Topic revisited: Chaintech VNF3-250 cpu temps and bios update

[DJQuanta]

Hello guys,

This past weekend I finished building my new VNF3-250 based system (stock bios). Everything is running pretty stable but digidoc (and the bios) are reporting a high temperature for the CPU (56° idle, 64° browsing and 70° running prime95 torture test). I've searched and read all the previous forums about the screwy temps of the VNF3-250 and see that some people have the temp problem and others don't, no matter if they've updated their bios or not.

I'm a little worried since this is the first AMD system I've built, and I must say that installing the retail HSF was the most tricky part and now with this high temp I'm doubting if I did it right. I used the thermal pad that came sticked to the HSF (didn't want to mess up with thermal grease).

I've touched the Heatsink when the comp is idle and it's not even warm, but when running prime95 torture it indeed gets warm(although it wouldn't burn your finger). After running prime95 for 30 minutes I didn't get errors or warnings, although the cpu temp reported was 70°.

The mobo temp reported seems pretty normal (34-36°), which is the same temp that my older computer reports for the mobo sensor.

I haven't yet updated the stock bios to the 21/9 version. I've read the suggestion of using Winflash so I'll go that way, but I'm still on a testing phase of my new machine so I might update over the next weekend, have any one solved the temp reading problem with the bios update?

On thing I've noticed is that the cpu fan reports around 3300 rpm most of time, but sometimes I've opened digidoc to check the cpu temp and it reports the cpu fan at 4400 rpm... are this fluctuations normal ?

Thanks.

Quanta

A64 2800+ @ stock speed
Chaintech VNF3-250 with stock bios
Corsair PC3200 512 mb value select cas 2.5
Info-tek Radeon 9600 PRO 128 MB
NEC 3500A DVD Burner
Maxtor 80 GB HD
Next202 Case with 400W PSU
Samsung Syncmaster 900P 19" CRT monitor

 

[DJQuanta]

bump

 

[Rhoel]

Unfortunately, my computer isn't working right now, my leadtek a400gt was rma'd. But the temp issue, as far as I know hasn't been solved no matter what bios you use. Just for reference, I'm using an Thermalright xp-90 with a panaflo h1b. There are also 2 antec 120mm fans blowing across the case. My cpu temps were 47-50 idle, and I never saw 60c. Mobo temps were around 29-32c. Also, you might want to try reversing your cpu fan. I've never done this before, but I read about it somewhere decided to try it. I flipped my fan around so it was blowing out and I lost a couple of degrees. I'm not saying it'll work, but it worked for me. I think your temps are fine. But if you decide to overclock you probably should get a better heatsink and fan to be on the safe side things.


Pic of my vnf3-250

 

[DJQuanta]

Nice pic Rhoel... that's great cooling you have on your rig.

Tell me something about your case fans. My case has space for two rear fans and one front fan. I've installed one rear fan blowing air inside the case, and over the weekend I'll buy one more to install it on the front. What should be the correct orientation of those two fans ?. Perhaps the front fan sucking air inside the case and the rear fan blowing air outside ?

My rear case fan is installed over the cpu fan like yours.

Now back to temps issue. I've done a bit of searching and found out that PC Perspective has an entire forum dedicated to Chaintech and it's full of VNF3-250 users. They have a thread that studied the temp issue of this board, I think I found a bit of light there (though not a solution 'cause there isn't one at this moment).

I think every VNF3-250 owner should check that forum:

PC Perspective VNF3-250 temp issue thread

Keep on rockin'

Quanta

 

[Rhoel]

Sorry, I haven't looked in here for a while. I have the front blowing in and the rear blowing out. I think I lost a couple of degrees because of the the rear fan expels a lot of the heat from the cpu. And thanks for the link, lots of good reading.

 

[Andres3605]

thats not just the chaintec board every NF3 mobo or at least most of them use to report higher temps, the msi bios already included the fix for it in the bios updates

 

[Jester666]

I'm having the same problem with my Chaintech mobo. My temps for my my 2800+ idle and load are between 55 and 60. I'm using a Thermaltake Silent Tower. I must have reinstalled it 3 times to make sure it was properly installed.