Another my cpu is running hot post

[thedarkpoet]

I admit I am a noob, though one that is learning. I did a search and read some posts that gave me some useful insight. I now think that I need to remove, clean, and re-apply the goo on the processor. please correct me if I am wrong on that. I had to initially remove everything because the first mobo I got was DOA, seemed like there was enough paste left on the cpu so when I got a working mobo I just put the fan back in. My question is what SHOULD my heat levels be in my PC? previous to this computer I had a best buy special that I could care less if it blew up, now that I have a decent comp I care. Using the NVIDIA monitorview that came with the pc I am seeing the following:

Idle:
CPU 63c System 32c and the GPU is at 51c

With an MMO on max settings loaded:
CPU 87c System 36c and I don't recall what the GPU was at.

My computer has the following specs (no overclocking done on it):

NVidia 680i motherboard
Intel Core 2 x6800 2.93 ghz processor
2 gig corsair ram
Nvidia 8800 GTX
750 watt psu
10k rpm 150 gig hard drive.
The heatsink is the intel one that came with the processor

Once I fire up the MMO the fan goes full speed and things heat up. By some of the other posts sounds like many other technologies where stock parts = the suck. If that is the case could someone suggest a high end heatsink (trying to avoid liquid cooled until I OC a year or two down the road). Thanks ahead for any help you can give me.

 

[SaevusMalus]

I am not really the best computer builder in the world, something I too am working on, however, your chip sounds quite hot. I had a 6600 (the 2.4 chip) running at 56c on the stock fan, removed that and put a zalman 9700 on there and it ran much cooler, my advice, from what I have learned with HSFs as of late, get some artic silver 5 and follow the directions for applying it and it should drop your temp (I also advocate an aftermarket HSF, I couldn't stand the stock one), I don't have that processor (I am going to oc my 2.4 to 3.0 to make up the $600) but something running in the high 30s to mid 40s (my computer runs at 50c after heavy gaming) is certainly achievable with air cooling, some guys around here are posting much cooler specs.

Cheers.

 

[Clob]

I admit I am a noob, though one that is learning. I did a search and read some posts that gave me some useful insight. I now think that I need to remove, clean, and re-apply the goo on the processor. please correct me if I am wrong on that. I had to initially remove everything because the first mobo I got was DOA, seemed like there was enough paste left on the cpu so when I got a working mobo I just put the fan back in. My question is what SHOULD my heat levels be in my PC? previous to this computer I had a best buy special that I could care less if it blew up, now that I have a decent comp I care. Using the NVIDIA monitorview that came with the pc I am seeing the following:

Idle:
CPU 63c System 32c and the GPU is at 51c

With an MMO on max settings loaded:
CPU 87c System 36c and I don't recall what the GPU was at.

My computer has the following specs (no overclocking done on it):

NVidia 680i motherboard
Intel Core 2 x6800 2.93 ghz processor
2 gig corsair ram
Nvidia 8800 GTX
750 watt psu
10k rpm 150 gig hard drive.
The heatsink is the intel one that came with the processor

Once I fire up the MMO the fan goes full speed and things heat up. By some of the other posts sounds like many other technologies where stock parts = the suck. If that is the case could someone suggest a high end heatsink (trying to avoid liquid cooled until I OC a year or two down the road). Thanks ahead for any help you can give me.

Get you some Artic Silver. Clean the old junk off with 90% alcohol. Place the new Artic Silver on the CPU with a very think layer. I don't suggest you
run your machine until you have the cooling working properly. At least I wouldn't risk a $1k chip.

Are those temp readings with TAT or the motherboard software? Give us a TAT reading after you get the fresh past on there. That sounds hot for TAT too.

 

[thedarkpoet]

Currently I have some OCZ for the thermal paste is it any good? As far as cleaning it off what type of alcohol should I use, rubbing alcohol or a different kind? I used NVIDIA Monitor to get the heat levels, pardon my n00bness but I am unfamiliar with the term TAT

 

[thedarkpoet]

I did a quick check of the temp reading from the bios and it is only off 1c so numbers seem reliable. Since I have to re-goo it up I am probably going to get a new heatsink anyway so I don't have to ever worry about heat until I decide to OC it in the future. That said what is the target heat levels for a pc like mine idle and full load, or at the least the level where heat starts to degrade the chip (I take it I am above that so not using the comp until I get my heat issue squared.

 

[db101]

Idle:
CPU 63c System 32c and the GPU is at 51c

With an MMO on max settings loaded:
CPU 87c System 36c and I don't recall what the GPU was at.

87C is WAY too high for a Core2Duo chip under load! I'd be worried about burning up the chip with temps like that! Please take the heatsink back off and clean off the old stuff with 90% alcohol, and apply your OCZ thermal paste (it should work about as good as AS5). Also, the stock coolers for Core2Duo chips are just fine unless you are doing extreme overclocking. Seeing as you're still running at stock speeds, you really don't need another cooler - the fans won't work so hard once you get your thermal paste properly applied.

Place the new Artic Silver on the CPU with a very think layer.

Arctic Silver isn't necessary if you have that OCZ paste on hand, just be sure to use a thin layer, not thick. Just be sure to reapply something soon before you burn up that chip!

what is the target heat levels for a pc like mine idle and full load, or at the least the level where heat starts to degrade the chip (I take it I am above that so not using the comp until I get my heat issue squared.

Your chip shouldn't top out at more than 55C under load with the stock cooling - and it'll probably be lower than that.

 

[WheresDaPlacebo]

Okay - I had almost the exact same problem - similar temps and all, and I have now managed to fix it. Proper application of thermal paste will not make that huge of a difference. The reason that the CPU is running that hot is most likely because your heatsink/fan is not making proper (or any) thermal contact with your processor. Problem is that it's not always easy to tell just from looking at the processor.

Here are the steps that I recommend to fix your computer:

Remove the motherboard. I know it is a pain in the ass, sorry. When you remove it, look on the undersside. The stock intel HSF (heatsink/fan) combo is a pain in the ass to get right. There are four plastic shafts which connect to the mobo - on each of these shafts are two plastic pins and then a black plastic pin that goes into the middle of the two plastic pins to spread them out and keep the HSF in place. When you look on the underside of the mobo, the correct thing to be seeing would be four pairs of white plastic pins with a black plastic pin in the middle of them. If you're not seeing this (and my guess is that you won't), then that's the problem. If you have removed the HSF after you first put it on, and you have thermal paste, then you should remove the HSF, wipe off the old thermal paste (a paper towel worked fine for me - just gotta wipe it for a long time). Reapply a thin coating of thermal paste to the processor (not HSF) - less is better. I used a credit-card type thing to spread it. Once you've applied the thermal paste, put the HSF back on the processor and push in the pins. Push in the white pins first, then you'll need to turn the black pins (I can't remember if it's in the direction of the arrows or the opposite direction) and then push them in. This might take a bit of muscling - but not so much that you break it. Two things to look out for when you're doing this; the first is that you don't mess up the white pins and try to push them into the mobo where there aren't holes, or you'll bend the pins outwards. If this has happened then you can try to push them back into the proper position by removing the HSF and pushing them together with your fingers. The other thing to watch out for is that you're not trying to push in the white pins with the black pin already inserted between them. It won't go through the hole and you'll probably end up bending the pins in the wrong direction. I did shafts that were diagonally across from each other first to keep the processor inline. Once you've got it in you can look on the underside of your mobo again to make sure that it is in properly. Remount the mobo and reconnect anything and my guess is that your processor should be running at a nice chilly 30 or 40 C.

Hope this helps!