Operating temps for 3200+

What are the safe operating temps for an AMD 3200+ cpu? What is considered high and dangerously high etc..

I currently maxed out at 60*-61* diode and about 55-57 socket under prime95 load.

This is on an Asus A7N8x with a stock alu HS with a copper core.

What would you suggest for a better heatsink?

WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!!!
...and the sickness

I would say those temps are too high. 70c is within the danger zone. AMD dosnt reccoment running past 70c. You core will fry @ 80c.. so you dont have much room.

As for a replacement HSF there are several brands that have a very good repuation: Swifttech, Zalhman, and Thermalright.

Personally I'd go pick up Thermalright's 900A. Its tried and true... one fine heatsink

A Heatsink.

I would use this one:

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/prod...2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=58508

Arctic heatsinks are proven to be good. It Goes Up To 3400+ too so your computer's processor should be fine with it.

meehh.....my 2800 runs at 70clol

amd = 70C or less
reality = problems at 60 and up for some people

There thats about it. Oh yeah, the ThermalRight SP-97 + tornado = best aircooling (for those with sensitive ears can use a quieter fan or a fan controller)

I have had EXTENSIVE problems at 60C with my AMD athlon xps. I would highly recommend getting it down. I also use an A7N8X.

Things you can do:
1) First, get a good all copper heatsink.
2) Use arctic silver (and do not put it on with a trowel, a THIN layer)
3) Increase your air circulation through the case. What is your current fan setup? An exhaust fan on the top of the PC can work wonders. Keep the intakes down low in the front. Also, do not have your fans compete for air. If your cpu fan blows down onto the chip, if there is a case fan near it, it should blow into the cpu fan, not away from it, or the cpu fan will get starved for air.
4) Clean the dust out of your heatsink. This can matter a LOT.
5) Make a duct (there are some posts on the cooling forum about that)
6) Leave the case open
7) Water cooling

I use Vantec Tornados, but they are LOUD. It really is like a hairdryer.

I don't like running any cpu , AMD or Intel, at or anywhere above 55C. I almost freaked out when I couldn't get my new P4 2.4a below 50C (started out low-mid 50's) when oc'ing it to 3200. I finally got it down to mid 40's with lapping/sanding, AS-5 and strategic experimentation & placement with four case fans to eliminate thermal dead zones (hot "doldrums" around the cpu area) in my case.

On the other hand, I also just got a 2500+ Barton for one of my Linux machines, and running it in an MSI KT3 Ultra 2 mobo (MSI mobos seem infamous for running hot), and only have an old socket 370 Alpha (all aluminum) cooler that just happens to fit, and temps are only reported as 37C with FSB set to 184MHz (fast as I can get without video artifacts since the mobo only has a 1/5 divider and the FX5200 vid card can't handle to fast oc'ed AGP bus speeds). And AMD's are historically always supposed to be hotter on average than Intel??? Shyeah right!

Hey Sentential: You're a pilot I take it? (from the Cessna avatar). Me too!!! I own an antique Piper Cherokee 140. Not much of a plane, but it sure is a lot of fun.

When I first set up my rig I was running at 50c under load stock. I did a bit of overclocking (166x11) and I was hitting 62c under load. I also couldn't run prime95 for more than 5 minutes without getting an error. I came here, read about lapping and decided to try it for myself. A few hours later I reinstalled everything and I was down to 45c :shocked:. Now I'm doing 200x10.5 at 45-50c depending on how cold it is outside. When it gets really hot I might hit 55c but that's good enough for me. No matter what it's 100% prime stable.

Well the main problem with the gigbyte cooler was it wasn't in full contact wiht the chip.. so we switched it for the stock HSF and it works better
Sandra actyually runs the burn wizards. which it didn't do before.
But he is still getting some odd errors.. but temps are down to low 50's upper 40's diode