Should I change out my HSF

[Boyo]

I'm running a Arctic Freezer 64 Pro on a X2 4400+, A8N32-SLI Deluxe mobo. I have a small 2.5GHz overclock and my temps idle at 38C to 42C. Higher under load. Can I get better temps with a different HSF, or do these temps sound reasonable?

 

[kwo]

Sounds reasonable - how high do they get though, and what is the temp differential with respect to ambient?

 

[Ridesy]

Hi,

38C idle is OK, 42 seems quite high (unless it's high summer where you are), but the real question is what are temps under load as that will dictate if you should do more on cooling or not.

Ridesy

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: Ridesy
38C idle is OK, 42 seems quite high...

Heh! Thanks!

I thought that was 'quite' an odd statement, but it spurred me to look at my CPU temp -- hadn't checked it in a couple of days -- and it was 44.5º C :Q

I thought, WTF? It's usually 34.5º C ?!?!?

Turned out my Avast! AV software had gone spaz, and ashWebSv.exe was using 100% of the CPU!

No matter what I did, I couldn't clear it, so I did a reboot. Now the temp is back down to 33º C. LoL!

Anyway, now your comment doesn't seem 'quite' so odd! Put another way, 42º C at idle seems damn high, unless some program or another is using 100% of the CPU in the background.

BTW, for a basis of comparison, I'm running a 3.06GB Intel Northwood...

 

[Ridesy]

Vin,

Sorry the comment 42C is "quite high" refers really more to my A8N32 board (or similar 2 x 16 Asus boards) and for some reason I thought that was the board Boyo was talking about (don't know why I thought that, as I can't see any reference to it now!?).

It is just that on that A8N32 board MB temps of mid to high 30's with aircooled CPU and GPU's are very common and have generally been seen as OK, but 42C at "idle" would suggest 50's under load and anything much over 50C would not be something I'd want for hour after hour.

Anyway as you suggest for other boards, like my kids game rig on an A8N SLI Premium board I would not expect idle to be over 35C and normally 30-33C.

Boyo - am I going mad or did I see some reference to a board type??

 

[Boyo]

I am using a Asus A8N32-SLI mobo and yes, my temps around around 38C-42C at idle. I just can't seem to get these down. I'm not sure if it's my OC or if the Arctic Freezer 64 Pro is just not that great of a HSF. Ambient temps are about 73F. Any recommendations?

 

[kwo]

Originally posted by: Boyo
I am using a Asus A8N32-SLI mobo and yes, my temps around around 38C-42C at idle. I just can't seem to get these down. I'm not sure if it's my OC or if the Arctic Freezer 64 Pro is just not that great of a HSF. Ambient temps are about 73F. Any recommendations?

You are not alone.

I (well, my friend, but *I* put the system together for him) had the same issue with *two* of these boards - and the result has been random lockups that seem to be heat related (read the thread referenced above for more info). In that case, despite normal ambient, his would idle @ mid to high 40's and hit to mid-high 50's on load. Very frustrating

My earlier statement that those temps are reasonable of course depends on how high the temp goes. As an example, My old barton idles around 40-43C, but it never goes about 50C under load, so........

These boards are notorious for the variation in temps - some seem good, as indicated by Ridesy, but if you start searching the 'net....you'll see what I mean.....

I wish you the best with that board, I've all but given up on it..

Ran

 

[Ridesy]

Boyo,

Glad I wasn't going mad!

As I said before 38-42C on this board is NOT unusual, but what matters is your temps under load!

Do you use this rig for gaming? If yes, what temps do you see after an hour or so heavy gaming?

If these are 50C or below, then just ignore temps and have fun gaming!

If they are holding at much over 50C then I would suggest you need to look for better cooling, but that probably means more airflow and not neccesarily and new CPU cooler.

Ridesy

 

[Boyo]

I guess I didn't realize that my mobo has problems with heat. Thanks for the info that I'm not alone, kwo...

I do use my rig for gaming and I will run one of my games at load for an hour today to get a better picture of how hot it gets. Interestingly, my mobo itself is also running hot. It idles at 44C, which is hotter than the CPU at idle. That is weird. Again, I don't know if it is my OC or just the board.

I have 4x 120mm Antec Tri-Cool fans running in a Lian Li PC7 Plus II. I have them set up like this:

1x 120 Rear Exhaust at 79CFM
1x 120 Top Blowhole Exhaust 39CFM
1x 120 Front Intake 56CFM
1x 120 Side Intake 39CFM.

I could bump up the side intake to 56CFM to see if that helps...I'm just kind of at a loss and thinking of getting a Zalman 9500 HSF. Not sure if that will help though.

 

[Boyo]

Well I changed my side intake to 79CFM and that has brought my mobo temp from 44C down to 38C, which is much better. CPU still gets into high 40's under load. GPU with Zalman VF900-CU is at 42C. With stock eVGA HSF it was at 54C.

Now just need to get the CPU under control.