Strange temps and voltages mobo

[cwid]

Hi all,

Recently I started having these strange temp and voltage problems with my computer. I was trying
to check the fuse inside the power supply so I plugged out the power cable (ATX 20 pin) from the
mobo to remove the PS from the case. Fuse was OK (Turned out it was the fuse in the stabilizer
that was blown up) so I put the PS cover back and plugged in the ATX power cable from the PS back
to the MB.

Now, I'd like to ask you guys who often do this kind of stuff of connecting and disconnecting
power cable to the MB. Is it normal to have the voltages changed after doing this?

My previous temps and voltages inside the computer before the above operation are:
Ambient/room temp: 28-31 C

CPU : 51-53 C (idle)
MB : 34-36 C
+12V : 12.228-12.335V
+5V : 4.6-4.7V
+3.3V: 3.168V
Vcore: 1.648V (nominal 1.650V)
Computer case closed.
Athlon XP 2000+ on Asus A7V8X-X mobo.

After the operation:
CPU : 54-56 C (idle)
MB : 38-40 C
+12V : 12.608-12.775V
+5V : 4.7-4.9V
+3.3V: 3.216V
Vcore: 1.68V (nominal 1.650V)

The higher temps and voltages are not the only strange thing. I noticed that when I just started
the computer the temps and voltages normally were at the old values but when I started an
application or diagnostics (ie, DXdiag), the values would increase and settle to those above
after the operation.

What is stranger is that occasionally, the MB temp would continue to increase when/after I
started to run apps or diagnostics (could be right after the apps was running or sometime later)
and didn't settle to a certain value, that is, it would go from, say 38 C, to more than 50 C when
I normally shut down the computer. (The CPU temp stayed the same, say 56 C, only the MB temp
continued to ramp up. The +12V line would also increased a bit, by a few mV. Also there was no
error while running apps or diagnostics like Prime95. Of course, whenever the MB temp went to 50
C, I shut down the computer).

Anybody has ideas of what happening? Did I just damage the connector while plug/unplugging the
ATX power cable since it was quite hard to unplug it? Or bad PS? Computer is about 9 months
old, and I only opened the PS cover, put it back, didn't do any work inside the PS.

Thanks.

 

[DetroitSportsFan]

First off, your 5 volt and your 3.3 volt rail are reading slightly low .... although still close to tolerance. I doubt thats much of an issue. Therefore, I'd be focusing on your temperatures. Have you cleaned your heatsink? Are all the fans still turning? If you've cleaned your heatsink and all the fans are still turning properly, I'd be looking at ways to improve airflow through the case. Most modern systems should have a minimum of one intake fan at the front or side of the case, and one exhaust fan at the back located towards the top (right under your PSU) to provide with a constant exchange of air. Also, if you keep your case in a desk cabinet, that itself would increase temps.

This time of year where I live, its relatively cool. My mobo temps at idle are typically 24-25C. My CPU temps are typically 36-38C at idle. Those temps increase when there's a load on the system. However, my CPU temps never get above 50C. During the hotter summer months, I peek out at around 55C for my CPU temp. So, keep in mind your ambient room temps when you compare your system temps to mine or others.

Anyway, I could be wrong .... but I think your temp issues are coincedence. Change your temperature shutdown settings in your bios. I have mine set at 60C for mobo and 65C for CPU. These temps are considerably below dangerous levels. Then see if you can maintain mobo temps between mid 20's C and mid 30's C depending on load and ambient room temps. Try to maintain your CPU between mid to high 30's C and low to mid 50's C depending on ambient room temps and system load by increasing airflow through your case. If your system breathes well .... so will you. I don't see anything terribly out to lunch with what you posted .... at least nothing that can't be corrected by a little cleaning, some new/better case fans, and at the last resort .... possibly re-seating your heat sink with new thermal grease. Nothing that's gonna be a major expense to take care of.

 

[cwid]

System is pretty clean and I actually made air ducts for the system. Before I did that the case had to be open with external box fan to cool the comp to the temps as above. Fans are all fine.

Ambient and humidity are quite high here in the tropic so the temps above (the old normal values) are not too high imo. MB is 3-4C above ambient. Besides I've read couple of articles regarding inaccuracies in temp read out so I'm not worrying too much for the CPU temp at 50's for example, as long as the system is stable. What's more, the temps were read through ASUS utility and it's usually higher than raw data (if ASUS reports 50, MBM or Aida reports 44).

New development:
I've been observing my comp for awhile now and I hope the following provides clearer description of what's happening.

I noticed several strange things related to the problems. First, all applications and diagnostics run fine. However, memory performance has slowed down (using Aida benchmark).

Second, related to temps and voltages. When I first start the computer, all have normal values (meaning the old values). I can use IE, notepad, minesweeper and write messages like this for hours and nothing happens. Yet, if I run other applications (say Adobe, word, dxdiag) after awhile the voltages go up. I'm not sure if all this is related to certain applications because I can also run Prime95 (CPU intensive) half an hour and nothing also happens. I just want to show that certain applications can cause the increase in voltages within minutes while others perhaps within hours.

When happens, the voltages go up like this:
+12V : 12.288-12.335V to 12.608-12.775V
+5V : 4.73V to 4.7-4.9V
+3.3V: 3.168V to 3.216V
Vcore: 1.648V (nominal 1.650V) to 1.68V

I understand that there will be fluctuations between loads, but during the previous 9 months before I unplugged then plugged the ATX power cable back to the MB, the voltages never go up and settle to above values like now.

While this happens, CPU temp increases by 2-3C (51C to 53-54C) but the MB temp ramps up by more degrees (33C to 50C). Only when I face a case fan directly onto lower front part MB (next to PCI slots) then MB temp drops to 40C. Again this never happens before.

So I still wonder if I just damage some components on MB or inside PS? Perhaps voltage regulator transistor or something else?