2 overheating CPUs.

Bastaklis

Honorable
Jul 17, 2016
12
0
10,510
I have an i5 2500k and i7 4770k, both are stock settings, but pretty old now. The 2500k was overheating in its machine for some time, reaching over 200f at times. I applied some new compound and it did nothing. I've chalked it up to a lost cause, as it was a secondary machine. However, recently, my primary 4770k machine has been reaching max temps at 100c before being throttled when doing almost anything, and simply running Windows has it at 70c+. I again applied new compound to no avail. I'm thinking about getting a delidding tool, some liquid metal and good compound. Is there anything I should try doing before delidding these cpus? Is it even worth it? If it is, if only for the experience, what supplies do you recommend?
 
Solution
For stock or a conservative to moderate overclock, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO will suffice - https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099&&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleKWLess&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleKWLess-_-DSAFeed-All-Products-_-cpucooling-_-NA&ignorebbr&gclid=CjwKCAjwsfreBRB9EiwAikSUHVKL9C4MpRSaJCcaZ08vDaE6TTirMgXVd2uxHF3ZZfzSXX3QUHimNBoCSisQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

For about $5.00 more, the Cryorig H7 is a better, quieter cooler which will support a decent overclock - https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=13C-000U-00005...

CompuTronix

Intel Master
Moderator
Bastaklis,


It's highly likely that both stock coolers had coincidentally popped a push-pin loose from their respective motherboards, which is a very common problem. A loose push-pin causes poor contact pressure between the cooler and the CPU, resulting in high temperatures in BIOS, as well as in Windows at idle, and especially when approaching 100% workload.

The reason temperatures didn't improve after you replaced the thermal compound is that the same problematic push-pins on both stock coolers that originally caused the temperature problems on both computers again eluded detection ... you just simply didn't notice the problem. You're certainly not the first to unknowingly have your efforts thwarted by Intel's push-pins.

Nevertheless, you can troubleshoot this problem by pushing firmly on each corner of the cooler for about 30 seconds while watching your load temperatures. When you see a significant temperature drop, you've found the loose push-pin.

The push-pins can be deceivingly tricky to get them fully inserted through the motherboard and properly latched.

(1) To re-seat a single loose push-pin, rotate the latch mechanism in the direction of the arrow counterclockwise 90° then retract the pin by pulling upward. Rotate the latch clockwise 90° to reset the pin, but do NOT push on the latch yet.

(2) To get the pin fully inserted through the motherboard, push only on the leg, NOT on the top of the latch.

(3) While holding the leg firmly against the motherboard with one hand, you can now push on the top of the latch with your other hand until the latch clicks.

(4) If you're re-seating the entire cooler, then be sure to latch the pins across from one another, rather than next to one another. Use an "X" pattern, so as to apply even pressure during installation.

Intel Stock Cooler Installation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qczGR4KMnY


Concerning delidding, 2nd Generation Sandy Bridge CPU's are soldered, so there's nothing to be gained by attempting to delid a 2500K, even if you managed not to destroy it during the process. In contrast, the 4770K would greatly benefit from being delidded. As Intel's TIM degrades over time, some 3rd and 4th Generation 22 nanometer processors, (launched 2012 through 2014), may no longer cool as well as when new. Many users with processors such as yours have noticed their Core temperatures are higher than they originally were.

You might want to read this Sticky: Intel Temperature Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1800828/intel-temperature-guide.html

See Section 9 - The TIM Problem.

CT :sol:
 

Bastaklis

Honorable
Jul 17, 2016
12
0
10,510

Thank you very much for the detailed response.
Your answer makes a lot of sense considering the condition of the pins on the coolers.

Is there any particular cooler that you would recommend, that is budget friendly and capable of cooling the 4770k? I would likely get 2 so that I could attempt to salvage the 2500k as well. Should I just get 2 new intel coolers with copper connections, or go for something else?

If that doesn't solve the problem and I should decide to delid the 4770k; could you perhaps recommend a particular TIM and/or tool for the job? What about compound?

I'd like to do everything correctly this time around to avoid any more investment and wasted time.
 

CompuTronix

Intel Master
Moderator
For stock or a conservative to moderate overclock, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO will suffice - https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099&&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleKWLess&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleKWLess-_-DSAFeed-All-Products-_-cpucooling-_-NA&ignorebbr&gclid=CjwKCAjwsfreBRB9EiwAikSUHVKL9C4MpRSaJCcaZ08vDaE6TTirMgXVd2uxHF3ZZfzSXX3QUHimNBoCSisQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

For about $5.00 more, the Cryorig H7 is a better, quieter cooler which will support a decent overclock - https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=13C-000U-00005

The 95 Watt TDP 2500K and the 84 Watt TDP 4770K both originally shipped with Intel's stock 95 Watt TDP cooler, which has a round copper center clearly visible from the bottom. Your question implies that your present coolers do not have a copper center, but instead, are Intel's all aluminum 65 Watt TDP cooler. When viewed from the top, it looks identical to the 95 Watt cooler.

If this is indeed the case, then you've got the wrong Intel coolers, which aside from loose push-pins, would account for higher than expected Core temperatures. Regardless, I would not recommend using any cooler with push-pins. There's no substitute for proper fastening hardware with a backplate.

I could type out all the information for you, but you could save me a lot of time by clicking on the link in my signature and reading Section 9 - The TIM Problem. Also, read Note 1 in Section 14 - Delidding ...

CT :sol:
 
Solution

Bastaklis

Honorable
Jul 17, 2016
12
0
10,510

I do, in fact, have the copper stock coolers, they just have ... messy pins.
I will pick up a new cooler to test on one or both CPUs before worrying about the second cooler, and hopefully that will be sufficient to fix the problem for at least one of them.
I will also read over the sections you mentioned in the temperature guide so that I can be prepared, should I have to delid. Hopefully, however, I will not have to perform surgery - no matter how fun it looks.

Thank you again for the helpful reply. I appreciate it very much.