Overheating is the issue of Processor or of Heat Sink

Jul 6, 2018
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How can we figure out that overheating is the issue of Processor or issue of Heat Sink?
I'm using i7 4790 with basic air cooler. Its idle temp is about 40 Celsius. When I run Prime 95 on it. Its temp goes to 100 Celsius in just 10 to 15 seconds. Is this problem of processor or problem of heat sink. I mean, is there any problem in Processor which causes heating or just heat sink problem.
Thanks in advance
Waiting for your response.
 
Solution
It's not an issue with your processor. It's an issue with You. The stock heatsink is designed to accommodate normal usage and maintain standard operating temps, which for that Intel cpu is pretty much anything below @90°C. Above 90° you'll start getting into throttle ranges and the cpu slows down to lower temperatures. But thats as far as it goes, for normal usage or @50%-60% cpu usage. Prime95 or any of the other torture testers like Intel Burn in Test, or Aida64 etc are Extreme usage, 100% use. This'll take your 84w cpu on a 95w cooler and stick it up closer to 150w on a 95w cooler, and you wonder why it reaches 100°C.

The stock cooler is not designed for Extreme usage. Period. You will need a 140w+ heatsink like CM hyper212 or...
When you say basic air cooler are you referring to the stock heatsink?

Prime 95 is a very brutal program for CPU's when run in Small FFT's with AVX. Even the best coolers will have trouble keeping temps down under these conditions.

I just ran it and I've got a i7 4770K cooled with a Glacer 240L. My hottest core went up to 86C. This happens in seconds. My pump and fans ran up to a 100%.

So the behavior your are seeing is completely normal.
 
The problem is very unlikely to be the processor.
At idle, you should see 10-15c. over ambient at idle.
If you are using the stock intel cooler, the problem is likely to be a faulty mount.
See my stock advice on this at the end.

Another possible problem is poor case ventilation.
Any cooler needs a supply of fresh air to do it's job.
That would be something like two 120/140mm front intakes for a processor and a hot graphics card.

----------------how to mount the stock Intel cooler--------------

The stock Intel cooler can be tricky to install.
A poor installation will result in higher cpu temperatures.
If properly mounted, you should expect temperatures at idle to be 10-15c. over ambient.

To mount the Intel stock cooler properly, place the motherboard on top of the foam or cardboard backing that was packed with the motherboard.
The stock cooler will come with paste pre applied, it looks like three grey strips.
The 4 push pins should come in the proper position for installation, that is with the pins rotated in the opposite direction of the arrow,(clockwise)
and pulled up as far as they can go.
Take the time to play with the pushpin mechanism until you know how they work.

Orient the 4 pins so that they are exactly over the motherboard holes.
If one is out of place, you will damage the pins which are delicate.
Push down on a DIAGONAL pair of pins at the same time. Then the other pair.

When you push down on the top black pins, it expands the white plastic pins to fix the cooler in place.

If you do them one at a time, you will not get the cooler on straight.
Lastly, look at the back of the motherboard to verify that all 4 pins are equally through the motherboard, and that the cooler is on firmly.
This last step must be done, which is why the motherboard should be out of the case to do the job. Or you need a case with a opening that lets you see the pins.
It is possible to mount the cooler with the motherboard mounted in the case, but you can then never be certain that the push pins are inserted properly
unless you can verify that the pins are through the motherboard and locked.

If you should need to remove the cooler, turn the pins counter clockwise to unlock them.
You will need to clean off the old paste and reapply new if you ever take the cooler off.
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larkspur

Distinguished
Almost always it is an issue with the heatsink. Is the heatsink's fan spinning? If not then make sure it is plugged-in to the motherboard. If it is spinning (it should be pretty loud) then you need to get some new thermal paste, remove the heatsink, clean the old paste off the CPU AND the heatsink and then apply new paste and reinstall the heatsink.

It is important to note that Intel's stock heatsinks are very poor performing heatsinks. You may consider purchasing a cheap aftermarket CPU cooler such as this one for only $9.99 (it comes with thermal paste included) but you need to make sure it will fit inside your computer case: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103107&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-CPU+Cooling-_-N82E16835103107&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpvzZBRCbARIsACe8vyIz2hbQDaGJRxQiRmi0wObYONV6Uk-9CTqrW9ZalgUDdgWHbu43vwEaAg43EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Here is some decent, cheap paste: https://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-MX-4-Compound-Performance-Interface/dp/B0045JCFLY

Here is an article on Tom's discussing thermal paste application: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thermal-paste-heat-sink-heat-spreader,3600-5.html
 

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator


What version of Prime 95 are you using? You should not use Prime 95 past version 26.6 because of the AVX code it runs.

