINALLY! So I upped the bus speeds to 2400+ speeds, and the bios reads like 78C or so. MBM5 and the Probing software is now reading like 42-47C, which is good. So thanks for the help!

-Drew
 

Macro2

Diamond Member
May 20, 2000
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Did you update the bios?

Now you guys have me thinking I'm not getting good contact on the chip. I did Lap the bottom but i am wondering if I decreased the recess of the cut out portion of the heatsink as to where that portion hits before the middle of the HS hits the CPU. Therefore the chip and HS wouldn't have good contact...
Hummm...out comes the board again.
All this because the taisol HSF had milling marks on the bottom.