AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000 Overheating! Please Help!

[cbruffin]

I have tried just about everything i can think of, but i am at a loss for why my processor is getting so hot. I have the brisbane 3.1GHz x2 6000, with my side panel on my computer(has intake fan), i idle 48-51*C. Just a minute or so of any kind of stress test puts me in the 73-75*C range. I am using a Zalman 9500a heatsink with arctic silver thermal grease, and an Abit AN52 motherboard. If i take my side panel off and set up a big huge house fan next to it, i can idle at about 39-41*C, but under load i run at about 66*C with the same stress test(it does stay at that temperature, though..ran for 30 minutes). I use Abit EQ, Speedfan, Everest, and Sandra to monitor temps(a bunch to check for accuracy). All report about the same.

I did order a 120mm intake fan for the front of the case, and i know that will help but it wont be enough(certainly no house fan that can blow itself over on max settings if its not propped up). AMD Power Monitor shows each core at 1.375 volts, and my bios wont let me set it lower unless there is a hack or workaround...i have latest bios version. The thing is, im not sure if i have poor heatsink contact, or my temperature sensors are broken, because even under stress test with my processor at 70*C according to my software, i can hold my finger on the heatsink without getting burned at all. No pain or discomfort whatsoever, although it is warm.

Temps are jumpy, not sure if this is usual, but if i start stress testing, i can go from 49*C to 67*C in 15 seconds(jumps like 10-12*C almost instantly, climbs the rest of the way).

Btw, when i installed my heatsink, i used the blob method as shown on Arctic Silver's website, although to get the clip down on to the retention frame i had to tilt the heatsink after it had already touched the grease to get the clip in place, but once i got it on there it is no longer tilted of course, and as far as i can tell firmly and evenly seated on the cpu. I did this once when i first got it, saw the alarming temperatures, and redid it a few days later. Not sure if this could have caused air bubbles...and if it did im not sure it can make THIS big of a difference.


I am at a complete loss as to why my temps are so ridiculous for this processor, especially since i am not running on the stock heatsink(i hit 80* with a stress test on that thing, had to shut it off after like a minute or 2, may have kept climbing...didnt want to find out) Any help would be GREATLY appreciated, i have tried everything i can think of and looked everywhere, and this is getting to be more of a hassle than its worth.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Verge]

You say you are not overvolted, but you are not overclocked are you?

You can normally just about grip something at 60C without severe pain, so if we assume that your heatsink is below 60C and we also assume, short of better info, that the temp readings are correct (not always true, but...) then there is a big difference in temperature between you CPU and your heatsink. The most obvious explanation for that would be that something isn't flat, either the cpu surface or the heatsink (but its your second heatsink...).

Another possibility would be if you had applied the paste badly, you say that you followed the method on the arctic silver website, so that shouldn't have happened. If you do take the hs/cpu assembly apart, do have a look at the traces of paste left to see whether it had been applied evenly. Of course, it is a bit irritating if you did take it to bits and it had been good before you pulled it apart.

At times like this, an optical pyrometer is a good thing, and not really that expensive either. Maybe you know someone with one that you can borrow.

 

[cbruffin]

You say you are not overvolted, but you are not overclocked are you?

You can normally just about grip something at 60C without severe pain, so if we assume that your heatsink is below 60C and we also assume, short of better info, that the temp readings are correct (not always true, but...) then there is a big difference in temperature between you CPU and your heatsink. The most obvious explanation for that would be that something isn't flat, either the cpu surface or the heatsink (but its your second heatsink...).

Another possibility would be if you had applied the paste badly, you say that you followed the method on the arctic silver website, so that shouldn't have happened. If you do take the hs/cpu assembly apart, do have a look at the traces of paste left to see whether it had been applied evenly. Of course, it is a bit irritating if you did take it to bits and it had been good before you pulled it apart.

At times like this, an optical pyrometer is a good thing, and not really that expensive either. Maybe you know someone with one that you can borrow.

Im running stock on it, no OC. I cant make the voltage go lower to see if that helps without a bios hack or a workaround. I applied with the blob method but i am going to reapply AGAIN but this time using a razor blade to spread it.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Since you mentioned getting a new case fan for the front of the case, what pc case do you have? How is the ventilation and airflow? What is the ambient air temperature in the room where the pc is located?

I have the same cpu and I do not overclock it either. My idle temperature is rarely more than 1 or 2 degrees Centigrade above ambient room temperature. At full load during a torture test the temperature is about 13 to 15 degrees Centigrade above ambient room temperature.

 

[cbruffin]

Since you mentioned getting a new case fan for the front of the case, what pc case do you have? How is the ventilation and airflow? What is the ambient air temperature in the room where the pc is located?

I have the same cpu and I do not overclock it either. My idle temperature is rarely more than 1 or 2 degrees Centigrade above ambient room temperature. At full load during a torture test the temperature is about 13 to 15 degrees Centigrade above ambient room temperature.