Otherwise, issues are almost always problems with the cooling solution, because heat removal is a simple physical process. Kind of like how a digital thermometer not working will always be the fault of the digital thermometer, not of the sun.

 
Jul 6, 2018
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I want to tell you, my country's average temp is about 40 Celsius.
So, what do you think. Will it also effect on temp I'm getting.
 
Jul 6, 2018
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Are you completely sure?
I'm asking again because this issue is biggest issue I'm facing now...
Waiting for your reply?
 

t53186

Distinguished


Yes higher ambient temps will affect the performance of any cooling solution.
 

t53186

Distinguished


Yes, there is nothing wrong with your processor.
 
Jul 6, 2018
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So, getting 240mm (Liquid Cooler) with x2 fans (Rajintek or any other brand). Will help me to reduce this temp?
 
Jul 6, 2018
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29.4 build 8...
 

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator


Yeah, don't use that, you'll get an inaccurate measurement as it won't approach any real-life conditions you'll ever see. Try again with 26.6.
 
Jul 6, 2018
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I tried 26.6. It again went to 100 Celsius but slower than before.
So, what do you think. Is there any fault in my processor or not?
 

t53186

Distinguished


That will help, but keep in mind high room temp 40C is difficult to cool. The room air is hot so it cannot absorb the heat being removed by the cooler.
 
Jul 6, 2018
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Can you please tell me, what are the symptoms of the damaged Processor or faulty Processor?
 

t53186

Distinguished


It won't work. All modern processors have thermal protection built in, so if it gets too hot it will throttle down the frequency or it will shut down completely before causing internal damage. You may reduce the life of the processor by continuing to run hot, but it is almost impossible to destroy one.
 

Karadjgne

Titan
Ambassador
It's not an issue with your processor. It's an issue with You. The stock heatsink is designed to accommodate normal usage and maintain standard operating temps, which for that Intel cpu is pretty much anything below @90°C. Above 90° you'll start getting into throttle ranges and the cpu slows down to lower temperatures. But thats as far as it goes, for normal usage or @50%-60% cpu usage. Prime95 or any of the other torture testers like Intel Burn in Test, or Aida64 etc are Extreme usage, 100% use. This'll take your 84w cpu on a 95w cooler and stick it up closer to 150w on a 95w cooler, and you wonder why it reaches 100°C.

The stock cooler is not designed for Extreme usage. Period. You will need a 140w+ heatsink like CM hyper212 or Cryorig H7 or any 120mm liquid cooler to handle that kind of stress load.

The processor is working as intended, the stock heatsink is working as intended, You are forcing the heatsink past its ability by stress testing the cpu.
 
Solution
Jul 6, 2018
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Anyway, I want to tell you. Problem isn't with me but I wanted to confirm that what's going on in my PC. I'm really impressed with your reply and your xp level.
Thanks again for you reply.
Best Regards
 
If your room temperature is 40c.(104f.) my sympathies.
It is unlikely that ANY cooler, (even the very best) can keep your cpu as good as 50c. at idle.
A cooler depends on a temperature differential between the cooler(or radiator) to dissipate heat.
Up to a point, do not worry.
A intel cpu will slow down or shut off if it detects a dangerous temperature.
That is around 100c.

Try taking the case covers off and direct a house fan at the innards.
If this helps, look to better case cooling.

If you use a better cpu cooler, you might shave off another 10c. at idle and a similar amount under load.
 
Jul 6, 2018
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I'm happy with your response.
So now, I've planned to get more fans inside my chassis and get 240mm liquid cooler too for cooling of processor.
I don't think so, that my room temp is about 40. It is about 30, I think. I talked about temp of outside.
Anyway, thanks for your opinion.
Best Regards
 
What is the make/model of your case?
What is your budget to address this issue?
Do you care about noise?

Fans do not cool; computer parts do not sweat.
Simply adding fans will not likely do anything except make your pc louder.
If your room temperature is 30c. about the best idle temperature you can hope for is 40-45c.
Considering your ambient temperature, that is not all bad.
The only difference between a water cooler and an air cooler is where the heat exchange takes place.
An AIO will be in the radiator, the air cooler will be the cooler itself.
Both systems depend on a good airflow to go through the radiator ot tower, whichever you use.

Can you buy a room air conditioner?
That would make you more comfortable, and the processor cooler.
 
Jul 6, 2018
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My chassis is made by Corsair and model is "Spec 04".
I can spend up to $70-$80 for this issue.
I do care about noise little bit. But don't want extra loud.
I can't buy ac only for my PC.