AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ overheating due to Vcore variation

[kauedg]

I've been having troubles with my general use PC. The processor overheats and the mobo shuts the system down when it reaches 120C. Investigating the problem I discovered that the Vcore voltage exceeds the 1.30~1.35 range defined by AMD during heavier load, reaching 1.39v sometimes. In idle the temperature is about 40~50C depending on ambient temperature. Most of time I have to put a big fan to cool the heatsink so I can use the computer. I've changed FSB and clock multiplier but the BIOS has no Vcore regulation option. Cool&Quiet is disabled.

Is this an issue with the processor or the motherboard? Is there something I can do, like Vcore regulation software or all I have to do is sell the components and get an intel processor?

This is my setup:

Thermaltake Smart 550W PSU
CoolerMaster Blizzard T2 Cooler
DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2900 MHz (14.5 x 200) 5600+
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-M61SME-S2L v2
Memory 4096 MB (DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM)
DIMM1: Kingston 2 GB DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM (5-5-5-15 @ 333 MHz)
DIMM2: Kingston 2 GB DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM (5-5-5-15 @ 333 MHz)
Video card NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT (1024 MB)

 

[Unolocogringo]

On a system that age the thermal paste on the processor has probably dried out. Or the heatsink is clogged with dust.
Open it up and check the heatsink for dust build up under the fan.
If that is good let the computer warm up and shut it down.
Unclip the heatsink. Gently twist it back and forth a few times to break the bond of the old past .Now lift of the heatsink.
Clean the heatsink and processor with non scented alcohol and coffee filters.Reapply new thermal paste and reinstall the heatsink.

An intel processor will not fit your motherboard. you would have to buy motherboard and processor. And probably new memoryas all newer boards support DDR3. You board has DDR2 memory.

 

[JoakimL]

Forget the Vcore, that's not the problem.

Check that the fan on the CPU cooler is actually working, and that the cooler isn't full of dust.
Are you using any kind of fan control software? In that case check to see if you haven't set the settings wrong, so that you have told it to keep the temps at 120C or more

If things looks good there then take off the CPU cooler, and clean both the cooler and CPU from the old thermal paste (pure alcohol is good for cleaning). Then apply new thermal paste before putting the cooler back on the CPU. Make sure you get it on right, with full contact on the CPU.

Then why not enable Cool&Quiet?

 

[kauedg]

On a system that age the thermal paste on the processor has probably dried out. Or the heatsink is clogged with dust.
Open it up and check the heatsink for dust build up under the fan.
If that is good let the computer warm up and shut it down.
Unclip the heatsink. Gently twist it back and forth a few times to break the bond of the old past .Now lift of the heatsink.
Clean the heatsink and processor with non scented alcohol and coffee filters.Reapply new thermal paste and reinstall the heatsink.

An intel processor will not fit your motherboard. you would have to buy motherboard and processor. And probably new memoryas all newer boards support DDR3. You board has DDR2 memory.

I didn't describe the details much because my english is not that good sometimes. I got this computer in a trade for my old 32bit computer. I replaced the stock cooler in the first week, put some silver thermal paste, cleaned and everything, nothing worked. To this point I have already done everything I could to rule out the heatsink as being the problem.

I'm aware I will have to change the whole mobo, processor and memories. Sorry not specifying that. I have some experience on hardware I'm just a little outdated =)

 

[kauedg]

Forget the Vcore, that's not the problem.

Check that the fan on the CPU cooler is actually working, and that the cooler isn't full of dust.
Are you using any kind of fan control software? In that case check to see if you haven't set the settings wrong, so that you have told it to keep the temps at 120C or more

If things looks good there then take off the CPU cooler, and clean both the cooler and CPU from the old thermal paste (pure alcohol is good for cleaning). Then apply new thermal paste before putting the cooler back on the CPU. Make sure you get it on right, with full contact on the CPU.

Then why not enable Cool&Quiet?

