2nd FX-8120 still running hot, now what?

[BJB]

I'm waiting for the FX-8170, I plan on using the V6GT cooler on it, MB I will be using is the GA-990FXA-UD5.
My current system is Phenom II 1090T on a GA-880GA-UD3H MB with V6GT cooler and I run at stock speed with very nice temps. It also helps with a HAF 932 case

note: the TMPIN1 temp is the socket temp

Keep in mind that my core temps are low like yours. The problem for me is the socket temp gets rediculously hot because of all the thermal leakage. I don't think the V6GT will do nearly as well with an FX processor unless AMD comes out with a new stepping that dramatically improves temps.

 

[BJB]

Man dude you got some high socket temps. I am running my FX 8120 at stock volts on H100 full max. Since the stupid thing don't adjust the speed of the fans at stock my loads were 40-44C core depending on how many programs I run on each core. Then oc'ed 4.6ghz 46-50C load idle 36C. Then my socket is near 50C because I put back plate to transfer heat. That I took off my Thermal Take heat sink backing mount off Intel cooler and used some thermal tape to backing with some krazy glue to stick to metal part. My volts are 1.42v mobo info and hardware in sig. yea and this thing does not thottle down at all. I even tried to pump a lot of volts into to it to burn it in max I hit is 55C at 1.46v.

What's the VID on your 8120?

I think there may be some cavitation with my H100. I used to run custom water cooling, and I hear a sound that is similar to what I heard with my custom setup when I had air in the lines. I am debating on if I want to cut the hoses and refill, or just RMA it with Corsair. It sounds like air in the loop is a common occurrence with the Corsair water coolers though, so the next one may not be any better. Although you it sounds like you may have a good one. That or your processor has a lot less thermal leakage than both of mine.

 

[Bobnova]

Socket temps are best ignored, they mean nothing even if they're accurate.

 

[Sentential]

Socket temps are best ignored, they mean nothing even if they're accurate.

Agreed; my socket temps are probably going to be out of whack in the wrong direction as I have a fan blowing right on the diode on the back side of the mobo.

 

[KalaKava]

Well Okay my vid says 1.300v in core temp. But is that the same as vcore cause that's still at 1.42v. Well I did want to lap both the block and cpu, btw I am using this Cooler Master Thermal compound.

It had a template for it with a credit card plastic thing to spread the paste. Soon I am going to install some Scythe "ULTRA KAZE" 120 x 38 mm Case Fans on my H100.

133 cfm here I come it's going to sound like a motor boat in my house. Btw I have the rad mounted inside the case blowing air from outside to inside then though my exhaust it gets pretty warm when on load. I guess this way it cools all the components inside case like this.

When it's on full 8 core load the temps are 50C with heater on without 45C. Plus I can feel the warm hose that's pumping the water though the hoses.

 

[bassnut]

Well Okay my vid says 1.300v in core temp. But is that the same as vcore cause that's still at 1.42v. Well I did want to lap both the block and cpu, btw I am using this Cooler Master Thermal compound.

It had a template for it with a credit card plastic thing to spread the paste. Soon I am going to install some Scythe "ULTRA KAZE" 120 x 38 mm Case Fans on my H100.

133 cfm here I come it's going to sound like a motor boat in my house. Btw I have the rad mounted inside the case blowing air from outside to inside then though my exhaust it gets pretty warm when on load. I guess this way it cools all the components inside case like this.

When it's on full 8 core load the temps are 50C with heater on without 45C. Plus I can feel the warm hose that's pumping the water though the hoses.

I had a pair of the Ultra Kaze 38's on an H70 ...... your Case will sound more like a turbine than a motorboat ...... Yes they did make a difference on the H70 though.

 

[KalaKava]

OMFG my load temps with the ULTRA KAZE fans are 42C 1.42 volts with heater on in the house. Before was 44-48C with heater on and I got them running at 2500 RPM. My idle temps are 25-30C these fans are crazy good. But I got my knuckles peeled off by the fans when was putting temp prob through radiator.