I have the nzxt trinity. Ambient room temperature is about 24*C. Airflow could be better, which is why i ordered the new fan, but even if i set up a huge house fan next to it(it can blow itself over on highest setting), my temperatures are still to high. With the house fan set up, I idle at 40*C AT BEST if i get my room temp down to like 20-21*C, and i get to like 66-68*C on a torture test. After reapplying the arctic silver with the razor method, my temps are now worse than before......i know idle a few degrees higher(50 at best, had it in mid to upper 40s*C with the old application...without the house fan, though) and under load, i got to 80*C on a torture test after about 2 minutes, where i shut it off. i used to be able to stay at 74-75*C constant on the same torture test. maybe it needs more break in time since i ran the test RIGHT after application, or maybe i put slightly too much silver on.(i am not putting that much on ever..its not seeping out the sides)

Currently i have an intake on the side, blowing straight at the cpu, and an outtake on the rear. there is also an intake INSIDE the case on the power supply, which has an outtake on the rear of it as well.

I dont know what the problem is, or what to do. There are a few scratches in the corner of the heatsink(the plate that makes contact with the processor) but they are small, just in the corner, and i dont think they could make it do what its doing now.

Please help if you can! im driving myself crazy with this...motherboard sensors could be broken? Not sure. I have done like 3 or 4 different applications of the thermal grease in the past few days with no real luck. Every time i clean properly with isopryl alcohol and a coffee filter. If there is a workaround to lower my core voltage of my processor, i'll be glad to do it, but my motherboard wont let me set it below 1.375

 

[dragonsprayer]

stress tests are not real life they are stress tests

its amazing THG - please do a sticky on these issues - thest same temp questions 3 times a week with the same answer

yes the temps are fine

get a better cooler and it run cooler

and stress testing is not real life - the only ones under stress is the user! your system will run 75c but i can cause instablity above 70c

then again its a stress test not a real program!

 

[dragonsprayer]

blob method is derived from pentium4 days with round heats sinks and single cores

do the hybrid method - its best for all coolers the worst case is have too much and it will flow out. 1c higher from too much is better 10c higher from too little

1) trowl the big bb blob evenly around the entire cpu and flat and smooth

2) put a second blog in the center and spread it slighly in round shaped size of penny

the second blob is for dished, curved and crappy heat sinks


Attic cooling is in the stone ages - collecting cash - but the product is good as far as long term and for shipping is stays pliable and does not de-laminate like the new fancy TC

 

[cbruffin]

stress tests are not real life they are stress tests

its amazing THG - please do a sticky on these issues - thest same temp questions 3 times a week with the same answer

yes the temps are fine

get a better cooler and it run cooler

and stress testing is not real life - the only ones under stress is the user! your system will run 75c but i can cause instablity above 70c

then again its a stress test not a real program!

Just running world of warcraft, i run constantly at like 68*C in low populated, deserted areas. Haven't tried out the intense ones yet. If i ignore my temperatures and i stay with loads in the 70s, what kind of processor life can i expect out of this thing? i do not experience stability issues, i do not overclock. i want this processor to last me at least 2 or 3 years until i buy a better motherboard that can handle a better processor.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

dragonspayer - You are correct. Stress tests are defintely not real life. It's particularly true in my own set of circumstances. I do not not have any programs that I routinely use that put any kind of significant load on my system. I can't even logically justify upgrading from a dual core to a quad core system.

What alternative would you suggest?

 

[TheMeanestGuest]

That kind of sucks. I guess I'm kind of lucky, since I run my x2 5200 at 3.2 ghz with stock cooling and the thermal paste that came with the thing. Supposedly it gets to about 50-55 C under heavy load for a couple hours, although I'm not sure I believe that.

Maybe it's because the room temperature is about 8 c. I dunno. It's stable so I guess I have no complaints.

 

[Buga5]

Helo I have the same problem there cbruffin with my amd 6000+.
I have enough of this shity overheating.
First my 6000+ max temp was 61° and my motherboard was overheating.
Now that i have installed a new motherboard M2N-e my cpu is overheating grrrr.
When i turn on my comp and go to bios it says 60° temp of the cpu.And when i start to play left for dead it goes up to 75 in 2 min and still rising.
I didnt wait to come to more then 80° couse then i start smelling something burning.
My normal idle temp right now it 60° and i know this is not normal.
Which method for thermal paste should i use?

 

[hipsterical]

hello, my athlon 64 x2 6000+ (brisbane) lately was overheating like hell up to occasional 76 C° yesterday when under stress like encoding a video. it also was giving stability issues so i had to keep it locked at 1 ghz. i removed the stock cpu fan and found a blanket of dust , the responsible of my overheating problems. i also added a chassis fan making use of the unused board connector . now the temperature is in the range of 11 - 23 C° idling 😱 and under heavy stress (heavy video encoding + google earth plane simulator + a VM running solaris ) never got over 55 C° , staying in the 35-55 C° range.
so i'd like to advice everyone, keep it clean or it's gonna fry some day.

