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(Relatively) High Idle Temps **UPDATE**

T

TheGrandHooHa

Senior member
I have a rig here with a P4 2.6c processor in it, using a SLK-900U and a Panaflo 92mm High Output fan. I am running the CPU at the stock voltage and stock speed, but my idle temps are approaching 50C. Now I know of people who have overclocked to, say, 3 GHz, and still only hit 50C under full load, so something is awry here.

My case temp is around 30C...a tad high (about 15 degrees Fahrenheit over ambient), but certainly not out of control. I have two case fans (intake, exhaust), the 92mm on the heatsink, and the power supply fan. I could do some better wire management, but I really don't think that's the problem either...

Which leads me to suspect my AS2 application.... that's right, Arctic Silver 2 (I had it laying around and was too cheap to buy new). Could I have put the layer on too thick, thus killing heat transfer?

What are some things to look at... I'd really like to get my idle into the 30's, as I have heard many people doing with this processor.

Edit2: Another thing worth noting is that this computer never went through the "break - in" period of AS, where the temperature drops after a few weeks of usage. I have been idling at around 50C for almost 7 months, plenty of time for the AS to have broken in ... could this indicate bad AS?

Thanks in advance,
tghh

edit: This should be in Cases & Cooling. I am a dumbshoe.
 
How old is the AS2? Might be stale?

Also, how did you apply it? If you think that it was too think, you're probably right. The normal method is to use a plastic card or some sort and spread it out. Also, what kind of heatsink do you have?
 
Thanks for the reply, ku.

My heatsink is a Thermalright SLK-900U, with a 92mm fan.

The AS2 was two years old, so it could have gone bad I guess... I remember spreading it out with a credit card, but I may have put too much on to begin with.

If I get new AS5 and go to put it on, what is the best way to remove it from the surface of the chip and heatsink? Just alcohol?

Thanks,
tghh
 
With SETI@home running at 50% processor usage (it is using one "thread" of the Hyperthreading processor), my temp is 58C. I can't even imagine what 100% usage would take me too ... could AS2 that is on too thick such this badly?
 
As it turns out, full load takes me to 65C, which is the point I have set in the BIOS for an automatic shutdown.

I have acquired some AS5, and will try it tomorrow. Wish me luck... apparently, I'll need it 😛
 
I am using the latest BIOS... I know that some IC7-G's reported the temp as 10C too high, but I am not willing to go on that assumption.

I think part of the problem is, when I was applying the AS2, I did the thing where you put it on the processor and the heat sink, then rub off the heatsink. Now, they just say to put a dab on and smush it with the heatsink, as Viper pointed out. So there is quite possibly too much on there... at least, I hope it is that simple.

I will try the AS5 tomorrow...according to the site, isopropyl alcohol takes it off, so with any luck I won't make too much mess... just seems like I can never get mine to run remotely as cool as everyone else for some reason.

Thanks again for the replies!

-tghh
 
You're not alone, my Barton 2800+, even with aftermarket cooling is a heat-box, I'm getting some ceramique by the 30th, I hope that works. Bottom line, don't feel alone here, not everyone's comp idles at 35' C
 
Originally posted by: TheGrandHooHa
With SETI@home running at 50% processor usage (it is using one "thread" of the Hyperthreading processor), my temp is 58C. I can't even imagine what 100% usage would take me too ... could AS2 that is on too thick such this badly?
Click to expand...

The temperature difference between 50% and 100% on an HT processor should be very little if anything in temperature. Just because it says 50% doesn't mean you're only using 50% of your power.
 
Originally posted by: TheGrandHooHa
I am using the latest BIOS... I know that some IC7-G's reported the temp as 10C too high, but I am not willing to go on that assumption.

I think part of the problem is, when I was applying the AS2, I did the thing where you put it on the processor and the heat sink, then rub off the heatsink. Now, they just say to put a dab on and smush it with the heatsink, as Viper pointed out. So there is quite possibly too much on there... at least, I hope it is that simple.

I will try the AS5 tomorrow...according to the site, isopropyl alcohol takes it off, so with any luck I won't make too much mess... just seems like I can never get mine to run remotely as cool as everyone else for some reason.

