Inconsistent temperature readings

[diplodink]

I'm getting temp readings for my CPU all over the map. I've got a 790i xfx mobo and a q6600 chip, with a Tuniq Tower cooler. The chip is totally stock and not OC'ed. I just put the cooler on and have never done that before so I'm paranoid I did it wrong. I'm not sure which way the Tower's fan is blowing either - I feel air coming out of both the top and bottom of it blowing up and down in the case. The air feels cool.

The case is open. I've got a 120 mm fan on the front blowing in, a 92 mm fan on the top back blowing out, and a 92 mm fan blowing out right next to the CPU basically.

Bios reports CPU temperature at 36C, the board lower, usually 29 or 30C. This is the same when I turn it on after being off for awhile or run it for awhile, restart, and go right to the bios.

NVidia's built in system monitor that came with the mobo reports the same board temp, 29C, but says that the respective cores are 64C and 68C. That's too high isn't it?! The lowest this program has reported is 55C, but 64 and 68 is more typical. And the second core is always higher than the first by 4 or 5 degrees.

Then I tried a variety of third party monitors. A few of them consistently reported CPU temperature at 30-36C but mobo temperature of 75-80C! Speedfan gave me that reading, among other programs. I've used so many I can't remember all their names. A few gave low temps for both but the 80C for the mobo and 30-36C for the chip were more common.

The non-Nvidia programs don't show any difference between the 2 cores, or if they do it's like 1 degree difference.

Putting load onto the PC I can't test the bios but the Windows programs show temps go up a few degrees but nothing major or significant - no 10 degree jumps or anything. NVidia's system monitor doesn't seem to change, it stays about the same either idle or under load.

Should I be concerned about any of this? How do I know what's the right number? Thanks for your help.

 

[Lupiron]

Uhhh, Idle at stock your CPU Tcase, the top of the cpu itself should be cool. 20c and the cores should be around 34c idle... Thats just common type temps at stock. Yours are waaaaay higher. So thats wrong. Did you seat the thing properly on the IHS? Did you use just enough thermal paste to for a vvvvveeeeeerrrrrrryyyyyyyy thin layer? Can it wiggle?

When its on and idle. look at the idle temps, then press down firmly on the top of the heat sink, so it forces better contact with the IHS. If the temps go down more than 1c after about a min, you need to re adjust/tighten it down.

--Lupi

 

[diplodink]

I think I installed it properly. It's firmly pressed against the metal it doesn't even wiggle. I tried pushing down on it during these tests and it didn't make a difference.

As for the thermal paste, I don't know, it looks like a thin layer, I used AS5. I tried one grain of rice but that didn't seem to be enough so I did 2. Maybe it's a tad too much? But that shouldn't make temperatures shoot up into the 60'sC. Something is up with the NVidia system monitor I think.

OK few new facts -

Real temp reports temps of 30C and 23C on each core at idle, 38C and 29C on load.

Speed fan reported 36C for the CPU at idle, 12C for each core, and then there's another Core listing at 54C. MOBO is at 80C. Stayed the same during load.

NVidia's system monitor said 62C and 72C on each core, 28C on the mobo. It went up to 34 for the MOBO under load, chips stayed the same.

Agh!

 

[Lupiron]

Man, search for and DL HWMonitor, Core Temp Version 0.96.1 and CPUz. They are all free, and are accurate.

If they are wrong, your BIOS may be to blame if it's simply reading temps wrong. That is a common thing.

Real Temp is a bit odd how it computes the temps, so thats interesting that its the closest to what they SHOULD be.

Try the other free tools I mentioned, then get back to me.

They are the ones most use, you are using some odd ones! And speed fan is renown for needing temp calibration!

I pretty much heavily rely on HWMonitor and it hasnt let me down yet!

--Lupi

 

[Evilonigiri]

I rather stick with Core temp or HWMonitor because the temps are read higher than Real Temps, so it's like a safe guard.

 

[diplodink]

HWMonitor reports -

CPU1 - 39C
CPU0 - 31C
CORE - 36C
Mainboard - 80C
HDD - 34
GPU - 59

 

[Lupiron]

When you say "core" you mean all four, right? This is a q6600 correct? If so, then 36 is about right... depending on heat.

Hmm, I think the tuniq tower is like number 3 or 4 on the air chart. So thats a bit high, but fine. We havent checked on your VID or anything. If its high, that would explain the heat!

DL that Core Temp Version 0.96.1, re start, go into your bios and find speed step in the CPU options or tweaker part of your BIOS and disable it, then boot into windows. (If you have 64 bit windows, press f8 right after the post, to get the boot screen and select Load in disable driver signature enforcement mode.)

When in windows, load core temp and look at the VID, take note of it, then run a demanding program and make sure the VID does not variate in Core Temp. If it doesnt, thats your VID and post it here, please?

There is the possibility that CPU0 is the TCase, or top of the CPU temp. (As opposed to TJunction, which is inside the core.) But the delta is a bit low for such a good cooler unless its hot in your place?

Go to your motherboards site and see if there is a new BIOS release for your motherboard and flash it!

--Lupi!

 

[diplodink]

Ok so I found out that the NVidia System Monitor reports temps from tjunction max. So actually all the programs are reporting CPU temps between like 26-36C. So that's pretty good right? Yay I put the heatsink on right!

And yes this is a q6600 though according to the bios 2 of the cores are currently disabled.

VID is 1.2500v

So it looks like the only anomolous reading now is that some of these programs are reporting 80C for my mobo. What could cause that? Something warm close to one of the motherboard's temp sensors causing an errant reading?

 

[Lupiron]

Hmmm, is it the MCP Voltage? Is that what it says? One of my boards reported the power converter/mosfets temp and it was always 200 degrees or higher! But thats supposed to be high. As a matter of fact, it was the 780i board, so thats what it prolly is, being a 790.

Why the heck are two cores disabled?? Turn them back on!

I have seen that option on a couple of my boards, lol, but I have never disabled the cores before!!

You have a decent VID.

 

[Lupiron]

3.6 all day. Gotta make sure the temps are right, then on to OCing! And if that board is like my 780i, the droop is gonna be huge. (Thats bad for OCing.) .06. That means for 3.6 you'll need like 1.4575 in the bios to start.

You'll wanna target your loaded Droop to about 1.38. That should be 3.6 or very close to it with your VID.

How does that sound?

--Lupi!