 

[Alron_57]

Folks, Check your video cards because when they overheat so goes the systems. I had systems shutting down due to cpu overheating and repaired this by putting an extra fan in the case plus put all the fans including the video card in manual (You can get this program from MFR website) then set them for 100% all the time. The three systems in question now all run at 39 degrees C fully stressed.

 

[playerkhan]

I have tried just about everything i can think of, but i am at a loss for why my processor is getting so hot. I have the brisbane 3.1GHz x2 6000, with my side panel on my computer(has intake fan), i idle 48-51*C. Just a minute or so of any kind of stress test puts me in the 73-75*C range. I am using a Zalman 9500a heatsink with arctic silver thermal grease, and an Abit AN52 motherboard. If i take my side panel off and set up a big huge house fan next to it, i can idle at about 39-41*C, but under load i run at about 66*C with the same stress test(it does stay at that temperature, though..ran for 30 minutes). I use Abit EQ, Speedfan, Everest, and Sandra to monitor temps(a bunch to check for accuracy). All report about the same.

I did order a 120mm intake fan for the front of the case, and i know that will help but it wont be enough(certainly no house fan that can blow itself over on max settings if its not propped up). AMD Power Monitor shows each core at 1.375 volts, and my bios wont let me set it lower unless there is a hack or workaround...i have latest bios version. The thing is, im not sure if i have poor heatsink contact, or my temperature sensors are broken, because even under stress test with my processor at 70*C according to my software, i can hold my finger on the heatsink without getting burned at all. No pain or discomfort whatsoever, although it is warm.

Temps are jumpy, not sure if this is usual, but if i start stress testing, i can go from 49*C to 67*C in 15 seconds(jumps like 10-12*C almost instantly, climbs the rest of the way).

Btw, when i installed my heatsink, i used the blob method as shown on Arctic Silver's website, although to get the clip down on to the retention frame i had to tilt the heatsink after it had already touched the grease to get the clip in place, but once i got it on there it is no longer tilted of course, and as far as i can tell firmly and evenly seated on the cpu. I did this once when i first got it, saw the alarming temperatures, and redid it a few days later. Not sure if this could have caused air bubbles...and if it did im not sure it can make THIS big of a difference.


I am at a complete loss as to why my temps are so ridiculous for this processor, especially since i am not running on the stock heatsink(i hit 80* with a stress test on that thing, had to shut it off after like a minute or 2, may have kept climbing...didnt want to find out) Any help would be GREATLY appreciated, i have tried everything i can think of and looked everywhere, and this is getting to be more of a hassle than its worth.

Thanks,
Chris

Hello cris
I was alson in the same boat as you are....

I have the very same processor which is the Athlon 64 X2 6000+ running at 3.1Ghz.......

Atlhough sometime before i was having the XFX Geforce 9500GT card and i played almost all the games without any glitches and irks ... games like COD: Modern Warfare,2 RE:5 just to name a few

Ok now recently i purchased an ATI based HD 5570 card from Sapphire.. so when i was installing it i thought that to clean the cpu as well so removed the stock cooler found a "cotton rabbits" full of dust in my cooler and also removed the stock thermal paste which was 3 years old...

But at that time i was not hacing any thermal paste so i installed the cooler w/o applying any paste

So here goes the results

While playing Call of Duty: Black Ops...... the CPU temperature shoots to over 100 deg C! and not to mentioning i was experiencing major irks kirks and lags in the game and a bit more i play then the infamous blue screen appears and kapoot! system restart

Ok while playing James Bond: Blood Stone same story the CPU temperature start from increasing from 50 then 60 then 80 and then woo 100+ then same drill is applied either the blue screen appears or the game crashes... simple enough

Same story with Crysis

One more thing i aint doing any sort of overclocking if you are thinking that might be the cause neither i increased the CPU core voltages...

Then I bought the thermal paste from Cooler Master... the cheapest one ofcourse as i was in doubt that whether this can rectify the problem or not

And yes victory now under maximum load like CPU load is 80%+ the temp is max 65 deg C

So i can say that the Thermal paste or grease can create wonders... so try it out

Note: I applied the paste in the following ways
-- Remove the cooler
-- Then apply a small drop in the center of the CPU and let the CPU be seated in the motherboard itself no need to take it out and then apply....
-- After you have applied a small drop in the center of the CPU then just place the cooler lock it and you are good to go

If you are applying your brain and start thinking that whether that small drop of the paste is well spread all over the CPU or not then just be assured mate it gets spread evenly and is by far the most efficient way to apply the paste/grease.....

If still you want to check it out, simply remove the cooler and see it for yourself...

In case still the thermal paste is not able to do its magic then i think you should invest in a good quality cooler and also in the thermal paste as well...

Remember quality does matter...

For eg: if i would have invested in a quality thermal paste then i could have bought down the temperatues much below 65 deg C under full load...

Hope this helps you
Regards

 

[On3bOy]

Hey Chris, it worked? Please let me know 'cause i have the same problem. Respect !