CPU Runs Hot

[pnut10]

I am fairly familiar with safe ranges of cpu temps and I know that my CPU (Intel i7 3770) is running EXTREMELY hot, even at idle. While just sitting around and not under any load the cpu reaches temps of around 45 degrees celsius. I am not doing any sort of overclocking to any of my components in my pc, so I have no idea what is generating so much heat. What interests me, however, is that I recently swapped cases from an Apevia X-Qpack to an NZXT Source 210, and the CPU ran cooler in the old case even though it had...
a) Horrible cable management, so bad airflow.
b) Only ONE Chassis fan, as opposed to my new case's TWO.
c) Less room for the components to breathe

Any answers would be greatly appreciated. I have looked at getting more case fans or a better cooler, but I don't have any money at the moment (no job, as I am too young).

-SneakyPancake17

 

[Darkbreeze]

It might help to know your CPU cooler model and case fan configuration as well as whether or not you repasted the cpu when you did the case swap.

 

[Karadjgne]

Has the temps been getting higher since the move? Or got higher right after the move?

 

[IInuyasha74]

Think about where the PC is, the size of the case, the time of year, etc. Assuming you are in the U.S. or another country of similar elevation, then right now it is summer. If you have the system inside of room with poor AC that gets warm, inside of a small case, without good ventilation, and the stock Intel CPU cooler then hitting about 45C at idle isn't so surprising.

I have a similar CPU, i7-3770K. Right now, its night time, I live in Ohio, so it is rather cool. My CPU is jumping between 2-5 percent load, and the temp is at 40C, even though I have a large PC case, several case fans, and a large dual-fan CPU cooler.

Long story short, it isn't so surprising. Now if you are wondering why it might be a little warmer than normal, if you are using the stock cooler like I mentioned before, you could probably use a new coating of thermal paste, because over time it can harden and become less effective. Either that or a cheap better fan, but really I don't think you have much to worry about.

 

[pnut10]

It might help to know your CPU cooler model and case fan configuration as well as whether or not you repasted the cpu when you did the case swap.

As of now I am running the stock cooler. I know it's not ideal, but at the time of building my PC, I didn't see an aftermarket CPU cooler as necessary as the components I have shouldn't generate loads of heat. As for my fan configurations, I have tinkered with that a little. I found the best configuration was having an intake on the front and rear (both 120mm I believe) and for outtake I found an expansion slot fan. This configuration got my CPU running 1-2 degrees cooler. When I swapped cases, the CPU cooler and RAM were never removed, so I don't think that is the issue, however I could try re-applying thermal paste on the CPU (I believe it's Arctic Silver).

 

[IInuyasha74]

It might help to know your CPU cooler model and case fan configuration as well as whether or not you repasted the cpu when you did the case swap.

As of now I am running the stock cooler. I know it's not ideal, but at the time of building my PC, I didn't see an aftermarket CPU cooler as necessary as the components I have shouldn't generate loads of heat. As for my fan configurations, I have tinkered with that a little. I found the best configuration was having an intake on the front and rear (both 120mm I believe) and for outtake I found an expansion slot fan. This configuration got my CPU running 1-2 degrees cooler. When I swapped cases, the CPU cooler and RAM were never removed, so I don't think that is the issue, however I could try re-applying thermal paste on the CPU (I believe it's Arctic Silver).

That is what I would advise. Switch the thermal paste. Arctic Silver is pretty good. Really for Ivy Bridge (the i7-3xxx CPUs), the stock cooler does alright. It isn't enough for overclocking, but it should keep the system cool enough. If it doesn't pass 85C at load, I'd say you are fine, that is the test you should probably do.

 

[Darkbreeze]

At least part, if not all, of your problem is your fan configuration. Rear fans should NEVER be intake. Front, side and bottom mounted fans should always be intake, rear and top fans should ALWAYS be exhaust. The only time that should be altered is if you're using liquid cooling or have a case with the PSU mounted in the top.

Moving of the board could have also loosened the mounting bolts for your CPU cooler. I'd double check that the cooler is still secure and fully fastened to the backplate. If the cooler has been on there for quite some time, a repaste is probably not a bad idea either. Make sure the CPU cooler heatsink isn't full of dust and junk, and might as well blow out the PSU and the rest of the case components while you're at it. IF you're in a region where you have a high ambient temperature, a single intake and a single exhaust may not be enough. An expansion slot fan is ABSOLUTELY not enough. NO amount of cool air brought into the case does any good if the heat can't be exchanged OUT of the case at a high enough rate. This leaves the CPU cooler nothing but hot air to try and cool with, which as you can imagine doesn't work well.

