Cooling i7 Core Temp >80 degrees

Hi guys

I have recently built a system (basically using all the recommended parts from the Custom PC performance PC list).

Its only been a week since everything is up and running before i started noticing temperature problems with the CPU. Firstly, the relevant parts in setup:

i7-930 cooled by Akasa Nero S
Gigabyte X58-UD3R
Antec 902 case
Nothing is overclocked.

When idle, most cores have a temperature around 30-35 degrees. GPU/HDD temps are all in the low 30s as well.

However, when i run the prime95 tortune test, it shoots up to >80 degrees within the space of 10 seconds. (other component temperatures normal)

When i stop the torture test, the temperature falls rapidly back down to 30-35 degrees.

Is this a problem with the temperature sensor, or a problem with my heatsink application? I applied tim as suggested in this Bit-tech article (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2009/02/16/all-about-tim/5) - which suggested i spread the TIM with my finger.

Would it be worth dismantling the PC and reapplying TIM using the pea method where the heatsink spreads the TIM over the chip? This would be a pain to do with this cooler, it was really hard to hook up the first time

Thanks for your help

 

Although your idle temps are a bit higher than what I'd be happy with, they're not particularly high. It normally takes more than 10 secs for my temps to rise and fall. what temperature program are you using?

1 thing, although the temps are jumping quickly, they are not hitting a dangerously high level, which suggests everything is ok.

 

Thanks for the quick reply.

I have used Speedfan and RealTemp to monitor the temperature rise and fall, and both give similar results.

Also, isnt operating at 80-85+ degrees too high? Its only less than 10 degrees lower than the max temp before shutdown - and i manually stop the prime95 test - I dont think mine could complete a whole round without shutting down, and i dont want to risk it!!

 

What you'll find with your CPU, is that once it gets to a critical point it'll throttle back to stop itself from overheating, this is probably at about the temps that you're hitting, also the i7's don't seem to mind getting a bit warm.

 

The core i7's are one of the hotter running CPUs out there. Some discussion on the subject here. Max temp appears to be 100c - but note Bulldogjeff's point about self-throttling back. Another factor to consider is your case airflow plan/fans.

 

This is not ok. For what you have (even a hot running one), the delta T between idle and load is massive, and indicates that your cooler is not seated properly. I would take it off, make sure you've got a good amount of TIM (about the size of a small BB) on it, then put it back on.

i7s are hot running chips, but you'd expect to see that sort of temperature if it was at 4GHz+.

You should not be seeing temperatures of above about 65-70C when not overclocked, at worst.

 

Thanks for your responses. I have ordered some Arctic Silver TIM and a TIM remover, and will try reapplying the TIM when it arrives...

Anybody have some tips on applying the TIM? smudge it or let the heatsink spread it?

 

let the heatsink spread it is my way. It might not be best, but it'll work and you don't have to be really good at it to make it work well.

 

Yep have to agree with bakes, thats the way i like to do it.

A little tip, when you remove the cpu, run it for about 10 mins to warm up the TIM, it'll come away from the heat sink much easier than pulling at it and running the risk of bending a few pins.

 

Also make sure the cpu cooler is blowing air out the back of the case. Fan on the DVD drive side of the case and not fighting any case fans

 

In my experience there are a couple of things that seem likely. The most likely is that although you have spread the TIM evenly, there is a possibility that maybe it's applied too thickly.

As far as method of application. I tend to do the spreading with the finger part, making sure that the amount of TIM is a little as possible, but completely covering the heatspreader. Then when I mount the heatsink, there tends to be just a tiny bit of play in the heatsink once it is attached to the mounting bracket. I just get the sink between thumb and finger and give it a little wiggle just to make sure there aren't any gaps between the heatsink and heatspreader.

The other possibility is that you do have a faulty temperature sensor - I remember once owning an Athlon XP 2600+ back in the day that ran at 110+ stock! If this is still the case after you've reapplied the TIM then you may be able to get an exchange from the place you bought your CPU.

 

Hey Guys,

I think the problem is fixed now. I removed the heatsink (real pain in the ass to remove...) from the CPU and cleaned away the old TIM, and applied some fresh Artic silver 5 according to manufacturers instructions.

Also, i think this problem was caused by me not screwing on the heatsink down onto the CPU tightly enough - this time i bolted it down tight.

Temperature @ Idle: around 22 degrees
Temperature @100%: around 45-50 degrees

Many thanks for your help

 

Good to know, those are nice temperatures

 

That's better

I can understand why you didn't tighten down the heatsink first time. It can be somewhat nerve wracking when fitting a new heatsink - especially a model that you've never dealt with before.

 

I'm in pretty much the same boat with a new build 930 / Nero S. I'm a noob as I haven't built anything for over 10 years.

Are the temperatures you quote here deltas (i.e. above abient) or absolute?

The reason I ask is I'm trying to work out if I need to pull the Nero S out and try again. Bit Tech review of Nero S quoted 14 degrees delta for an i7-965 overclocked to 3.6GHz. I'm seeing stock setting 930 deltas of 15 degrees at idle and 44 at load (ambient 26 degrees) as reported by HWMonitor. ...which I'm presuming is too high?

 

I suspect they're absolute temps from his SpeedFan and Realtemp monitoring - I would be surprised if those things measured delta temperatures.

I'm too inexperienced to be of much use but those numbers you quote don't sound too bad to me at 3.6 GHz.

 

Those are absolute temperatures i think...speedfan doenst mention deltas anywhere

 

I wish! Sorry for lack of clarity - currently 930 @ 2.8GHz (i.e. stock)

Idle - c.41 degrees absolute
100% load - c.70 degrees absolute

Case open, case fans on medium setting, CPU fan auto controlled by motherboard (ASUS QFan).

 

Ah...Hmmm, I get those sorts of numbers on my 920 o'clocked to 4GHz (as per Bakes' post above), so they do sound high.

Is your room especially hot? I guess you don't have a radiator on at this time of year (assuming you're Northern Hemisphere). Double check that your heatsink is screwed down tight? As Prozone found, if none of that is the issue maybe it's worth removing the 'sink, cleaning and re-applying TIM?

 

Warm for the UK - 25 to 27 degrees in my office-come-machine room. I guess I'll have to refit the HSF, but it's a bit of a b*gger. Any tips for fitting the Nero S? From the original experience; as soon as you get the first sprung bolt in place you need to keep significant pressure on the HSF until the opposite sprung bolt is in place - and I don't seem to have enough hands!