New machine shutdown issue

[tj06]

Greetings everyone! I've just put together a new machine using some decent gear, but I've got an overheating CPU that rises to 175+F, then shuts down.

I popped the CPU out, verifed gold arrow aligns with mark on MB, she sat down nice, the lever came down and locked. Fired it back up, jumped into bios, the temperature did the same as before rising to 175 + F then shut down.

I'm new to building my own, so maybe there is something I missed. Got any ideas?

K8N Neo2 Platinum
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0GHz, 939-Pin
AC Freezer 64
Kingston 512mb PC3200 PC400 DDR

 

[shilala]

What heatsink/fan are you using? What type of thermal grease?

 

[tj06]

AC Freezer 64
(Arctic-cooling)

Comes with it's own thermal compound MX-1

 

[NichowA]

Double check to make sure you are seating the heatsink correctly and getting good coverage with the thermal paste. At the rate it is overheating it sounds like you aren't getting any contact at all between the heatsink and the cpu

 

[jackschmittusa]

Is the thermal compound a pad? Does it have a piece of plastic film on it that needs to be removed for installation?

 

[tj06]

OK. Been a month now, here's what I've done. First thoughts were the CPU was bad due the temperature spike to 175 so I sent it back to Newegg and bought a 3500 in it's place.
Popped it in, fired it up... 175 degrees, shut down.

Must be the Motherboard. Sent the mb back, replaced it with K8N Neo4. Fired it up.... 175 degrees, shut down.

Must be the power supply. Took a power supply out of another machine, popped it in. Fired it up... 175 degrees, shut down.

It takes about 2 to 3 minutes to happen. I've even put a 14" floor fan on high and it does not help. What the f**k will?

Do you guys go through this garbage when you assemble your own? HELP!!!

 

[Paperlantern]

v core settings OK?

 

[tj06]

V core... Under normal circumstances, there would be ample time to enter setup and examine settings. I fear damage is being done by the high temps. I'm reluctant to fire this thing up again.

Anyone know a trusted tech in the Long Island area that could deal with an oddball problem like this?

 

[mechBgon]

1) dumb question, but the heatsink fan does run, right?

2) when you remove the heatsink, is it evident that it's getting a square, powerful clamp-down against the CPU? There should be heavy adhesion between them, it shouldn't be easy to just lift the heatsink off the CPU.


Check that the heatsink receiver frame is fully bolted down to the mobo, because if it's loose, then the heatsink isn't going to get a full clampdown.

 

[firerock]

Another obvious question...you plugged in the fan power supply, right?

 

[ShadowBlade]

when you turn it on, can you physically feel heat on the heatsink...if not, then you dont have it secured properly or that heatsink isnt compatible with your cpu

 

[daniel49]

also to much goop will be as bad as not having enough you want a complete but thin layer.

is the heatsink actually hot..I have an abit board reported 170 degrees but was lying bios flash fixed it.
of course you tried 2 different mb so thats pretty iffy.

 

[Paperlantern]

Originally posted by: daniel49
also to much goop will be as bad as not having enough you want a complete but thin layer.

is the heatsink actually hot..I have an abit board reported 170 degrees but was lying bios flash fixed it.
of course you tried 2 different mb so thats pretty iffy.

hmmmm, not if the same MB came wiht the same BIOS version, you may be on to something here, there may be no physical problem... that is IF the HSF assembly IS getting hot, and its all installed properly, it may very well be a simple missreport, the board THINKS its getting to hot, and shuts down

 

[tj06]

Thanks for the response guys.

Checking for heat coming off the Freezer 64, there is none. Unhooked it, examined the compound on the cpu and found too much. Cleaned it off with tissue then gently cleaned it up with alcohol.

Reapplied a THIN coat of Dynex silver thermal compound, reinstalled cpu into the 939 socket, then installed the retention module. Next the thermal convector (looks like cardboard) butts up against the retention module (does not touch cpu though) and finally the Freezer 64 hooks onto the retention module sandwiching the thermal convector between the two.

http://www.arctic-cooling.com/downloads/installation/install_freezer64.pdf

Fired it back up again, artic Freezer 64 fan spins but no heat dissipation. Temp goes north of 150 then shuts down, still no heat dissipation from the freezer.

OK, so the problem looks to be heat sink related. From what I've described, does anything in my procedure jump out as wrong?

 

[stevty2889]

are you putting in on the same way every time? if it's not getting warm, and your temp is rising that fast, then it is obviously not making contact with the CPU..

 

[tj06]

The Freezer 64 retention plate (shown in step 3 http://www.arctic-cooling.com/downloads/installation/install_freezer64.pdf) frames the cpu and the thermal pad frames the opposite side. The mat portion of the plate (maybe 2/16 thick) PREVENTS contact between the cpu and the thermal pad. You guys are saying there MUST be contact so I took a hack saw blade and removed the mat portion of the retention plate. Now the retention plate frames the cpu with no mat (top of cpu now totally exposed) so the thermal pad now has 100% contact, sandwiched between the cpu and the copper plate of the cooler. I locked the cooler down, plugged it in, fired it back up again. Kept my hand above the cooler (cooler fan spinning) hoping to feel the cooler dissipate heat, my son entered setup to check temperature? 100+, 120+, 130+, 140+, 150+ shut down. No heat coming off the cooler.

Couple observations about the Freezer 64:

This model is for the Athlon 64 (up to 5000) I?m running a Athlon 64 3500 so according to their web site, it is correct for this cpu.

The included retention plate goes underneath the mounting plate requiring longer screws which they DO NOT include. I had to go running around finally finding them at the Home Depot.

They do not include instructions with the product. The installation instructions on their web site does not explain contact must be made between cpu and thermal pad, they do not explain the mat PREVENTING contact between the two.

Responding to the possibility of something on the thermal pad preventing heat transfer, I peeled the first layer off both sides of the pad. It shredded just like cardboard would, it wasn?t some kind of protection that should be peeled off to properly install the cooler.

Just to confirm, the thermal paste only goes between the cpu and pad, not between the pad and the copper mount of the cooler ? correct?

So in conclusion here, I?ve now got 100% contact between cpu and thermal pad, the cooler is properly clamped down, but results are negative. I think I?ll simply pick up a stock heat sink fan today from CompUSA or wherever I can find one and try that.

 

[stevty2889]

If it already has a thermal pad..you don't use thermal paste as well, one or the other, it's just a thin contact layer to fill in any small pits in the surface of the heatsink or CPU, to ensure proper contact. How do you think a heatink is gonna work, if it isn't making contact with the source of the heat? Rather than feeling for warm air blowing off the fan, you need to actualy touch the heatsink to feel if it's getting warm. Since you are obviously having serious issues with getting this heatsink properly installed. I highly recomend finding a proffesional to install it for you at this time, because you don't seem to know what you are doing, and may very well damage your system...

 

[tj06]

Thanks to all for pointing me to the HSF which was incorrectly installed all along. Following the instructions thew me off course as I thought I had to use the thermal pad. It was stevty2889 explaining to use either the pad or the paste (not both) that got me on the right track, thanks.

Temps at idle are about 30c right now. After I get fully assembled and running I'll post in the Athlon 64 temp thread.