New homebuilt computer shuts off within 2 min. CPU temp is over 180F. 1

[SKreme]

I just built my first computer. About a minute or two I turn it on it just shuts off. I have an AMD athlon xp 2800+ processor. I am using the heatsink fan made by cooler master called the dream 7. Here are the numbers in the bios:
System temp: 26C 78F
CPU TEMP: 83C 181F
CPU fan speed 2721 RPM
System fan speed 0 RPM
Vcore 1.69v
+3.3v: 3.24v
+5v: 5.08V
+12v: 11.43
-12: -12.11
-5v: -4.94
vbat(v) 3.29V
5vsb(V) 4.97v
My friend suggested that I try to reapply the thermal paste. I am going to try that over the weekend. Anyone have any other ideas of what the problem could be? Your help would be appreciated!

 

[CreamCake]

I'll try to retain this for a few more years. I will not underestimate the staying power of older PC's... as much as I want to.

I still have friends just now upgrading from their p166's... Can you imagine trying to do any video editing on that! (anything pre pIII@733 except the dual proc 450 & 667 xeon's w/ scsi raid's went the way of either the garbage or charity for me over the summer)

I am eyeballing a new setup and have read that AMD is ahead of the game in processor heat issues.

But AMD is (to me) like the resturant that served you a fly on top of your burrito.(also a real experience).
Even if all your friends rave about the incredible service there, all you can remember is a few years back, when they were newer, getting terrible service).

Kinda like the Cyrix. - I did find it to be a uniquely good moustache comb, but not a very good processor. Also close to my view on ATI after windows2k came out.

Forgive my ramble, the weekend calls. I'm apologizing for any additude percieved.

 

[SKreme]

I'm back... and still having problems. I am going to lay all the facts on the table, everything I can think of. I just received the replacement CPU (same model) in the mail yesterday. I put it in, spread thermal paste on the heatsink fan, turned it on and went into the bios. The numbers were as follows:
Sys temp: 20c 68F
CPU temp: 59C 138F
CPU Fan speed 2812 RPM
Sys Fan speed 0 Rpm
I could be wrong but I think that is hotter than it should be. I set in the bios an automatic shutoff point at 60C 140F so that I would not overheat the chip again. Here are the only things I can think of that could be the problem.
1. I didn't apply the thermal paste well. I have never done it before this computer. I tried to do a thin layer. Could I have spread a layer that was TOO thin????
2. My heatsink fan may be too big. I have a mirco atx mobo. I have on the CPU a Cooler master vortex dream 7. Even though my processor is a 2800 and this heatsink is rated for 3200 and above, I called them up and asked them if its ok for a 2800 and they said its fine. My concern is as follows. Since my mobo is relatively small, and this heatsink is sort of large, the copper flaps on the heatsink (the part touching the cpu) are touching different parts of the mobo. There are two different things that they are touching the first is these black cylinders sticking up from the mobo (I'm not sure what they are called). The second is a silver colored thing, that sort of looks like a building. I think it is a heatsink also as it has different flaps to it (I don't know how else to describe it.). The copper on my heatsink actually had to be bent slightly to fit around the black cylinders.
Do I need a different heatsink fan? Any ideas would be much appreciated!!! Thanks!!

 

[finast]

I personally don't like the fan speed. I'm running a XP1600+ with a generic HS/F rated for up to Athlon 1200 (they were about a match heat wise). I'm running right now at 102°F CPU, 69°F in the box and only get to about 115-120° if the ambient reaches 90°F and I work it. My CPU fan runs about 5900 RPM and I used Arctic Silver®.

My XP2000+ with the retail heat sink/fan runs at 3350rpm ±. The compound on that gave me 125-130°F (this was my test of the compound). Arctic Silver® (I don't mean to sound like an ad, I just love the stuff) got that down to about 112°. I do have that in an old (P1 days) HP case. Air flow could be some of that since in the box is at 80°F. I think a 5000rpm fan and better flow would get that down to about 107°F

AMD says your good to 185° and I think your 138° is just to the high side. 125° would be good for a 2800+. The compound does make a difference and there is such a thing as too much. Just a very thin layer on the core only. So does the CPU fan speed and getting the heat out of the box. Your system temp looks OK @68° so I'd find a faster fan for the heatsink. Noise is the only trade off.

Just out of curiosity, What is your power supply rated at. If the CPU is trying to draw to much from an inadiquate PSU it may overheat not to mention the other problems.

 

[paparazi]

finast
There is a few flaw in your advice to SKreme.
I'm guessing his Coolermaster Vortex Dream cooler has a large 80mm fan? these typically spin at just under 3,000rpm but shift far more air than a smaller but faster spinning 60mm unit.
Typically standard fans vary in speed, getting lower as they get larger but the CFM figure (the amount of air moved) is generally higher even though the fan is not spinning as fast.
Average RPM typically:
50mm 5,000rpm
60mm 5,000rpm
70mm 3,700rpm
80mm 2,850rpm

Obviously there are high speed versions available in all sizes.
SKreme
It is not unusual to have to bend some capacitors slightly and carefully, to fit larger after market coolers, you just have to be very sure than nothing is preventing the heatsink from sitting squarely on the small heat transfer patch (CPU core) *nothing should catch preventing proper contact*.
"Small amount" of paste on an AMD Athlon/Duron core means about the same in volume as 1 to 2 grains of rice, applied to the small rectangular core at the centre of the CPU.
Martin

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

 

[SKreme]

I bent the heatsink slightly so that it would have proper contact to the cpu. So it is on correctly. Any other suggestions???

 

[paparazi]

Yeh! you can put too little paste on but normally people do the opposite and pread it everywhere.
Given these slightly higher figures I would be tempted refit the unit.
Even though general advice is a thin layer of paste you must realise any excess will just squash out anyway so make sure you put enough on so that you cannot see the core at all.
Martin


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

 

[micker377]

How do you "bend" a heatsink?

 

[wooglin]

<quote>How do you "bend" a heatsink?</quote>
Aftermarket heatsinks, think something similar to a Zalman, with many thin fins instead of the slotted block of aluminum that came with your new processor

http://www.zalman.co.kr/upload/product/7700_cu_f_p.jpg

 

[micker377]

<bent the heatsink slightly so that it would have proper contact to the cpu>

I meant the surface that actually contacts the 1/2 inch square CPU itself. If this isn't a perfect "seal", anything you do will be a waste of time. Or did you mean you bent the fins so there would enough clearence for the heat-sink assembly to sit firmly on the chip?

 

[wooglin]

Sorry... I thought he was meant that he had to bend some fins to clear capacitors/northbridge heatsink.

 

[SKreme]

The surface is a perfect seal. I meant I bent the copper fins a bit to fit around the capacitors. I will try putting more heatsink paste on. I also bought another fan to improve airflow although I suspect that is not the only problem. One of my friends mentioned that maybe I am overclocking it by accident. I don't think this is the case. I have the jumpers set at 166 MHZ. My AMD 2800+ runs at 333 MHZ. But just in case, I checked the bios. This is what it said:
Current FSB Frequency: 166 mhz
Current DRAM Freq: 200 MHZ
Currrent DDR Freq: 400 mhz
I'm going to reapply the heatsink paste tonight. Thanks for everyone's help until now!!!

 

[SKreme]

I just purchased my third HSF that doesn't fit my motherboard. My first one was Zalman and the second two were coolermaster. My mobo is micro so there is not alot of room for a large Heatsink. Can anyone tell me the name of reliable brand of QUIET HSF that I can purchase???