Change the rear fan to exhaust. Get rid of the expansion slot fan which is probably generating more heat than it's removing, and it would probably not be a bad idea to add another exhaust fan to the top of the case if your case has mounting locations there. If not, perhaps adding a second intake fan to the front or side is an additional step you should take. The source 210 has plenty of fan locations, and if your motherboard doesn't have the necessary fan headers for more fans, you can get a 3 or 4 pin fan cable splitter.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Switch the thermal paste. Arctic Silver is pretty good. Really for Ivy Bridge (the i7-3xxx CPUs), the stock cooler does alright. It isn't enough for overclocking, but it should keep the system cool enough. If it doesn't pass 85C at load, I'd say you are fine, that is the test you should probably do.

He said he's using Arctic Silver already. Maybe you should actually read the post before replying. It's helpful.

 

[IInuyasha74]

Switch the thermal paste. Arctic Silver is pretty good. Really for Ivy Bridge (the i7-3xxx CPUs), the stock cooler does alright. It isn't enough for overclocking, but it should keep the system cool enough. If it doesn't pass 85C at load, I'd say you are fine, that is the test you should probably do.

He said he's using Arctic Silver already. Maybe you should actually read the post before replying. It's helpful.

First, I did read his post. You don't need to be rude. Second, if he is using Ivy Bridge, the system is probably a couple of years old now. Arctic silver isn't immune to aging any less than other TIMs, and we don't know if the original application of arctic silver used too much or too little etc. and could also be contributing to his issue.

 

[Karadjgne]

The reason I ask about time of temps is quite understandable. The NZXT Source 210 does not include filters for either bottom or front intakes. This being so, it's entirely possible, since it's never been mentioned, that the cpu cooler is, in fact, just plain covered in dirt/debris which is a common cause of raised cpu temps at both idle and load.

Also, having no realistic exhaust, all the hot air generated by cpu/gpu is being recycled, vastly lowering both coolers ability to dissipate heat. Makes for increased temps.

That's 2 strikes for temps, play anything heavy cpu or gpu related, and that'll be strike 3, thermal shutdown.

The only reason you saw 1-2°C difference is because you had just removed the case side to swap the fan orientation, releasing any warm air already in the case, had a spray of cool air blowing across the cpu and had not punished the cpu/gpu for any length of time to sufficiently start heating the case air. Instant results mean nothing, timed tests do, as in at least 1/2 hr or better with prime95 v26.6 or a gpu test with msi kombuster or equivalent.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I wasn't being rude, and you clearly suggested that he "switch the paste", and then said Arctic Silver is good. That would demonstrate a belief that he was using something other than Arctic Silver, which he indicated already he was using. So either be a little clearer in what you post or do be surprised if somebody takes what you've said in a way you did not intend. That's all.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Actually, I did say

Make sure the CPU cooler heatsink isn't full of dust and junk, and might as well blow out the PSU and the rest of the case components while you're at it

Heh. No worries though, it never hurts to restate important questions like that.

 

[Karadjgne]

Personally I think AS5 is no better than glorified toothpaste. It most definitely has a cure time of a limited amount of hot runs before it hardens, becoming increasingly useless as it gets near that hardened state. Since stock coolers running cpus on stock voltages are more than often heated excessively, as compared to aftermarket coolers, this is going to shorten it's useful lifespan before needing repaste.

No mention has been made of exactly if the heatsink was removed, repasted. Or left intact during the move or (shudders) removed and replaced without repaste. That would certainly be info needed to make an informed guess as to cause without wasting time making guesses.

@OP. Specific info is clearly needed here as there are honestly so many variables that an accurate answer will be hard to obtain.

 

[IInuyasha74]

I wasn't being rude, and you clearly suggested that he "switch the paste", and then said Arctic Silver is good. That would demonstrate a belief that he was using something other than Arctic Silver, which he indicated already he was using. So either be a little clearer in what you post or do be surprised if somebody takes what you've said in a way you did not intend. That's all.

By "switch" I meant switch the old paste for new paste. It didn't say switch to something else. I went on to say Arctic silver was a good thermal paste because I wanted to re-affirm him that he was using a good thermal compound already. I don't know how much he knows about thermal paste but he might of just picked it up and not really known if it was good or not.

Really, any way which I would state that would sound the same. Unless you disagreed that he should attempt to re-apply the thermal paste there wasn't any reason to even comment on what I said.

 

[IInuyasha74]

Personally I think AS5 is no better than glorified toothpaste. It most definitely has a cure time of a limited amount of hot runs before it hardens, becoming increasingly useless as it gets near that hardened state. Since stock coolers running cpus on stock voltages are more than often heated excessively, as compared to aftermarket coolers, this is going to shorten it's useful lifespan before needing repaste.

No mention has been made of exactly if the heatsink was removed, repasted. Or left intact during the move or (shudders) removed and replaced without repaste. That would certainly be info needed to make an informed guess as to cause without wasting time making guesses.

