P3 800EB Operating Temperature

[JMF]

Approximately 1 month ago I replaced my stock Intel fan&heatsink with a Golden Orb on my non-overclocked P3 800EB using a Asus CSUL2-C motherboard. It appeared the fan installed okay. Computer runs fine... so I thought.

While playing CPU intensive games I found the system was bogging down. I finally decided to reload the PC Probe program. To my dismay and great unhappiness I found that while idle my CPU ran at approx. 38-40C, however when playing CPU intensive games the temp. would go up quickly to 90+C, even 100C. I never encountered a crash, just a slow down and bogging. I replaced the golden ord with my old intel fan and tried again. Now at idle the temp is 36-38C and at load it goes up to 48-52C. Everything runs fine, no slow downs. Obviously the Golden Orb was not installed right. I don't do much CPU intensive stuff, so I guess that would explain why I mistakenly thought the new fan was installed correctly and the system was running fine. MY BAD!

My questions are:
1) What should my operating temp be under load and at idle?
2) Have I done any damage? If so, how much?
3) What fan/heatsink combo is best for me?

Thanks
BTW, I'm new to the forum. I think I've come to the experts.

[The Doors]

Hi JMF, welcome to the Forum,
It's really difficult to say if your chip is damaged, but for sure my old P/// 800EB was damaged with a temp of more than 120 degree C for the same kind of prob, a Gorb not installed properly!
The temp @full load, after had reseated the heatsink and generic thermal paste on the Cpu core, was around 43 degree C, and the Overclockers.com guys (especially Newbie_Doo) confirmed me that the chip was fried by the fact that I got spontaneous reboot.
I suggest you to go with an high performance cooler like the Millenium Glaciator II or a Thermalright SK6.

I hope it helps you ;)

P.S. if you wanna take a look to my old topic click here (http://forums.overclockers.ws/vb/showthread.php?threadid=26369&highlight=PIII+800EB)

[William]

Run a good test like Prime or Sisoft Burn In and see how things go with those temp wise. Sounds like something wasn't installed, the Gorb isn't great, but not THAT bad either. Intels seem to be a little more heat tollerable than athlons are. From what you said, it sounds like you are OK but i would watch it closely. For heatsinks, you can get away with less on a P3, but a Glac2 would be an awesome choice.

[Yodums]

Your load temps should be only 45-50 Celius.

Your chip doesn't seem damaged.

Did you apply Artic Silver? Good thin layer?

I'm guessing there wasn't good contact at all between the two.

[Kingslayer]

Intel shows 85 degrees C as the max for an 800EB. This is lenient. Chances are your chip is OK. I would advise something with out the word "Orb" in it though...

[Yodums]

Originally posted by Kingslayer
Intel shows 85 degrees C as the max for an 800EB. This is lenient. Chances are your chip is OK. I would advise something with out the word "Orb" in it though...

Although I didn't think the orb would be the factor in this case I mean don't you think that it would be 5-6 degrees better than the default stock heatsink..

[CrystalMethod]

Orbs are generally good as paperweights when it comes to overclocking. At stock speed if you're getting those temps, I'd check the thermal interface that you're using, and how you've mounted it. I think the cpu should still be ok. When I had my Orb on with my celly running at 1066, my temps never came even close to what you're getting, even under full load.

[JMF]

Thanks for all the feedback.

To answer tsumani's question, yes I did have thermal grease on the Golden Orb. But it didn't matter because since I had the orb turned 180 degrees the wrong way it wasn't making good contact with the CPU.

Update
I went back to the place I bought the Golden Orb hoping they would let me return it. Hey, the guy told me it would fit. Of course they wouldn't take it back, but the guy did offer my a Tt Volcano 5 at cost ($15 Cdn). I took him up on the offer thinking a comparision to the stock Intel would be interesting. I am currently testing, but so far the Volcano 5 performs pretty much the same as the Intel. Idle runs 33-37C and 52-58C at load.
Note:
Volcano 5: RPM 4900+
Intel: RPM 4400

I'm beginning to think I need to add case fans if I want to bring down the CPU temp. Any thoughts?

BTW, any body want a Golden Orb? It's going CHEAP.

[JMF]

I forgot to mention, when you turn the Golden Orb the correct way it hits some capacitors on the Mobo. Hence, why I tried to return it.

So for anybody out there with a Asus CUSL2-C, don't get a Golden Orb.

Another update, no crashes or performance degredation to speak of. Ran a CPU benchmark on Sandra and the chip came in pretty much on spec. It seems I may have survived this one.

Can anybody comment on this. A guy was telling me Intel's will step down there frequency when they sense increased temp as a means of protecting themselves from damage by idiots like me. Anybody else heard this?

[Kingslayer]

Originally posted by tsunami


Although I didn't think the orb would be the factor in this case I mean don't you think that it would be 5-6 degrees better than the default stock heatsink..

I believe that the orb is the factor in this case. The original golden orbs used a twist on locking mechanism that was notorious for not seating properly, leaving a gap because of poor manufacture, or if it did lock, you usually snapped your core in half because of the obscene amount of pressure required to get it on.

Gorbs are absolute garbage and should be avoided at all costs.

[CrystalMethod]

Originally posted by Kingslayer


...Gorbs are absolute garbage and should be avoided at all costs.

i was thinking that a pair of them would make awesome rear wheels for my rc car...