IP35 - ambulance alarm

[Dicegirly]

Hi guys.
I have just installed a new motherboard in my computer and something is not working right.
After several initial problems with booting, and then with turning itself off after a minute or so (think the heatsink was not seated on the cpu properly), its finally running and staying running.
However, whenever I start playing any games (nothing too stressful, bit of cinematic in an adventure game, standing around in a city in world of warcraft), it starts making the 'ambulance' alarm sound.
When it was just a short cinematic running, it stopped after the cinematic had ended, but with world of warcraft, I had to exit the game to stop it.
I have also installed a different (not new - pinched from my boyfriends computer) graphics card to my old one (my old was an AGP and this needed a PCI-E).
I'm guessing it might be something to do with the graphics as it seems to be when there is a little stress on the graphics card.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what I may be missing?

Here is my current setup:

Abit IP35 Motherboard
Intel Core2Duo e6550 (running at 2.38ghz, accoriding to system properties)
2x 1gb OCZ PC2-6400 DDR2 (in dual channel slots 1 and 3)
Nvidia GeForce 8500GS GFX card 512mb
480w PSU

and here is what I have tried so far:

-Reset CMOS with jumper (several times)
-Taken everything back off motherboard and replaced again
-Updated GFX card and Mobo drivers from manufacturer's websites
-Cried and bashed my head against the desk

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[AmberClad]

Well, it sounds like everything's up and running correctly. Maybe some of the temperature sensors are detecting dangerous or incorrect readings? What temps do SpeedFan report?

 

[Dicegirly]

Havn't heard of SpeedFan, Ill check it out now.

I just started up Nvidia's temperature monitor, went back into the game and ran about a bit till it alarmed again, and alt-tabbed back out. The cpu temp was showing about 45 degrees, and the GFX card about 55 degrees. Doesnt seem all that high to me.

Ill have a look at speedfan

 

[Dicegirly]

Ok, I ran speedfan as suggested. The basic temps look fine to me, but there is one temp running at 71 degrees, but I am not sure where it actually is. Not really sure what ACPI is apart from something to do with power management. Below is a link to a screenie of the results page:

http://img75.imageshack.us/my....image=speedfan1ig5.jpg

Looks like there is something amiss somewhere in there. The computer has been on for about 5 hours or so, maybe 2 hours of which doing anything more strenuous than web browsing.
What can I do to cool down the ACPI? (and where is it? )

 

[AmberClad]

Yeah, the 71C looks a bit suspect. It's not one of the Winbond motherboard sensors and it's not one of the CPU sensors, so I don't know what that would be corresponding to.

I'm not familiar with this particular board, but if you go into the BIOS, you might see some options for enabling or disabling alarms, for things like 0RPM CPU fan speeds or CPU temp warnings. If you try to disable some of those, it might give you some clues as far as which alarm is getting triggered.

 

[Gillbot]

Check in the bios at the CPU temps. My bro's IP35-E did the same thing.

 

[Dicegirly]

Ok, having looked closely at the BIOS temperatures, it is showing my CPU temp at 70+ degrees. Wheras SpeedFan is showing the high temp still as the ACPI temp, and the CPU temp is fine at around 35 degrees.

Does this mean I havn't applied my thermal paste correctly or something like that?

 

[dawp]

that's what it sounds like, are you using the stock cooler? anyways, remove the cooler, clean both cpu and bottom of cooler and apply paste of choice. AS5 is pretty good as are some others. and did you remove any plastic covering that may have been on the cooler base to protect it?

 

[KeaBorg]

Turn off the alarms in the bios. Mine is currently reading 90+C in the bios and if I clear it sounds like an ambulance. Just disable it and DL CoreTemp to make sure your cpu is operationg properly. There are quite a few IP35-E's that have this problem so it's common.

 

[Dicegirly]

There was no plastic covering or anything as I have been using the CPU and heatsink for a few months now, and only started havig this problem with the new motherboard.
I cleaned the old stuff off and replaced it when I installed the new motherboard.

Will it running at 70+ degrees not harm it if I disable the alarm?

 

[AmberClad]

It's certainly not unheard of for motherboard sensors used for measuring CPU temperatures to be wildly inaccurate. If the CPU's own sensors are showing acceptable temperatures (your Core 0 and Core 1 temps in SpeedFan look fine), then it's probably not something to worry about.

 

[Dicegirly]

I think I have disabled the alarm in the bios, there wasnt anythign specific that said 'turn off alarm' but I changed the 'ideal temperature' for cpu to a higher temp so hopefully that might do it.

Thanks a lot for your help guys, I very much appreciate it.