Help needed with temps

[liquidx]

I just bought a GF7600 GT and installed it in my system. To start the card runs great, but then a couple days later I started having issues with my proc overheating. I am guessing it is the thermal paste has dried up, but since I have none right now I can't check that. I do have some on order from newegg due here friday. My question is do you guys think it has something to do with not enough power or something like that?

System specs:
Asus A7N8X Deluxe board
Athlon XP 2500+
Thermaltake Volcano 11 + cool mod duct
1 gig DDR (2*512)
XFX GF7600 GT
Samsung DVD burner
Sony DVD burner
Samsung 400gig SATA
WD 80 gig IDE
Maxtor 120 gig IDE
Antec Smartpower 400W
1 120MM Thermaltake case fan
2x 80MM case fan

Any information or anything else I need to tell you will be greatly appreciated. Oh yeah, and present voltages according to Asus probe are
+12V = 12.16 - 12.224
+5V = 4.999
+3.3V = 3.344
VCore = 1.712 - 1.744 usually sits at 1.728

 

[liquidx]

I also forgot to mention, I used to OC it to 2800+ speed, and it ran fine. Now I have it underclocked to 1066MHz to keep it cool until new thermal paste comes.

 

[liquidx]

Anyone?

 

[TheRodent]

Well if your question made sense you might get some replies.

As i understand it

'Do you think [the processor overheating] has something to do with not enough power or something like that'

the answer to that would be no. But i suspect you mean something else

 

[liquidx]

Ok what I meant was that I was wondering if the powersupply is not giving enough power out for the system. The voltages seem stable to me, but then again I can't seem to find anywhere that says what range they should actually be in?

I was really just trying to see if you guys could think of any other reasons why all of a sudden I can't keep my cpu cool enough when it hasn't been a problem for years.

 

[liquidx]

oh and I know the whole power thing really doesn't make sense why I would connect the two, but I can't see any other reason why after a couple days of upgrading my GPU, my proc would start having issues staying cool.

 

[TheRodent]

The most likely connection i can think of is that you knocked the case or heatsink at some point when changing the video card. A slight movement of the heatsink and old dry thermal paste would result in the decreased cooling performance

The voltages look ok however were these readings taken idle or under full CPU and GPU load?

 

[liquidx]

fairly idle. I just tore into my computer, redid some of the wiring, took out one of my hard drives (80 gig, hittin ebay), took off my HSF, and there was about 1/2inch of dust on the bottom of the proc (inside fins). After much blowing, and some light headedness 😀. I took some of the thermal paste that had been pushed out of the way by the core, and moved it back into the core's path. I am testing it now, running at stock speed, with folding running. Two tests, one to see if it will stay decently cool, which so far has not went over 40C/100F and 2 if I turn up the fan all the way to 5500+rpm, will it cool off even more. Reason being, before when I was having the problem, it wouldn't cool back down with the insane speed/sound of the fan. It was able to bring it back down to 36C, so I think the gigantic dust bunny that was residing in my fins must have finally laid right on top of the core, thus not allowing cooling air to hit it, or maybe even insulating the heat in too. It seems like it's running fine now, I am gonna try to OC it again and see what happens.

Thanks you guys for your help.

 

[Mondoman]

The dust bunny sounds like one of your issues. The other is probably that with the much higher heat production of your new graphics card, you need to think about improving your case ventilation.

 

[liquidx]

The thermal take ducting mod basically shoves the cpu fan right above the graphics card, you think I should take it off?

 

[Mondoman]

Not sure what your setup look like: photos?

 

[liquidx]

and to be honest, I don't know what else to do with the ventilation in my case, There is a 120mm up front, one 80 on the side, and one 80 on the back. The front and side original hole drilled sections were cut out and replaced with a much more air passage friendly wire grill, the side one has a biohasard symbol over it, but is very air passage friendly. The side and front blow in, the back blows out. There is a blow hole on top, but I don't have a fan on it, and two on the side (back of mobo) but I also don't have fans there. Used to, but was trying to quiet down my system a little.

 

[liquidx]

here is the best I can do right now, don't know where my digi cam is, but this is a pic before the upgrade. new card just sits in the same spot.

 

[Mondoman]

Sounds like too much blowing in and not enough blowing out. I'd shut off the front and side fans, and add a second fan at the back blowing out. Then, try turning on the front fan and see if it helps or hurts.

 

[liquidx]

well there are also two fans on my PSU that kick out a good deal out the back, one 120mm that sucks air in directly above proc, and a 80 mm on the back of that.

 

[Mondoman]

Just saying what I'd try... good luck!

 

[liquidx]

well just ran UT2004 for a couple hours, with the OC to 2.09GHz or 2800+ speed. And it ran just fine, a little warmer then usual at 45C, but still ok. Thanks for you help guys. When I get my new thermal paste Friday, I will take it all back apart and clean the core and the HSF and apply the AS5 to it.