Ok, it's all clear, fan is working at max 2300rpm. Yesterday I took all the components off the case, removed the dust and replaced. I was trying to get rid of the dust and some bad assembling that could make the cooler not get fully in contact with the die.

There is no fan control software, all I do is configure the motherboard's voltage controller or disabling it. When enabled at idle it runs at 1600rpm or 2300rpm at full load or at 2300rpm full when disabled. I have cleaned everything with isopropilic alcohol and applied Arctic Silver thermal paste.

I disabled the cool & quiet in order to find out if this option is messing with the Vcore voltage. Just a part of troubleshooting but I found out that there is no practical difference it being on or off.

 

[kauedg]

Open Hardware Monitor (OHM) - Before running load program


OHM - During full load, hitting 100C and 1,376V


OHM - After only 2 minutes being on idle 52C and 1,324V


Note how the vcore changes and how abruptly the temp goes from 102 to 52... It hit 52 after barely 30 seconds

 

[kauedg]

Right now the PC is stabilized running at:
VCore: 1,36v
Core #1: 74C
Core #2: 63C
Fan Speed: 2100 RPM
Plus a big fan (not a computer fan) exhausting the case

This is just wrong...

 

[Unolocogringo]

What cooler did you install?
The Athlon 64 chips ran hot. and a good cooler is needed.
How much paste did you use? A grain of rice size or pea size?
Did you remove the protective plastic from the contact area?

Look in the bios under monitoring. Check for fan and temperature options.

 

[kauedg]

What cooler did you install?
The Athlon 64 chips ran hot. and a good cooler is needed.
How much paste did you use? A grain of rice size or pea size?
Did you remove the protective plastic from the contact area?

Look in the bios under monitoring. Check for fan and temperature options.

The cooler is the CoolerMaster Blizzard T2. Yes, I removed anything that could be causing this, I know how to apply thermal paste, I know about computer hardware and I have done some overclocking.

The cooler is good, it is not the problem, I'm sure.

 

[Unolocogringo]

The direct contact heat pipes require a pea sized blob of thermal paste when installed.
The groves between the pipes will fill up with paste. If you used the grain of rice amount then the paste is only covering part of the processor.
I would suggest removing the heat sink and checking the contact area. Make sure you applied enough paste to spread out over the entire CPU/heat sink contact surfaces.
http://archive.benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=170&Itemid=1&limit=1&limitstart=5

 

[kauedg]

The direct contact heat pipes require a pea sized blob of thermal paste when installed.
The groves between the pipes will fill up with paste. If you used the grain of rice amount then the paste is only covering part of the processor.
I would suggest removing the heat sink and checking the contact area. Make sure you applied enough paste to spread out over the entire CPU/heat sink contact surfaces.
http://archive.benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=170&Itemid=1&limit=1&limitstart=5

I will clean it later and take pictures just to be clear...

 

[schmuckley]

Hmm..could be the TIM in between the die and IHS is messed up.
Have you considered delidding?
Tbh;I think your cooler is not making good contact somehow.

 

[kauedg]

Hmm..could be the TIM in between the die and IHS is messed up.
Have you considered delidding?
Tbh;I think your cooler is not making good contact somehow.

I'm sorry, what's TIM and IHS? These HDT coolers have a really bad contact area... I can't find my thermal paste tube to fill the channels and test again. I have assembled everything outside the case and there are no gaps or spaces between the cooler and the die.

 

[Unolocogringo]

TIM = Thermal interface material.
IHS = Integrated heat spreader
The cpu die is covered by a metal cap called an IHS on cpu's since the Pentium 3 Tualatin and Athlon 64 series. This protects the cpu die from high pressure heat sinks.

 

[kauedg]

Well, I have tried everything.

- Tested with Cool n' Quiet on and off
- Lapping the cooler's base
- Applying silver compound thermal paste in every way the guide suggested

Nothing worked. I'm looking for a computer repair shop to test the motherboard, the processor and the cooler separately and see what's the problem. In last case I'll sell the parts separately and buy new ones.