Does CPU cooling degrade over time ?

[sergey_o]

I have an auxiliary computer at home which is not my main desktop PC, but which I use occasionally for small tasks.

The computer is 6 years old.

The CPU is i7-3770S with a stock cooler.

Few days ago I (almost accidentally) launched Intel Desktop Utility and it indicated that CPU temperature at idle state was about 58-61 Celsius.

I later confirmed it with HWInfo that displays the same value.

When I run moderate load (about 50% as indicated by Windows Task Manager), the temperature stays about the same, in the 60-65 range.
When CPU is loaded fully, it quickly goes towards 90, but I did not try to see how high it would creep up.

I used BIOS to adjust CPU fan speed to 100% but it does not have an effect on CPU idle temperature.

I vaguely recall that when the computer was just built 6 years ago, I ran integrity and stress tests and temperature did not look a concern, i.e. idle temperature was probably somewhere in 35-45 range back then (I do not recall exactly what it was, but somewhere in this range).

I am at a loss what could cause the change.

Could it be that the grease somehow degraded over time and does not conduct the heat to the cooler sink well any more?

 

[krzyimprt]

I have an auxiliary computer at home which is not my main desktop PC, but which I use occasionally for small tasks.

The computer is 6 years old.

The CPU is i7-3770S with a stock cooler.

Few days ago I (almost accidentally) launched Intel Desktop Utility and it indicated that CPU temperature at idle state was about 58-61 Celsius.

I later confirmed it with HWInfo that displays the same value.

When I run moderate load (about 50% as indicated by Windows Task Manager), the temperature stays about the same, in the 60-65 range.
When CPU is loaded fully, it quickly goes towards 90, but I did not try to see how high it would creep up.

I used BIOS to adjust CPU fan speed to 100% but it does not have an effect on CPU idle temperature.

I vaguely recall that when the computer was just built 6 years ago, I ran integrity and stress tests and temperature did not look a concern, i.e. idle temperature was probably somewhere in 35-45 range back then (I do not recall exactly what it was, but somewhere in this range).

I am at a loss what could cause the change.

Could it be that the grease somehow degraded over time and does not conduct the heat to the cooler sink well any more?

If you don't clean out your pc, temps will eventually rise due to dust. I'd take off the cooler, clean it and reapply fresh thermal paste.

 

[sergey_o]

There was no significant dust build-up inside.

I used air blower on the sink, but there was not much dust to blow off, and blowing did not affect the issue in any noticeable way.

I may also add that opening the case does not change the situation, i.e. it does not result from heat build-up inside the case.

 

[ElectrO_90]

The actual fan maybe failing, although still spinning, put your finger on the centre part and feel if it has any power to it. You should be able to stop it, but that would require firm push.
If the fan almost stops with a little touch, then I'd say the fan is on its way out.

Or simply - Buy a better Cooler for $10 ebay or something. Many generic fans people sell.

 

[mgallo848]

Either the paste is drying up (very possible after 6 years) or the heatsink came a little loose and is not sitting properly on the CPU.

Take the heatsink off, wipe off the CPU and heatsink with isopropyl alcohol and reapply new thermal paste.

 

[gingerrankin]

I agree with mgallo848. Be very careful when removing and replacing the cooler. Discharge your static electricity or use an antistatic wrist strap. And above all, after removing the cooler, do not try to start up the PC without the cooler being with new grease, properly seated and with the cpu fan cable plugged in.

 

[ElectrO_90]

To add with everyone talking about removing the cooler.
TWIST the cooler off, not pull
To discharge yourself, you should be able to touch anything metal, but in the UK I recommend touching the screw on the side of the sockets, because that is 100% earthed.

 

[sergey_o]

The outcome: to reduce the number of round-trips, I did both: replaced the cooler and the grease.

The outcome was that idle-state temperature went down from 50-something to 35C.

As a side note, I replaced stock cooler rev. 001 with rev. 003 which provides twice the RPM maximum of 001. At 90% (my old BIOS setting) 003 sounded noisy compared to 001, so I changed it to run at 50% for low-temperature range, which produces about the same low noise as 001, but hopefully should leave more fan power for when it will be needed.