CPU Running too hot? Suspect it may be heatsink placed on incorrectly

[Andrew85]

Hello, I recently decided to put together a new computer from scratch. I've taken apart computers here or there for the past 10 years or so, but I have never actually put together a computer from scratch. However I feel that my computer's CPU is running a tad too hot. It's an older processor, an AMD Athlon XP 2000+. I originally had an old heatsink my friend gave me, a Volcano 6 cu+, but I replaced it with another because the Volcano ran at over 7000 RPMs, was INCREDIBLY loud and my processor was usually running at a temperature of around 60-65C or so. I ordered a new heatsink off of newegg, Arctic Cooling's Copper Silent 2M. It is quieter but it still levels off at about 56C or so at idle and a bit higher at full load.

I have another 80mm fan on the back which came standard with my case. My case runs between 33-35 degrees usually, which seems fairly standard.

I've just seen a lot of people with temperatures between 35-45C either under idle or full load, and I was wondering why mine wasn't. My fan is rated up to 3200+ (or maybe 3400+) and I also have it on the highest setting (it is variable). For my processor it is only required to be on the lowest, but it looks like it'd get too hot in that case.

Sorry for making the post this long, but I wanted to get all of my information. If you need any more system specs, I'd be more than happy to give them.

 

[unborn]

You know i just put together my AMD Athlon XP 3200 computer and i have a big heatsink on it and 7 fans in my case as well. Case is about 35c and my cpu is like 57c... i dont know hwy it is so hot either i have changed paste ive added fans.. im thinkin amd just runs HOT. i was having a problem for a while where it would just shut down on me when it gets hot.. ive had ti go all the way up to 70c then i got scared and shut my pc off.. So ill be monitoring this post as well im using a gigabyte mobo maybe they dont like each other hehee

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[Andrew85]

I am also, strangely enough using a gigabyte motherboard.

 

[paparazi]

You didn't post much info but I can confirm that there has been several Gigabyte socket A motherboards recently that had innacurate temp reporting.
Certainly worth seeing if you have the most recent bios.
Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[Andrew85]

Hrm, I have F4, which is the latest for the 7NF-RZ (my motherboard from gigabyte) it was to address the software overclocker not working with the motherboard, mentioned nothing about temperature.

 

[arbytech]

Andrew85,

I also put together a system with an Athlon XP 2000+ on an older Epox 8k7a board. My CPU usually runs around 32 to 45 C. For the hsf I just use the stock AMD one (actually from an older Athlon 1.4 GHz). I had cleaned off the stock pad on the heat sink and used some Artic Silver instead.

I had problems with the Athlon 1.4 GHz CPU running hot originally until I installed another exhuast fan, maybe that's what you need? I use an intake fan and exhuast fan in addition to a fan that fits into a PCI slot directly under the AGP slot to help draw some of the heat off the video card. Actually that's what helped me the most when I think back on it.

Arbytech

 

[micker377]

Are you operating with the side cover off? AMD fans blow "down" onto the CPU. A lot of case side fans blow out of the case, creating a "dead" (air) spot at the top of the CPU fan. For the greatest efficiency, air should blow onto the CPU fan and be exited by a power supply fan directly above the CPU.

 

[Andrew85]

I have three fans, the power supply fan, which is above the cpu and cpu fan, and then a fan on the back.

I also have another fan I am considering adding to the system.

 

[Freestone]

The following PDF file shows the proper orientation of the heatsink for socket A processors:

http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/23986.pdf

You are using thermal paste or a thermal pad (never both at once) too, correct?

 

[Andrew85]

Arctic silver 5, yes.

 

[Andrew85]

I think I may be using too much of it. I heard it was supposed to cover the entire processor, so I did that, though I may have used more than a grain of rice to do so, as it left open spots otherwise. In addition, I want to lap my heatsink eventually. Would the proper way to do that just be to use high quality sandpaper on it?

 

[garebo]

Sanding the heatsink down will give you better heat readings, no question. You can google this but here goes:
Use wet\dry sandpaper and start with a medium grit, i always forget the numbers and go by the look of it, but just not a very grainy high number, a mid number will do fine. Start with that and then move down and down as far as you want to go, some get to a real mirror finish.
What this does? On a standard heatsink you can often see sanding marks in it. If you can look sideways with maginification, you will see hills and valleys and the thermal compound doesnt reach into the valleys all the way, so there are air pockets that trap and hold heat!
When you sand the heatsink down you reduce or close to eliminate the valleys and the thermal paste does a much better job. Seems like intel and amd should demand standards there but i guess they dont, i dont know.
Anyway, if you do that, you will notice an improvement.

Also, Andrew85, i think you mentioned you put more than a rice grain. It depends on the size of the cpu, some are larger some are smaller. In the end you want to cover the cpu with a thin layer with no gaps or holes. I cut playing cards down to a small size and use them for thermal paste spreading. They work great, even with the cpu in the case!
Also what i do is i put a very very fine layer of paste on the heatsink right where the cpu comes in contact. The reason is that both cpu and heatsink have hills and valleys, so i cover both by using a bit of thermal paste on each. Do cover the whole square metal section of the cpu but dont cover the whole heatsink, just where it comes in contact with the cpu, otherwise thermal paste will drip off and cause a mess. But do make sure you do cover the whole cpu. Dont be afraid, just use common sense. A bit more thermal paste wont hurt, only way too much is too much.
Hope this helps.





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[micker377]

Does the "system" temperature lower when you run with the side cover off? If not, another rear fan won't help. It would be better to place it in the front (bottom), to bring air in (also cools the hard drive). As for CPU fans, a side fan, located to blow down on the CPU, will help. My system runs 2 degrees (c) hotter with the side cover off!

 

[Andrew85]

I was thinking placing one in the bottom front might work, though I can't see any airholes in my motherboard, though it does have an area to screw one in.

 

[micker377]

Sometimes, the "airholes" are actually a slotted area where the faceplate meets the metal part of the case.

 

[Andrew85]

In addition, would a PCI exhaust fan help at all?

 

[micker377]

PCI exaust fan: I only use those placed right next to the video card, to remove heat from them.

 

[Andrew85]

meh, installed a new intake fan, temperature did not change.

 

[GringoMcC]

It may be that your processor runs hotter in this motherboard or the temperature is not reported correctly.

I've experienced thia when I upgraded from an ASUS P4S-800 to an AOpen AX4C-Max II. Even though I have kept everything else in my system the same, the processor temperature has increased by around 6-8 degrees at idle. It doesn't appear to have affected my system.

Do you have access to a thermal probe? I've been using one since I changed boards, they tend to report the temperature more accurately as you can place the tip on or under the processor.

As for fans, I took 5-10 degrees off my system by adding an extractor fan to the top 5 1/4" bay. As heat rises, that seemed to be the most logical place to put an extractor fan.

Good luck!

 

[Andrew85]

Yes, I'm considering buying a 120mm exhaust fan (only have an 80mm right now) and perhaps a better intake, or a disk drive fan. And yes, I do have a temperature probe. It seems to report the case temperature fairly accurately. I haven't used it on the processor, though I think I will.