OMG!! Why am i hittin 68-74 degrees

ok i have a very large problem, my CPU is hitting 68degrees celcuis with idle cpu. And on a full load i think i saw it hit 74. could my mobo be lieing to me. i had issues like this before but it was usually around 58-61 degress and that was in the summer. Now the normal outside temps are...like 10 degrees lower. (my case is not the problem i checked by taken the sides off and lookin for a temp change). I am almost sure its not my PSU i just bought a enermax 300watt to replace my 350 generic one. WAIT could it be my overclocked videocard im almost sure its not.. my mobo temps are 30-40 max 35ish average.

my CPU is not overclocked and its has a valcano 9 heatsink and fan

oh ya these are not surface temps. i think they r core temps or close to there. but they never hit pass 70 before.

First off, check to make sure that you mounted the heatsink properly in the first place. If the base is kinda of rough (run your fingernail over the base and listen/feel for any ridges), then you will want to lap your heatsinke with some sandpaper. Also, if you are using AS (which just about everyone recommends), make sure you didnt put too much on the CPU. Also, make sure your case has decent airflow. Without airflow, your case can get mighty hot.

Incidently, what are you using to monitor your temps? Some motherboards tend to give very extreme temperature readings.

First off, what are you cooling that thing with, a soldering iron?!?!
Just kiddin.
Seriously, have you had to remove the heatsink for any reason?
if you did, you might have placed it wrong, or more horrible a thought, cracked your CPU die. What kinda TIM are you using? Also, what happens when you shut the computer down for awhile and turn it back on?
Do you have any way of verifying temps with the motherboard? (by using say "PC health status")
I've never seen a proc get that hot without some sort of stability degradation. Unless you're mobo is lying (asus is known for errand temp readings, but not gigabyte), I would power up the system while holding the "insert" key, which resets everything back down (not permanently), and see what the temps are in BIOS. if your temps slowly climb up (by say 1ºC every 30 seconds), you're probably ok and just have an airflow problem. But if your temps shoot up fast, then you have a problem either in the way the heatsink is mounted, or possibly a bad on-die temp sensor, which is extremely rare.

ok

here i checked it all its all on right i seated it on, its fine nothin wrong i havent taken it off for a while im using the bois temp readings. the case has very good airflow i take off 2 sides and no temp changes if there were then it was slight like 0.5-1 degree changes. (note i did the case test thing before a few times)

i am using as3 its on jus as the instructions said i used a credit card.

it seems normal when i turn it off and on nothing wrong wit stablitiy its very stable, also it has not been oced.

Wow!!!! My computer is set to shut down at 60 degrees and that would freak me out big time! I would replace that heatsink and get yourself a nice SLK900 or something like that. At least since you are using a Giga-Byte board and they don't have mounting holes at least reseat that HSF, those temps are crazy high.

Did this behavior just suddenly start? Have you made any recent changes to your machine? If its not bad case temps and you are running stock speeds and voltage then I would think it has to be either incorrect mounting of the HS or too much thermal compound. Since you have had the case doors off while it was running I would assume you verified that the fan on your HS is in working order?

the heatsink

the heatsink is on normally, like it always was, when i touch the heatsink and fan its doesnt even feel like its above 45 degrees (and my comp has been on for the past 36 hours)

ya the fan is workin its probably workin the hardest its set at 5600rpm definatily not too much thermal compund the heatsink is fine i think it jus gradually went up or something i jus figured it out last week, i didnt doo any hardware tweaks other than video card oc.

oh my valcaNO 9 is not busted or anything

what up fazz i was just strolling the forums and came upon your thread.

I dont want to repeat questions and comments that other previously asked so ill make it short.

I was having some heat probs so i took a couple of steps to remedy the situation. Id say even if those temps are bogus (which they just might be conidering the temp monitoring nightmare that the 7nnxp and the 400 pro are... especially with the early bioses). But ne way what better time to pust some serious elbow greese into your rig and hide all those power, ribbon, and fan wires. When i did it, it was at least good for 3 degrees celcius. If you want to go crazy lapping your heatsink it isnt a bad idea if your nipping and tucking every where (usually good for 2 deg C). Also if u mentioned that you are overclocking your video card... I know that it cant be getting that hot however on my 9800pro, before i changed the stock cooler the card was running at a rediculus 56 deg C on the back of the socket! I slapped a Chrome orb and some ram sinks and that dropped the temp of my cpu by a deg or 2....

Any way im not sure if all this crap is going to help and to be honest i bet this info is usless to u cause its kinda common overclocking knowledge that i bet u already know... but whatever i gave it a shot....

Prime

thx for the help everyone im think i might leave it, like i know its hot and all but considering all the stuff you guys r tellin me to do, that are not workin for me for some reason, i am now seriously thinking my mobo is jus goddamn messed up giving my messed up temps. hmm wires shouldnt be a problem. if the temps are still messed up in a few weeks i think ill leave it until i find a new mobo sometime in dec. maybe...