Question CPU Cooling Issue (CPU heat throttling)

[LordHenryVonHenry]

After a windows update this morning, seemingly out of nowhere my computer started running slowly with no clear reason.
After seeing nothing was running and doing some antivirus scans to be sure I noticed that the CPU clock speed was staying between 0.3GHz and 1.1GHz.
I opened a game to check and when under load the clock speed remained this low and the game unsurprisingly ran at a crawl.
On a hunch I installed GPU Z to see the cpu temperature which according to the sensor at least was holding at 90 degrees C.

My presumption is therefore the heat pump on my CPU has died.
The only alternative that I can see would be something is using the CPU and pretending it isn't, but this seems unlikely given the radiator and case in general was cool with the sole exception of the CPU.

TL DR heat pump on cpu is dead I think what do I do about it?

Relevant specs are:

Intel Core i7 3970X 6-cored Processor 3.5GHz (Overclocked to up to 4.5GHz)

Corsair Hydro Series H100i Extreme Performance Liquid CPU Cooler

ASUS Sabertooth X79 Motherboard

 

[Phaaze88]

You replace it; those hybrid coolers aren't invulnerable. They will fail sooner or later.

Hopefully you have a backup cooler on hand?

 

[LordHenryVonHenry]

You replace it; those hybrid coolers aren't invulnerable. They will fail sooner or later.

Hopefully you have a backup cooler on hand?

I unfortunately have no spare parts except storage these days...
Is there any easy way to confirm it is indeed the cooler that has failed and not a connector for it or something?
I unfortunately don't have much experience with pc cooling.

 

[LordHenryVonHenry]

Slight update:
Both the fans on the radiator and the light on the CPU part of the cooler are functional.
CPU temp still 89-91 though and after turning on CPU slowly throttles to keep it down.

Got a few hours to confirm it's definitely a dead CPU cooler if I want to get one amazon same day lol

 

[dorsai]

Slight update:
Both the fans on the radiator and the light on the CPU part of the cooler are functional.
CPU temp still 89-91 though and after turning on CPU slowly throttles to keep it down.

Got a few hours to confirm it's definitely a dead CPU cooler if I want to get one amazon same day lol

One of the reasons I prefer tower coolers like the NH-D15 over AIO coolers.

 

[Phaaze88]

1)Tried plugging the pump power connector into different headers on the mobo.

2)Corsair iCUE tells you the pump is running 'normally', but if you physically check the loop - feel around with your hands - there is a noticeable difference in how the loop feels.
A normal loop will be slightly noticeable, or not at all, as you feel around the cpu block, the tubing, and radiator.

 

[LordHenryVonHenry]

1)Tried plugging the pump power connector into different headers on the mobo.

2)Corsair iCUE tells you the pump is running 'normally', but if you physically check the loop - feel around with your hands - there is a noticeable difference in how the loop feels.
A normal loop will be slightly noticeable, or not at all, as you feel around the cpu block, the tubing, and radiator.

As soon as turned on cpu temp reads as 90 immediately (as quickly as I can open GPU z anyway)
the radiator is cold. One pipe is warm to the touch right next to the CPU, the rest of that pipe and the other pipe are entirely cold.
CPU is definitely running faster now but that is probably just because it had time to cool off fully I guess?

Unfortunately all of the cables for it go out into a coated bundle and then back again before they connect to the motherboard so there is no real way to see which cable is which...

 

[Phaaze88]

the radiator is cold. One pipe is warm to the touch right next to the CPU, the rest of that pipe and the other pipe are entirely cold.

That isn't right. There's a disturbance in the flow.
How do you have it mounted in the chassis: front? top?

If it was in the front: Remove just the radiator, gently shake it around, and mount it in the top - if possible.
Check thermals again.

I reckon you've had it for a few years at least? That's a typical amount of time before they start giving users trouble.

 

[LordHenryVonHenry]

That isn't right. There's a disturbance in the flow.
How do you have it mounted in the chassis: front? top?

If it was in the front: Remove just the radiator, gently shake it around, and mount it in the top - if possible.
Check thermals again.

I reckon you've had it for a few years at least? That's a typical amount of time before they start giving users trouble.

The radiator is top mounted, the motherboard and hence CPU is side mounted.

Yeah the whole computer is 8 years old so yeah a tad more than a few years lol.
SSD gave out a month or so ago, dread to think what is next lol.

I could try disconnecting the radiator from the case and shaking it around but I don't think there is much slack at all on any of the cables connected to it, and due to the tightly ziptied nature of all of the case cables, getting more slack probably isn't doable.

 

[Phaaze88]

I could try disconnecting the radiator from the case and shaking it around but I don't think there is much slack at all on any of the cables connected to it, and due to the tightly ziptied nature of all of the case cables, getting more slack probably isn't doable.

Yeah, not much point in trying that if it was already top mounted.


I take it that you've already tried remounting and reapplying thermal paste?
Cleaned the cooler and PC?

I don't have much faith that this cooler can be salvaged at this point, save for the fans.

 

[LordHenryVonHenry]

Yeah, not much point in trying that if it was already top mounted.


I take it that you've already tried remounting and reapplying thermal paste?
Cleaned the cooler and PC?

I don't have much faith that this cooler can be salvaged at this point, save for the fans.

I don't have any thermal paste so I was hoping to avoid remounting it without guaranteeing it's the problem... but yeah I think ordering some thermal paste and remounting it is probably the easiest and cheapest next step.

 

[Phaaze88]

I don't have any thermal paste so I was hoping to avoid remounting it without guaranteeing it's the problem... but yeah I think ordering some thermal paste and remounting it is probably the easiest and cheapest next step.

When's the last time you remounted and reapplied paste? A good paste should last a few years before you have to touch it again.

 

[LordHenryVonHenry]

When's the last time you remounted and reapplied paste? A good paste should last a few years before you have to touch it again.

Never touched it in the 8 years I've had the computer.
Well at least I know that for future reference.

Looking at the price of a similar CPU cooler and predicting this won't be the last of my problems I'm half tempted to start looking at new computers honestly.

 

[Phaaze88]

So a repaste is definitely worth a shot.

Looking at the price of a similar CPU cooler and predicting this won't be the last of my problems I'm half tempted to start looking at new computers honestly.

Right now is a bad time for most things DIY...

 

[LordHenryVonHenry]

So a repaste is definitely worth a shot.


Right now is a bad time for most things DIY...

Yeah I'm well aware, I might try contacting the original seller and seeing if they will either offer an out of warranty repair or an upgrade in a reasonable time frame. Worth a try.
Given it was a relatively costly at the time PC from Chillblast they might offer something dunno.