[SOLVED] CPU over voltage error

[Clefty]

I have a new computer I put together that had no problems setting up, however the CPU cooler wouldn't properly sit on the CPU causing it to overheat, so I went to buy some rubber washers to use as spacers on the back CPU bracket, and after doing that I was able to sit the cooler properly and get good temps. In the process I reapplied thermal paste but put a little too much causing some to leak over the edges, so I cleaned that up with q-tips but now when I start up the comp it says that there is a CPU over voltage error, I've looked around for a bit and even tried to reset the CMOS but it still says the same thing and in the BIOS it states that the CPU is at either 0.016V or 4.056V as well as the motherboard temp showing as -60C. The other voltage sensors show 4.064V for +3.3V, 10.241V for +5V, and 24.439V for 12V. Aside from the voltage and motherboard temps everything else looks normal. I have also gone in the settings and set the voltages and motherboard temp to be ignored but I still get sent to the BIOS on startup. At this point I'm not sure if I messed something up and might have to replace parts.

TUF Gaming B550-PLUS (WI-FI) BIOS Ver.0307
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core Processor
2 G-Skill 8192 MB 2133 MHz
Corsair CX550M
Cooler is a Kraken x31

 

[CountMike]

I have a new computer I put together that had no problems setting up, however the CPU cooler wouldn't properly sit on the CPU causing it to overheat, so I went to buy some rubber washers to use as spacers on the back CPU bracket, and after doing that I was able to sit the cooler properly and get good temps. In the process I reapplied thermal paste but put a little too much causing some to leak over the edges, so I cleaned that up with q-tips but now when I start up the comp it says that there is a CPU over voltage error, I've looked around for a bit and even tried to reset the CMOS but it still says the same thing and in the BIOS it states that the CPU is at either 0.016V or 4.056V as well as the motherboard temp showing as -60C. The other voltage sensors show 4.064V for +3.3V, 10.241V for +5V, and 24.439V for 12V. Aside from the voltage and motherboard temps everything else looks normal. I have also gone in the settings and set the voltages and motherboard temp to be ignored but I still get sent to the BIOS on startup. At this point I'm not sure if I messed something up and might have to replace parts.

TUF Gaming B550-PLUS (WI-FI) BIOS Ver.0307
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core Processor
2 G-Skill 8192 MB 2133 MHz
Corsair CX550M
Cooler is a Kraken x31

Could it be that there's some paste that leaked into CPU socket ? I would redo that first. Most of those sensors are actually in the CPU itself.

 

[Clefty]

I tried cleaning the CPU some more and noticed that there was some thermal paste on some capacitors near the CPU, I cleaned that up as well but would still get over voltage errors. However they would start at about half the voltage valued mentioned earlier and then rise back up to those values I mentioned over time. I also took the CPU from another computer and tested it in the new one and it would show over voltage issues as well, but normal values when placed back in the older computer. So if there is an issue it is inside the pin holes for the CPU on the motherboard but I'm not sure how I would go about trying to clean those out.

 

[drea.drechsler]

... So if there is an issue it is inside the pin holes for the CPU on the motherboard but I'm not sure how I would go about trying to clean those out.

https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05103-El...=crc+electronic+cleaner&qid=1611708980&sr=8-2

Hold the motherboard vertically and spray directly into the socket pin holes to clean and keep spraying continuously till it's washing off the board...use a whole can of it and maybe even a second. It's not harmful unless you wash something that's 'bad' into a tight spot and leave it there. Wash it like you clean mud off the driveway with a hose: push it all the way to the edge with the pressure of the spray. Hopefully whatever paste you used isn't the bad type. Three cans of continuous washing might be wise if there's a lot of paste in the pins, and just in case.

No matter how clean you think you got it the area around the capacitors might still have contamination so don't leave it out.

It's wise to use a full-face shield while doing this. It may get 'messy'. Use with plenty of ventilation...and follow can instructions for drying.

 

[Clefty]

I used Arctic MX-4 thermal paste. Hopefully that's not the bad type.

 

[Karadjgne]

No. MX-4 is a very decent paste. No worries about that. My concern is the need for rubber washers to hold the pump head. I've never seen that with the kraken series, only on a few certain very low end older mobo's and Corsair pumps.

As far as voltage goes, grab a multimeter. Turn it to DC voltage (that's the — with - - - below). Stick the black lead on any good bare ground spot on the frame/psu, and with the red lead on the 20+4pin mains start touching the colored pins. (black is ground, if you get voltage there, you have an issue for sure)


You should be reading those numbers ±, not 24v etc.

If you read those numbers, I'd be inclined to believe the mobo is reading voltages incorrectly. I'm doubting it's the cpu since the voltages do not add per pin (parallel circuit), the amperage adds.

If the voltages are not what should be, it's the psu outputs most likely.

My old Seasonic would read 10v, 5v+, 5v-, 3.3v in bios. Software would also read either 8v or 10v, and certain temps as +255°C or -125°C. Fortunately, neither of those was the cpu. Both being physically impossible as well as 8v/10v being impossible for a pc to actually run.

At 24v input to the cpu, it'd fry in minutes, if the VRM's didn't go up in smoke first.

 

[drea.drechsler]

I used Arctic MX-4 thermal paste. Hopefully that's not the bad type.

I agree, MX-4 isn't a bad paste. Normally excess won't cause any problems but even good paste can in the wrong place, like bridging the terminals of an SMT chip capacitor in a 300Khz buck regulator circuit and effectively shifting it's value. Since you're having these strange and illogical problems, it's definitely called for to thoroughly and completely clean the stuff out as best you can.

 

[Karadjgne]

That paste is not electrically conductive, realistically it's an electrical insulatior, providing a non-conductive barrier. So if it gets into the socket, the worst it's going to do is coat the pins fully and prevent good electrical contact. That'll lead to all sorts of no voltage errors, no power to cpu errors, ram errors, blue screens galore.

But you won't get a bios that reads 24v, 10+v etc for the 12v and 5v rails. Not that I've ever seen.