Very confused about CPU Temp! Please advise

[mathwizard314]

Hey guys - just finished putting together my very first PC system. It's an AMD Athlon64 2800+ running on an ABIT KV8 K8T800. I was running through the BIOS configuring the options, and I went into the PCHealth menu, and it shows the CPU temp at being 79 degrees celsius... not too sure, but I'm thinking that's way too high. The system temp is at 35 and the PWM is at 40. I've read that the early motherboards for the A64 read temps a little inaccurately. Anything I should be worried about? Thanks so much for your help through all this!

 

[oconnect]

79 is way too high for a cpu to be running idle in bios. I'm overclocking my cpu & at idle its 40 c. Are you sure it?s c & not f? If so you need additional cooling. Are you sure you put your cpu fan on correctly? Be sure that both pins are secure on the cpu. Also it is possible to put the fan on backwards. So I'd double check that. Also be sure that you put thermal grease not on the entire cpu. That can ruin the cpu but just the center chip in the middle of the cpu. If you've done all that I don't know what else it could be if everything is running at stock.

 

[mathwizard314]

Could someone please read over this thread

http://discuss.futuremark.com/forum/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=techmobocpu&Number=4044064&page=0&view=&sb=&o=&fpart=1&vc=1&dbid=1

and respond with their thoughts? I'm really at a stump

 

[mechBgon]

If the CPU and heatsink are making good flat high-pressure contact with eachother, and have a fairly-even, thin coat of thermal grease between them (and the fan is actually running), then don't get too concerned. Do check to ensure that the heatsink-receiver frame is evenly fastened to the board, not lifting at one end or at one corner, and ensure that the heatsink is engaging at both ends. It could just be that your motherboard is on crack.

 

[mathwizard314]

well, i did get the mobo for free with a combo... the heatsink seems to be secure. no way i can check if it's actually touching the processor then by removing it, but i don't want to risk that of course... it seems sturdy on there... any more suggestions on how to proceed?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: mathwizard314
well, i did get the mobo for free with a combo... the heatsink seems to be secure. no way i can check if it's actually touching the processor then by removing it, but i don't want to risk that of course... it seems sturdy on there... any more suggestions on how to proceed?

You could unlatch the heatsink and check out the thermal grease to see if it looks like it made contact all over. It should show a sort of wrinkled, peaky pattern where the two surfaces were making good contact. If it looks good, then smooth the thermal grease with a plastic sandwich bag over your fingertip and reinstall, and then give it a heavy workout with some UT2004 Demo or something

 

[mathwizard314]

If you were me though, would you just go ahead and use the PC normally and if it died, then RMA to NewEgg (since it is brand new)? Also, I guess I can run software temp tests once I get Windows installed.

 

[mechBgon]

I'd probably take the motherboard out of the case and verify to my own satisfaction that the heatsink frame is fully fastened to the board like it ought to be, and then clamp the heatsink in and look at it edgewise to satisfy myself that it was not sitting crooked or something. And if I were satisfied that it was making good firm contact with the CPU, then yeah, I'd say the heck with it and run it no matter what the BIOS thinks the temperature is

For my own Athlon64, I used one of these: Alpha PAL8150 photos No plastic frame needed, just the metal backplate under the CPU socket and screw Mr. Alpha down at each end and there you go

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

It's a problem with the bios reporting too hiigh a temp. Install the new 2.1 from Abit's website and it'll fix the problem. I was getting 79C last night, installed the new bios, now I get 47C.

The board is fine, the biios just has a problem with gauging the temp on the new Newcastle core that A64s are coming with now.