@OP. Specific info is clearly needed here as there are honestly so many variables that an accurate answer will be hard to obtain.

Actually he mentioned the CPU cooler and RAM weren't removed when switching cases. It wasn't in his original post though so kinda easy to overlook. Though, I do wonder how old the system is. I don't see that mentioned anywhere yet so I think that it could be a bit aged.

 

[Karadjgne]

Ok, enough children. I can empathize with darkbreeze, I read it the same way, so I understand what he's saying about what was written. I can also empathize with ilnuyasha, as I personally write something believing it to be intended as it is in my head. But that is not always the case, as is here, ppl see things differently, so unless you make yourself absolutely clear, don't be surprised if someone reads something different.

It's only miscommunication, no biggie, so shake hands, get over it, and answer the OP

 

[Karadjgne]

Yep, missed that post, was typing. Typing with 2 good sized thumbs on this tiny phone kb, and constantly checking the assinine autocorrect can take a minute. My apologies.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Heh, you also missed where he said he never removed the CPU cooler or RAM. I'm most interested in whether or not there is crap in the CPU cooler heatsink fins or not. I'd say it almost either has to be that, or one of the clips on the heatsink came loose when it was being moved.

 

[Karadjgne]

It's a stock cooler. That means plastic pins. Chances of one popping loose if the mobo was flexed in any way are extremely good.

Having no filters, chances are also extremely good that the cpu is loaded down with dust, and this'll take less than a month to happen.

Btw, just to mention missing things, that's the post I was saying I missed, the one where ilnuyasha correctly pointed out that op had already stated the cooler was not removed...

Ooops, hah!

 

[pnut10]

Personally I think AS5 is no better than glorified toothpaste. It most definitely has a cure time of a limited amount of hot runs before it hardens, becoming increasingly useless as it gets near that hardened state. Since stock coolers running cpus on stock voltages are more than often heated excessively, as compared to aftermarket coolers, this is going to shorten it's useful lifespan before needing repaste.

No mention has been made of exactly if the heatsink was removed, repasted. Or left intact during the move or (shudders) removed and replaced without repaste. That would certainly be info needed to make an informed guess as to cause without wasting time making guesses.

@OP. Specific info is clearly needed here as there are honestly so many variables that an accurate answer will be hard to obtain.

Haha not quite as ignorant as to not put thermal paste back on!

 

[pnut10]

Thanks for all of the help listed here! After trying a various amount of your solutions I was able to get the CPU running back down to its before-move temperatures of around 37 degrees celsius at idle and around 65 - 75 degrees celsius at a full gaming load (Battlefield 4 on Ultra settings). I did the following things:
a) Ran a dehumidifier in my room overnight
b) Dusted the CPU cooler and sorrounding socket
c) re-applied thermal compund
d) Made sure the CPU cooler was secure

The CPU now runs perfectly fine!

 

[Karadjgne]

Yeay. Congrats. Regular cleaning and maintenance is important to normal operation of any pc, be it software or hardware. No different than getting the oil changed in a car at regular intervals. With AS5 I'd repaste once a year, and dust the case every other month and temps should be good for the life of your pc.

Cheers.

 

[Darkbreeze]

It's probably worth it, depending on where you live, to find and obtain a small air compressor, a 1 gallon pancake compressor would work fine, for the purpose of regularly blowing the case out. Cans of compressed air that you buy at hardware stores and home centers is ok too, but has a higher tendency to form water when blowing continuously. If you use canned air, be sure to use quick bursts rather than sustained ones so no moisture is formed on your compononents. If you get or use an air compressor, be sure to drain it after every use so it doesn't rust out inside and to remove moisture before the next use. Good luck.

 

[IInuyasha74]

It's probably worth it, depending on where you live, to find and obtain a small air compressor, a 1 gallon pancake compressor would work fine, for the purpose of regularly blowing the case out. Cans of compressed air that you buy at hardware stores and home centers is ok too, but has a higher tendency to form water when blowing continuously. If you use canned air, be sure to use quick bursts rather than sustained ones so no moisture is formed on your compononents. If you get or use an air compressor, be sure to drain it after every use so it doesn't rust out inside and to remove moisture before the next use. Good luck.

Yea, those air compressors can come in handy for other things too. you can get them fairly cheap for little ones anymore. Changing the AS5 once a year isn't a bad idea either.

Just a suggestion when it runs out, you could try Liquid Metal Pro. It isn't too expensive anymore, cools better than basically everything else on the market, and it doesn't age.
http://www.amazon.com/Coollaboratory-Liquid-Thermal-Interface-Material/dp/B001PE5XAC

It can be hard to remove from the CPU cooler, it will eat through aluminum in minutes, and a tiny spec of it on the motherboard will kill it, but it is worth buying next time you need to buy TIM.