[SOLVED] SSD background work makes controller hot??

[Pextaxmx]

I have a Samsung 970 PRO 1TB installed in a micro ATX box, with a tiny copper heatsink on the controller chip.
Strangely, for some period of time (like 4-5 days), while idle, the SMART temperature is above 50Cconsistently, then now stays at 45C consistently. There is no difference what so ever - I even checked the room temperature within 1 deg F. The drive is just below 70% full.
I am wondering, with that much of occupied data, is my SSD doing some background work with my data for long period of time (hence 50+C) then probably it finished that job and now it stays at 45? Is this a plausible guess?

 

[Lutfij]

Make and model of said matx case? Airflow in said case(with number of fans and fan orientation)? BIOS version for said motherboard? OS used at the time of writing? Have you used Samsung's Magician app to see if the SSD is pending any firmware updates? If you're on Windows, see what your resource usages are when idle.

Got a link to the heatsink mentioned above?

 

[Pextaxmx]

Make and model of said matx case? Airflow in said case(with number of fans and fan orientation)? BIOS version for said motherboard? OS used at the time of writing? Have you used Samsung's Magician app to see if the SSD is pending any firmware updates? If you're on Windows, see what your resource usages are when idle.

Got a link to the heatsink mentioned above?

case: https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16811147166
front and back fans all connected

ASUS B360M-A, most recent July 2021 BIOS v3202, with vanilla i7-9700
No discrete GPU
SSD on M.2-2 slot, all PCIe opening covers removed. Airflow is quite good

Heatsink: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077VM8FJW

OS is Windows 11

970 PRO firmware hasn't been updated for a while. I have the up-to-date firmware.

When I said in idle, I meant there is no SSD activity in task manager.

 

[Pextaxmx]

taken just now..

 

[Nigel Spike]

the SMART temperature is above 50F consistently, then now stays at 45F consistently

How is this hot?
50F = 10C
45F = 7.2C
Sounds like an outdoor computer. My indoor ambient temp is 23C = 73,4F now in December in southern Sweden. Outdoor temp is 1C = 33.8F

 

[Pextaxmx]

How is this hot?
50F = 10C
45F = 7.2C
Sounds like an outdoor computer. My indoor ambient temp is 23C = 73,4F now in December in southern Sweden. Outdoor temp is 1C = 33.8F

I am not worried about the temperature at all. I am just curious what my SSD is doing without my knowledge 🧀🧀🧀

 

[Pextaxmx]

Oh I am sorry I have F and C all mixed up. Numbers above are all in Celsius obviously... I corrected mt OP

 

[lvt]

I am just curious what my SSD is doing without my knowledge 🧀🧀🧀

No one knows about that for sure.

 

[fzabkar]

Just curious ...

What was the temperature before you applied the heatsink? I would think that the heatsink would be much more effective if you were to peel back the heat spreader, warranty concerns notwithstanding.

 

[Pextaxmx]

Just curious ...

What was the temperature before you applied the heatsink? I would think that the heatsink would be much more effective if you were to peel back the heat spreader, warranty concerns notwithstanding.

It was higher like 56C all the time. However I had a Quadro K2000 GPU right above the drive, which I don't have anymore.
I will experiment the sticker effect when I feel like trying it... but probably not right now.

 

[fzabkar]

NVMe SSDs report a "composite temperature" which appears to be some kind of weighted average of the temperatures of the various sensors. Therefore the real effect on the flash controller's temperature could be much greater than what is being reported.