Question i7 6700k Overheating when idle?

Dec 1, 2019
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Hello hardware fans,
my CPU is overheating in idle - around 60-70 C and by 50% it reaches 100C. I've cleaned everything: dust, changed the liquid cooler with brand new one, applied thermal paste several times with a lot, then cleaned it and replaced with less, flashed the BIOS with the 2018 version, changed Power Settings in Windows to "balanced" - still in BIOS the CPU goes to 70 C. Used a number of programs (CPU-z, HWinfo and so on) still same results... I've never overclocked the CPU myself, what is the problem?

Thank you in advance!
 
Dec 1, 2019
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a lot of times, some times a little as it should be - some times a bit more to see if there is a difference - no change. As for the block mounted - I think I`ve done it right because, the liquid heatsinks are heating but the processor is still developing a lot of heat when idle... 70 degrees Celsius is not normal
 
Dec 1, 2019
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Did you use thermal paste?
Assuming everything is plugged into correctly configured fan/power headers, either something is wrong with how the block is mounted on top of the CPU or the liquid cooler is defective.

a lot of times, some times a little as it should be - some times a bit more to see if there is a difference - no change. As for the block mounted - I think I`ve done it right because, the liquid heatsinks are heating but the processor is still developing a lot of heat when idle... 70 degrees Celsius is not normal
 
Dec 1, 2019
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Assuming everything is plugged into correctly configured fan/power headers, either something is wrong with how the block is mounted on top of the CPU or the liquid cooler is defective.


Another quick question, the fan logo should be facing where the exaust is, right? I mean - Case mounted Fan with logo and pointed to outside the case, then I have radiator from the liquid coolers, then the heatpipes (liquid whatever they are called), then I have the pump with brass plate mounted on top of the CPU. Is that the right configuration?
 

InvalidError

Titan
Moderator
There is more than one "correct" orientation, it depends on what the primary goal is and the case design. The two most common setups are in the front of the case sucking cold outside air through the radiator into the case or at the top of the case blowing air out of the case. The front mount yields the lowest possible CPU temperature at the expense of higher overall case temperature since intake air got pre-warmed by the radiator, top-mount yields lower overall case temperature at the expense of slightly higher CPU temperature since air got pre-warmed by everything else before going through the rad.
 
Dec 1, 2019
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There is more than one "correct" orientation, it depends on what the primary goal is and the case design. The two most common setups are in the front of the case sucking cold outside air through the radiator into the case or at the top of the case blowing air out of the case. The front mount yields the lowest possible CPU temperature at the expense of higher overall case temperature since intake air got pre-warmed by the radiator, top-mount yields lower overall case temperature at the expense of slightly higher CPU temperature since air got pre-warmed by everything else before going through the rad.

Well in my case, the lower fan on the towercase is intake, top backward fan is exaust. What if I reverse top-back fan to blow air in through the liquid radiator and leave the towercase oppened? Would that help with the overheating?
 
Dec 1, 2019
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Openned or not, still doesn`t reduce the overheating, even this writting here gives me around 89 degrees on all 4 cores in Core Temp Program. Is the CPU Busted or should I try to repair the whole problem again?
 

Carl2

Distinguished
Jan 31, 2010
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This is a shot in the dark for me but it seems the CPU is doing something to heat to those temps. I'd open task manager and see what is causing the CPU to do that much work when it should be at idle. Right now my CPU usage is 6 % used mostly by Microsoft Edge, You can stop
a process by right clicking on it. I guess it is possible you picked up something on the internet that caused your CPU to do all this work.
 
Dec 1, 2019
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This is a shot in the dark for me but it seems the CPU is doing something to heat to those temps. I'd open task manager and see what is causing the CPU to do that much work when it should be at idle. Right now my CPU usage is 6 % used mostly by Microsoft Edge, You can stop
a process by right clicking on it. I guess it is possible you picked up something on the internet that caused your CPU to do all this work.

You are right it is a shot in the dark... I'm not new to PCs mate, and also you didn't read the threads name : "IDLE Processor is overheating", it means task manager would show hmm lets say 5-7%, where 6 % are Firefox and the writing I'm doing now... aaaand also doesn`t change the fact in BIOS the system temperature of the CPU shows 79-80 degrees Celsius....
P.S. BIOS is not connected with Windows/Linux, not as you think. BIOS is when you start your computer, it means it overheats already at start/shut down/restart.
 

InvalidError

Titan
Moderator
To be honest I don`t know exactly because it varies... VID says from 0.8494v to 1.2706v. Power shows 25 to 27.6 W and at stress the maximum goes to 3.7 W, minimum shows N/A. TDP is 95 W.
Maximum power obviously cannot be 3.7W, so I'll interpret that as 37W. There is no way the CPU would get anywhere near 80C at only 37W of actual package power draw with a properly installed and working liquid cooler... unless actual power draw is much higher and isn't being reported correctly. May need to use a DC clamp-meter on the CPU 12V cables to sanity-check against VRM input power.
 
Dec 1, 2019
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Are you sure the liquid cooler's mount makes proper contact with the CPU? Is there a chance you can try an air cooler instead?
Excellent questions, but sadly I do not have air cooler, as for the mount, yes I`m pretty sure because the pipes or cables or whatever they are also heated all the way up to the radiator (which is cool btw). But why this excessive heat???