Intel core i3 540 temps: why are core temps reaching 100C with cpu @ 40C?

[jcdaisley]

I'm slowly renovating a pc from 2010. It's a learning experience before I build a more permanent machine. Things are running smoothly, except the core temps on the intel i3-540 processor. I understand from the sticky on intel temps that the cores should run about 5C higher than the CPU, but while my CPU stays cool, lower than 60C at all times, core temps quickly jump to 100-105C under load, at which point I believe they throttle.

So why is this happening? The cpu is adequately cooled by the stock fan, which means that the thermal paste (recently applied arctic silver) is working as intended, right? Is this an issue with the TIM, and should I delid?

This is my first time posting. I can provide more information if it is required.

Thanks!!

Build:
core i3-540(https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115221)
dh55hc mobo(https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121396)
650W PSU 80+ Bronze(https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171052)
gtx 680 GPU(https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIADRA5TX0702&cm_re=gtx_680-_-9SIADRA5TX0702-_-Product)
DDR3 4GB PC1333MHz DUAL (2X2GB) 1333MHz CAS 9

 

[CompuTronix]

jcdaisley,

On behalf of Tom's Moderator Team, welcome aboard!

I wrote the Intel CPU Temperature Guide to help users understand a complicated topic that's distorted by a great deal of misinformation, and poorly understood by most users. Don't feel like you're the only one. The Guide is not a document to be quickly skimmed over, but should instead be read very carefully with deliberation. Many users don't get it on the first read. With respect, you apparently didn't read it closely enough. Here's some points you missed:

• Retail processors do not have a factory "thermocouple" sensor to measure "CPU" temperature, which is IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader) temperature. A thermocouple measurement is a factory only temperature measured on the center of the external surface of the IHS in Intel's labs using Engineering Samples only.

• Users can not measure IHS temperature, which is also known as "CPU" temperature. Just because a monitoring program shows "CPU" temperature doesn't validate which sensor it's actually monitoring. If you could accurately monitor IHS (CPU) temperature like Intel does in their labs, it would scale up and down with Core temperature ... your does not, which means whatever sensor your monitoring utility has labeled as "CPU" temperature is actually a sensor which is measuring a temperature elsewhere in the system. Inaccurate sensor labelling / mis-assignment is a very common problem ... and creates much confusion for everyone.

• Core temperature is the standard for processor thermal measurement, so don't get stuck on CPU temperature, which is notoriously inaccurate. Instead, focus on Core temperature, which is where the problem is.

• Since you "recently applied" thermal compound, it's very likely that your stock cooler has popped a push-pin loose from the motherboard, or there's a pin that you didn't get properly latched, which is a very common problem. This causes poor contact pressure between the cooler and the CPU, resulting in high temperatures in BIOS, as well as in Windows at idle, and especially at 100% workload.

You can troubleshoot this problem by pushing firmly on each corner of the cooler for about 30 seconds while watching your load temperatures. When you see a significant drop, you've found the loose push-pin.

The push-pins can be deceivingly tricky to get them fully inserted through the motherboard and properly latched.

(1) To re-seat a single loose push-pin, rotate the latch mechanism in the direction of the arrow counterclockwise 90° then retract the pin by pulling upward. Rotate the latch clockwise 90° to reset the pin, but do NOT push on the latch yet.

(2) To get the pin fully inserted through the motherboard, push only on the leg, NOT on the top of the latch.

(3) While holding the leg firmly against the motherboard with one hand, you can now push on the top of the latch with your other hand until the latch clicks.

(4) If you're re-seating the entire cooler, then be sure to latch the pins across from one another, rather than next to one another. Use an "X" pattern, so as to apply even pressure during installation.

Intel Stock Cooler Installation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qczGR4KMnY

• Also, your 32 nanometer Core i3 540 processor already has a soldered Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS), so there's nothing to be gained by delidding. Only 3rd Generation and later mainstream processors benefit from delidding. See Section 9 - The TIM Problem.

Once again, welcome aboard!

CT