Thanks again for the replies!

-tghh
Click to expand...

Most IC7s report high. Mine reports a tested ~15C high. I've seen load temps of 84C before when I forgot to turn my fans up. Usually load is at 74C or so. Don't pay attention to temperatures. They're meaningless. As long as your PC is stable, you're good to go. You should probably turn off thermal throttling though.
 
Originally posted by: Nebor
Originally posted by: TheGrandHooHa
With SETI@home running at 50% processor usage (it is using one "thread" of the Hyperthreading processor), my temp is 58C. I can't even imagine what 100% usage would take me too ... could AS2 that is on too thick such this badly?
Click to expand...

The temperature difference between 50% and 100% on an HT processor should be very little if anything in temperature. Just because it says 50% doesn't mean you're only using 50% of your power.
Click to expand...


Well, it jumped up to 65C and set my temp. alarms off... which is my main concern. There is no way an Intel should be that high, from what I hear. Intel's have traditionally been quite cool.
 
Originally posted by: Nebor

Most IC7s report high. Mine reports a tested ~15C high. I've seen load temps of 84C before when I forgot to turn my fans up. Usually load is at 74C or so. Don't pay attention to temperatures. They're meaningless. As long as your PC is stable, you're good to go. You should probably turn off thermal throttling though.
Click to expand...

Wow...that means that, technically, I could be idling in the high 30's, loading at the low 50's, and have room to overclock a little... schweet! 🙂

I guess I will push this thing a bit and see when I reach the point of instability.

Thanks for the advice, Nebor... I guess you are right...and this thing has been stable so I really can't complain.
 
You'll want to disable Thermal throttling and all the alarms and stuff. I set all mine up at 90C, in case my fan stops or something.

I can OC up to 3.43ghz before my ram gives out.
 
Originally posted by: TheGrandHooHa
Originally posted by: Nebor
Originally posted by: TheGrandHooHa
With SETI@home running at 50% processor usage (it is using one "thread" of the Hyperthreading processor), my temp is 58C. I can't even imagine what 100% usage would take me too ... could AS2 that is on too thick such this badly?
Click to expand...

The temperature difference between 50% and 100% on an HT processor should be very little if anything in temperature. Just because it says 50% doesn't mean you're only using 50% of your power.
Click to expand...

Well, it jumped up to 65C and set my temp. alarms off... which is my main concern. There is no way an Intel should be that high, from what I hear. Intel's have traditionally been quite cool.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly as well. Unfortunately, I have a less-than-happy story to tell. I set someone up with an Intel (tray) P4 2.8C (Northwood), on an MSI 865PE-Neo2-P Platinum mobo, with a "Spark III+" copper-inset cooler, which the box said good for a 3.0Ghz P4. Unfortunately, temps run a bit high, even after I re-applied the heatsink. I used generic white paste though, which came with one of my bigger heatsink/fan combos in the past. It's worked fine for my other systems though. (My 1.6Ghz AMD box.) I should probably look into getting some AS, but it hasn't been a priority thus far. This person in question, btw, doesn't like OC'ing at all.

The unfortunate part is, the system is NOT stable, and does get up to 65C (sometimes slightly higher) under load. I'm really not sure what the problem is, whether the MSI mobo and its lack of extra power phases is causing issues, or temps, or what. The person also has occasional BSODs during a cold-boot, so I don't think that the problem is solely related to temps.

The machine has been Memtest86'ed overnight, no errors.

I feel bad, since I helped this person pick out the parts. I have no particular love of MSI, but that board was $30 cheaper than the alternatives at the store at the time, and it seemed like it had decent features, and my current board is an MSI with Via, and is at least stable.

The case is an AOpen HX-09 full-tower, with the top drive cage filled with HDs, and a pair of fans. It's known that the case isn't the greatest for airflow, but the ambient mobo temp sensor doesn't seem all that high. I'm not sure what's going on. It just seems like the load temps are a bit on the high side for a non-overclocked 1.5v 2.8Ghz Northwood. Oh yeah, I disabled HT in the BIOS, since the person had an existing W2K installation.
 
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