So, from what I've read (
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article191-page1.html a good article for example) the readings your motherboard gives can be pretty inaccurate.
Mine are
Idle: 43C
Load: 63C
System/Motherboard: 43C
E6600 stock speeds, stock voltage, stock HSF, 120mm case fan, 21C ambient (according to the thermometer in my room).
I know something is up, because even at full load I can touch the heatsink and it's barely warm to the touch. I also know it's seated well and I'm using Artic Silver 5 thermal compound. I reseated the fan several times, and one time I did NOT get it reseated well and my temps spiked about 15 degrees higher idle. Also, when I ramp up the cpu usage while touching the heatsink, I can feel it getting warmer, but at idle it's practically cold to the touch, and simply gets warm under load, not hot by any means.
The northbridge chipset heatsink next to the processor, in contrast, is VERY hot to the touch. I'm not sure if that's the other temp my bios (and speedfan, which always matches the bios) is giving me, but I'm just guessing.
Also, my system, even with a bit of overcocking (from 2.4 to 2.53 Ghz) continues to be rock-solid stable, using prime95, cpustress test, folding@home, and also when running seti@home and einstein@home simultaneously (which actually gets my cpu hotter than any of the other programs I've used)
So, what do you guys think? Inaccuracies, or perhaps some conroes just like to run hotter than others?