Q9550

[goboilers]

Q9550 and GA-P35-DS3L mobo

I upgraded my CPU from E6750 to Q9550, upgraded bios to level F9C as directed by Gigabyte.
When I boot to the bios settings, it reports a way too hot (> 60C at idle) CPU temperature and keeps resetting the clock multiplier to 6X (I believe 8X is spec).
My video encoding times got worse, but my CPU utilization dropped (as expected).

Does anyone know of any problems with this CPU/mobo/Bios combination?
I am using 3GB Crucial Ballistic memory, no overclock. Windows XP Pro SP3 and Windows 7 RC1. Win7 runs better, but not much.

Do I need to strip down the machine and do a scratch build to smoke this out?

 

[knotknut]

Processor will underclock at low CPU usage with default bios settings. 8x to 6x etc.
To change this, under Advanced BIOS Features,
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) set to Disable
CPU EIST set to Diasable

Now your heat issue. You could have a HSF that is not properly seated. You should not be able to move the HSF assembly or lift it at any corner.
Did you apply a thermal compound between the CPU and HSF?

You should not have any problems with Q9550 /GA-P35-DS3L/F9c Bios.

For correct tempature readings use Speed Fan or Real Temp.
They are both free downloads.

 

[Mousemonkey]

Sounds like the HSF is not on properly.

 

[bige420]

Yeah I would suspect a heatsink issue. Maybe you should get some new thermal compound and try resetting the heatsink and see if that fixes the issue.

 

[goboilers]

I checked the HSF - i used the Intel stock HSF and put a meat thermometer in the base of the HSF. The temperature readings where half what the bios told me. At full load, the bios utility was reading 96C! You would think I would be seeing smoke at that point....

 

[Mousemonkey]

You put a meat thermometer under the IHS where the BIOS utility takes it's reading from? or did you sandwich between the HSF and the CPU? or did you just touch it to the side of the HSF which is some 2cm and a bit of metal away from the BIOS sensor and get a different reading, what a shocker!!

 

[bige420]

Hmm, download coretemp or realtemp and see what you get. Could be a bad temp sensor on the mobo.

 

[AKM880]

+1. HWMonitor is also a good tool for temperatures.