AlexM

Hi,

Why not check out http://www.cpuidle.de/

CPUIdle is a utility which halts the processor during idle cycles, and consequently reduces power consumption and heat.

Does the EPOX board use the on-die thermal diode, or a thermistor in the socket?. Calibration of these devices can be way off.

By way of a reference, I have an MSI Nforce board with a XP2100+, a swiftech MCX462 heatsink with a quietish 80mm Thermaltake smartfan. With an ambient (case temp) of around 28deg, my CPU idles at 42/43, and maxes out at 49deg under full, sustained load.

This is with a a very well ventilated case (Coolermaster ACS201) and a two fan Enermax PSU (making for a total of seven fans!). If your case and PSU are cheapies, and the heatsink is marginal, then 60deg isn't that suprising.

If you don't have any stability issues, then I wouldn't worry too much as the processor and MB will probably be obsolete before it expires.

As a general rule, each 10deg C rise above 40c halves the life of an electronic component, and each 10deg C reduction below this doubles it, but so what - an excuse to upgrade!. 60Deg is well inside AMD's max Tdie (90C).

Cheers,

Alex


[Edited by AlexM - 10/2/2002 12:01:12 PM]

ozzy

Hi Alex,

I've checked the things you suggested.

1) The heatsinks defo on right. The step is over the thick plastic part of the socket (where the lever pivots). On my board, it's towards the memory slots and not the PSU.

2) Spring is holding the cooler tight to the CPU. It doesn't drop any more adding any more pressure.

3) I've removed all the thermal grease and re-applied making sure it's nice and thin.

4) I've also managed to get hold of another 60mm fan (5000rpm one) and that's made a big difference straight off.

When I re-fitted the cooler with the original silent fan, it was up around 50-55 degrees. Now with the faster fan, it's averaging 47-48 degrees.

Does that sound more like it?

Stefan

[Edited by ozzy - 10/3/2002 10:25:14 AM]

ozzy

Finally managed to get my hands on my Epox motherboard after eBuyer @rsing me around.

Built the PC last night and everything looked great. It's based around an Epox 8K3A+, XP 2000+, Gainward Ti4200 and an IBM 100GB ATA100 Disk.

Went for the new Coolermaster H61 silent heatsink/fan, but the motherboard's reporting the CPU temp as 60 degrees C

The case has 3 fans (all working), but it still feels pretty hot around the CPU and the cheap bundled case PSU doesn't have a fan blowing over the CPU

Should I change the PSU or is there some serious flaw with the CPU cooler?

Stefan

super_si

My P4 runs at 40-50ish and i thought that was hot!

chiark

Hmm, sounds a little hot if you're not hitting the processor to me. I'm running an Epox mobo (good aren't they ?) and an old Athlon 1400 based on the Thunderbird core, and only see 50 rarely when MP3 encoding with Seti running etc...

Suggest this is too hot. Are you using a good thermal conductor between sink and core?

Nick

ozzy

Hi Nick,

I'm just using the thermal grease that came with the cooler is that a big no, no?

It's hitting 57/58 just booting up

Stefan

AlexM

Hi,

A couple of things to check...

1) You have put the heatsink on the right way round, right?. The 'step' in the bottom of the heatsink should be nearest the PSU.

2) Check the tension of the spring clip by pressing gently on the HSF, and seeing if the temps drop.

3) Don't drown the processor in thermal grease. Only a very thin layer is required. Proprietary heatsink compounds (artic silver III, nanotherm) are better, but only by a maximum of a couple of degrees in tests.

4) What fan is fitted to your heatsink? if it's a 60mm fan, you will get high temps unless fan speeds are greater than 5400rpm. The fan should be rated at >24cfm at it's running speed.

Been there, done that, and have the melted processors to prove it!.

Cheers,

Alex

ozzy

Thanks Alex, I'll check those when I get home tonight.

The fan only runs around 3000rpm, but I didn't see anything to suggest it should run higher; just assumed it was designed that way to be as near "silent" as possible.

Stefan

krankyd

make sure the fan is blowin the air in the correct direction also.

I believe that this makes a differance, but I can't remember which way around it goes

AlexM

Hi,

OK, I've checked the specs of your cooler, and the fan is rated at 13cfm... I think we need look no further!. With an AXP2000+, this just isn't enough. Your fan should be blowing down into the heatsink.

The heastsink iteself is the same as that used with the Coolermaster HHC-001, which is a good unit with the right fan.

You can change the fan to a Sanyo-Denki or YS-Tech unit that offer almost twice the CFM at a reasonable noise level.

See http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Sanyo_Denki_73.html
or http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_YS_Tech_Fans_60.html .

These cost £8 and £3 + vat and shipping respectively.

I'd still check that the HSF is correctly fitted though.

Rgds,

Alex


[Edited by AlexM - 10/2/2002 12:40:23 PM]

[Edited by AlexM - 10/2/2002 12:41:02 PM]

chiark

Yes, sounds hot.

You need the thinnest layer of thermal contact paste as possible - use a credit card or similar to get a thin layer...

Also, be careful taking the heat sink off that you don't crush the core. be gentle

Thunder77

That sounds better. I run 44-46 idle and 48-50 under 100% cpu load.