Why am I overheating?

[LimeGreen]

I don't get it, here are my specs.

CPU: Athlon XP 1800+ @ 1533Mhz
Mobo: MSI K7T266 Pro-RU
Heatsync/Fan: Thermalright SK-6, ALL COPPER, Heatsink with Delta 60X60X25 38CFM fan
2 Panaflo Case fans and 1 Blower (Panaflo)

Other:
512 DDR2100
Video: GeForce2 MX200 (Shouldn't be making too much heat)

I've seen people run with much less than what I have and they have no problems.
Right now I have only 2 IE windows open, I should be no where near full load yet I'm running at 41C / 56C (CPU).
I've checked contact between the CPU and Heatsync, wasn't sure if it was tight because it was sliding if I applied a little pressure. Today I added a shim and re-applied the Artic Silver.

If anyone has any suggestions please let me know,

Thanks.

 

[SuperSix]

How are you measuring these temps? Have you done any research to see how accurate the onboard thermistor is if you are using that to check?

 

[LimeGreen]

I'm using the onboard with MBM5.

 

[LimeGreen]

BTW I think I'm overheating because today without warning my computer rebooted, and it has never done this before. I checked out the temperatures in my BIOS right after it rebooted and the CPU was close to 60C.

I can't imagine my onboard temperature reader being off by that much, especially considering the reboots.

 

[Jerboy]

<< Why am I overheating? >>



You're overheating because you have a fever.

try this

 

[John]

My K7N420 Pro / XP1900+ / SK6 says it is running 60C thru the socket thermistor. I would consider it failrly inaccurate.

 

[nemo160]

my tbird 1.4/epox 8k7a+/sk-6 w/ delta 38 runs about 38-41 full load, dead stable though
check the voltage readings in mbm5, your psu may be putting out to much juice and unintentionally overvolting it, and there's your extra heat and instability

 

[WarCon]

I can only guess that the 41C measurement that you gave represents your system temps (thats the air the SK-6 is using to cool the heatsink). So there is only a 15C difference between the two. Thats probably right for that heatsink. I think your problem is your system temp. My watercooler rarely ever gets 41C at full load (But my system temps rarely ever hit even 30C and I blow the air from my radiator into the case). I think you need to examine your airflow through your case and see if your getting a pool of stagnant swirling air over the processor area. If you had a sheet of lexan, you could hold it over one of your side panels and run a little smoke (I am sure there is something else you could use, but it is probably pretty expensive) and see how the air flow is in your case.

Is your computer stuffed into the compartment made for towers in a computer desk or anywhere else it might be recycling air that it put out. If your room is really warm then that might be an issue too.

You should also try to balance your input of air into your case to the output of air, but be a little more air in than out so you don't draw air through your drive (dust sucks). I use a filter, which slightly restricts airflow in, so you need to take that into account when you lay out which fans blow in and which out.

Hope you get this solved.............


..........edit..........
Also if your on the ragged edge of stability for what your system will do, your system will be much more sensitive to heat than if you take the clock down a bit.

 

[LimeGreen]

Well as for the airflow in my computer I have everything blowing out the back pretty much. I have 1 fan at the front towards the bottom blowing to the back, another one in the middle of the case blowing back, and a blower over the CPU blowing out the back.

I know that the CPU fan is almost always supposed to be blowing down onto the CPU, but I tried reversing it so it would blow into the blower, and then the blower would shoot it all out the back. But that didn't work very well and I noticed the temp rising so I switched it back. Does the fact that my CPU fan blows down onto the CPU, and a blower right over it sucking air from the CPU and out the back matter?

Right now it says 38C / 51C.

Are there any cases where 2 shims would be better than one? I put the shim in, but like I said it didn't really help and now I'm wondering if I might need more...

 

[Siddhartha]

I question the motherboard's accuracy. I have the same mb and even after being off all day it reports that my system temperature is only 3 degrees C lower than my cpu. I keep my case open and the room around 70 degrees F.

 

[dunkster]

My previous mobo was an MSI (6309) and I also used MBM for temp monitoring. I recall some problems in identifying which temp signals were proper and, after identifying them, there was a temperature disagreement between MBM and MSI BIOS temps. I adjusted the MBM temp offset to match the MSI BIOS numbers, but I was never really confident in the accuracy of the numbers. You can identify the proper cpu sensor by the rapid temp change between cpu-idle and cpu-loaded, versus slower change in board temp sensor.

Good case air flow is important. In my case, best results are with 2 80mm fans extracting at rear of case. Board temp should be as close to room air temp as possible. I found that adding fans has minimal effect on temps and just adds more load to the power supply. My case is Antec 1030.

I highly recommend either the Alpha 8045 or Swiftech coolers. Mine is Alpha 8045U (Supplied with moderate-noise Delta fan) for about $50. I have Abit KR7A/Alpha 8045/XP1600@148MHz FSB combo. CPU idle is mid-30s, generally tracking just a few degrees above ambient room air temp. Max loaded cpu temp I've observed is 41C. I installed the cooler with fan blowing air into the heatsink and have never felt the need to change that.

Hope this helps!

 

[SuperSix]

<< Right now it says 38C / 51C. >>



THat large difference indicates either bad airflow, of the shim you are using is keeping the fan from getting 100% contact with the die. Lose the shim, see if that helps.

 

[Jerboy]

<<

Are there any cases where 2 shims would be better than one? I put the shim in, but like I said it didn't really help and now I'm wondering if I might need more... >>



Shims doesn't serve any functional purposes. You only install a shim to prevent the heatsink from tilting on the core during installation.

 

[MadRat]

He probably used the shim and left the rubber pads on...

 

[PlatinumGold]

OMG OMG

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT use 2 shims at the same time.

OMG OMG

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT use 2 shims at the same time.

OMG OMG

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT use 2 shims at the same time.

OMG OMG

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT use 2 shims at the same time.

this is a very good way to burn out ur cpu. Shims do not aid in cooling at all. the only reason to use a shim is if ur worried that you might crack the core.

if the shim gets thicker than the core and keeps the HS from making good contact w/ the core it will actually be detrimental to cooling.

OMG OMG

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT use 2 shims at the same time.

i hope i made that clear.

 

[AA0]

I don't know if shims are the answer... there seems to be a few problems. The first is the motherboard temps, 41C is dangerously high, IMO, I set my system to shutdown at 35C. It runs between 23-25 normally.

The large difference in board and cpu temp is also a problem, but it could be the same as your case temp problems. You aren't sitting beside a heat vent, or heater are you? your ambient temps must be high for that cooling solution and those temps.

Either that or the board sensors are just screwed up. When its not 60C, touch the HSF base and see if its warm and really that, or touch the board.

 

[visceral]

here i have:
XP1800+ on a Epox DDR oojar wosit mobo
currently sitting idle at 21c\37.5c
hottest i've ever seen it at is 46c i think.
this is with a standard 5200 coolermaster HSF with a vail of stock thermal grease btw.