New build not going so well

[grektokomus]

Hello,

I have been working on a new build, and I need some help diagnosing the problem. The symptom is that machine crashes from bios consistently. This occurs when the system has been up between 9 and 11 minutes. Over 4 or 5 tries, the system has remained up slightly longer and withstood higher temperatures.

Here are some relevant details about the build:

ASRock x79 Extreme9
Intel 3960x
8x8GB gskill ddr3-1600 pc3-12800
Corsair H100 water cooler

I've used this as a guide: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems

The system crashes after about 10 minutes with these temperatures:

CPU: 86
M/B: 39
SB: 45

I have:
*disconnected all HDD & ODD (I disconnected the power to those, but not the SATA cables).
*removed all but 2 sticks of memory (DDR3_A1;DDR3_A2 -- system originally didn't boot with only 1 stick in DDR3_A1)
*verified all power connections
*connected power to ATX12V2 (manual describes as optional)
*connected GPU to power using dedicated PCIE cables/ports

I'm stumped. Please help.

 

[treefrog07]

You CPU temp looks high. You might want to re-seat its heatsink/fan. Clean off the existing Thermal Interface Material (TIM) with rubbing alcohol, and replace it with a reliable TIM (I use Arctic Silver 5) - follow the manufacturer's directions. Then mount the heatsink/cooler with proper tension - the heatsink/fan should be firmly seated, but not overtightened. A good fit is when you can rotate the heatsink/fan a little with a little difficulty.

 

[grektokomus]

I removed the heat sink and cleaned both surfaces thoroughly using 70% isopropyl alcohol. I believe there was probably too much TIM applied.

I was careful to hold the heat sink in place with steady pressure and to evenly tighten the thumb screws.

I fired up the box and went into bios. I watched the temperatures rise as before. The box turned off after 11 minutes. temps were very close as before.

I can feel vibration in the H100 and believe that it is working fine.

Wondering if CPU is damaged? Why else would system turn off in BIOS consistently after 10 minutes? (restarting system after a crash, results in a shorter time to next crash). What should I do?

 

[clarkjd]

Can You install the stock HSF? It should be plenty to run your system at stock speeds. If your temps come down withe the stock heat sink fan, then the problem would be in the H100.

 

[redeemer]

Recheck you H100 mountings make sure your using the 2011 LGA backplate, recheck power connections. Only a very small dab of thermal paste in the center no need to spread it.

Try booting with one stick of ram

Clear CMOS on the motherboard.

 

[grektokomus]

I reseated the heat sink again. The paste had run to the edge of the processor and seemed thick. I used half as much as before.

Same exact result, 10 minutes of running in BIOS followed by power off.

Reset CMOS. System rebooted. System shut down within 2 minutes.

By the way, this processor does not ship with a fan. So I could order another fan to try as a substitute. Was thinking of the Intel liquid cooler for the 2011 socket.

What are most likely explanations?:
*damaged mobo
*corsair h100 not working properly
*intel 3960x damaged
*memory getting hot and failing
*something else

I have tried to find out what other people are experiencing with the 3960x. Is 86 degrees normal for that chip (at idle)?

Please advise.

 

[grektokomus]

Looking around and seeing that this temperature is very high. (http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/48210-intel-sandy-bridge-e-core-i7-3960x-cpu-review-21.html)

On the verge or replacing H100.

 

[grektokomus]

Preparing to reapply TIM one last time. How was this:

 

[abekl]

That looks good. Not too much or too little.

 

[sykozis]

86C at idle means the processor will throttle under load as it will exceed it's thermal specification. I'd remove the H100 and install a proper air cooler.

 

[grektokomus]

Replaced Corsair H100 with Intel BXRTS2011LC. Computer is now sitting in Bios at nice 39.5C.

So the Corsair wasn't doing squat.

What is the implication of having overheated the machine 15 or 20 times?

 

[rage33]

You're system should be fine, nowadays computers have safety features in place to prevent damage because the system will automatically shutdown prior to frying important components. Obviously there is still some risk but you should be just fine.

 

[grektokomus]

Best answer selected by grektokomus.

 

[nikorr]

This topic has been closed by Nikorr