I lapped the water block remounted. I assume you have bubbles in you loops. Because when it was chugging my temps were 55C idle for some reason. Cause when I first mounted it with the new fans I heard this chugging sound so I shake the tubes and radiator around mounted it again seems to be working fine.

Well this sound is quite pleasant at low RPM's but high everyone in the house is like where is that carpet cleaning truck around. Man it's loud at 3000 RPM. O well I am happy hope you have luck fixing your problem. Try remounting and shaking it back then forth to try to rid of clogs.

 

[bassnut]

yes .... get some fan gaurds on them puppy's ....... I cut off about 1/8" off the tip of my finger when I wasn't paying attention late one night.

 

[bigwils1]

So I exchanged my first FX-8120 due to it running too hot even at stock settings. I now have a 2nd FX-8120, and it still runs too hot IMO.

I purchased a Corsair H100 a couple days before I got the new processor. It easily cooled my X3 720 at 3.8ghz. So it seems to me the cooler isn't defective.

The first FX-8120 had a vid of 1.2675, and the new one has a vid of 1.4125. Based on what I have read the higher vid processors are supposed to have less leakage, and that seems to be the case for me. The only problem is that both processors hit a 55c socket temp at stock speeds. After 10-15 mins on p95 processors start to throttle down to keep the temps around 55c.

I see some success on this board and others, so it really makes me wonder if something is wrong with my H100 or if I just can't mount it well. I am not a fan of the H100 mounting system. It is easy to get on and off which is nice, but it also seems like the mounting design could be inherently prone to bad mounts. Maybe I am overthinking it, but it seems like it might not be perfectly flush if one side is tightened more than the other side. Originally I tightened both sides simultaneously until both screws bottom out. After that I tried alternating full turns on the screws until it is tight. I seem to get similar results both ways.

I am really frustrated and I don't know where to go from here. I have been building computers since the pentium 133 was around, and I have never experienced this level of frustration trying to cool a processor before. So does anyone have any suggestions besides buying an i5/i7 processor?

One more thing I forgot. The case is open, so no air flow issues, and the ambient temp is 21c.

Im hitting 4ghz 1.3200v using prime 95 it doesnt go above 54c and thats on a h40 im getting a h100 soon so i can aim for 4.5ghz

 

[trents]

If your case is open there probably in no air flow across the motherboard components. The mosfets, chokes and capacitors around the motherbaord socket all put out a lot of heat and if there is not air being drawn across the board that heat just sits there. It's also true that one of the drawbacks of water cooling is that there is no cooler fan that stirs up air in the socket area so to have good case air flow is critical and it's even a good idea to put a spot fan blowing on the CPU socket area. Have you tried that?

 

[bassnut]

+1^^ trents, Icouldnt agree more. I have been down this road and have spent a lot of time and money on trying to get my OC Temps down. With the heat the FX CPU puts out you have to pay a lot of attention to your case ventalation. You dont need to go to the extream I did but taking a couple min to read through my cooling thread might give you some ideas on how to get the air flowing through you case better. I am working with a custom loop but the principles are the same ....... give it a read it might help a bit.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=715371

 

[RGone]

My my crap0La...

Well I have heard all the 'stuff' I could stand about the BullUPdozer. So took a llittle out of the wifes monthly allotment and cadged an FullyXperimental 8120 and CHV. The 8120 got here yesterday and the CHV came today. Was laying at the carport door when I got home.

I went by Hooper Extinguisher company a few minutes ago and got them far xtingisher things refilled. Hehehe.

Got a job to do tonight so maybe can get it together tomorrow sumtime. Am reading bout k00ling. Me is still RGone..ster.

+1^^ trents, Icouldnt agree more. I have been down this road and have spent a lot of time and money on trying to get my OC Temps down. With the heat the FX CPU puts out you have to pay a lot of attention to your case ventalation. You dont need to go to the extream I did but taking a couple min to read through my cooling thread might give you some ideas on how to get the air flowing through you case better. I am working with a custom loop but the principles are the same ....... give it a read it might help a bit.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=715371

 

[bassnut]

Well I see you finally took the plunge RGone ster ..... happy building and OCing I am sure you will enjoy your experience. The FX series are not a bad chip I am not sure if we would have heard as much complaints about it if the AMD merketing hadn't hyped the chips as much as they did.

 

[RGone]

I am not sure if we would have heard as much complaints about it if the AMD merketing hadn't hyped the chips as much as they did.

^ +1 ^ I hear that man. RGone...ster.

 

[caddi daddi]

if you install a fan on the backside of the socket run it as exaust, otherwise you are fooling the temp sensor.

 

[trents]

if you install a fan on the backside of the socket run it as exaust, otherwise you are fooling the temp sensor.

?

Whether you are drawing air across it as an exhaust fan or blowing air over it as a push fan, either way you are cooling it. Am I misunderstanding you here, caddi?

 

[trents]

Socket temps are best ignored, they mean nothing even if they're accurate.

?

Then why are so many people reporting that they are fixing thermal downthrottling issues by pointing a fan at the socet area? Are you implying the benefit of that is actually the cooling effect it has on core temps?

And what about the thermal overload shutdown protection of the motherboard itself which may be found in many boards. Cooling the socket area can prevent that from being triggered.

 

[urbanmidnight]

Might have solution

Hi !

I have a FX 8120 and am having the same issue, i use a Asrock N68-VGS3FX and have a Arctic Freezer 13 installed on my processor. I have been building pc's for the last 15 years and never have i experienced such a hard processor to cool.

Your mobo is not defective....The problem we FX owners have is nobody seems to really know what the safe operating temp is on this chip. Some say 62c socket temp is the highest and others say the 62c means the core temp ?

Anyway i have been testing this chip trying to overclock it etc and have found this.....When running Prime 95 with thermal throttling off on any clock setting this chip will continue to rise in temp past 62c socket temp even with my 2 case fans and none stock cooler. When it hits 62c socket temp my computer just switches off suddenly due to fail safes note: my core temps are way below 62c at this point around 40c, apparently still within safe limits. If thermal throttling is left on you WILL get throttle backs at 55c SOCKET TEMP not core temp, which for me has caused the chip to throttle back in games to 1.4GHZ !!! causing fps to fluctuate between 70 fps and 30 fps in all my games ! Unacceptable in my eyes !

When i was leaving thermal throttling on i was getting successful prime tests due to the fact the cores were throttling to 1.4ghz keeping the temp below 60c socket temp. I really don't understand.....if it is core temp that is max of 62c why does my computer seem to be seeing it as the socket temp ?

I've got it running now at 3.5ghz at 1.25v seeing Prime just cuts it out before it even reaches it's so called safe core temp limit due to socket temp, so I've disabled thermal throttling. I tested it yesterday with 3 hours of gaming on Left For Dead 2, Battlefield 3 and Deus EX HR surprised i was to see a 90 per cent increase in performance ! No more frame rate drops ! Now Deus Ex runs at 90fps constantly ! Looked at socket temp while playing and it reached about 64c with no problems or crashing, core temps maxed at 40c.

Unless you turn off Thermal throttling the dodgy socket temp sensors WILL choke your processor from reaching it's full performance, and i wouldn't recommend anyone tries overclocking this chip with a stock cooler to reach it's potential you need water or a seriously big air cooler.

If you leave this chip at stock of 3.1ghz and turn thermal throttling off you will see far better performance than say if you have it running at 3.8ghz with thermal throttling on. God knows why AMD said the limit is 62c core temp but have it throttle back at 55c socket temp !?

I have read numerous posts stating the safe limit is 62C core temp so i am just trusting that, i know for a fact my core temp never goes above 40c i monitor them closely using HWmonitor my machine has been left on since last night with no issues whatsoever.

Hope that helps any questions just ask !

Adam.

 

[trents]

Adam, what did you do to disable thermal throttling? Do you have a bios setting labeled "Thermal Throttling"? We've been telling people with higher end motherboards that have lots of options tailored to the FX chips to disable Cool N Quiet, C1E, C6, Turbo and APM and still some folks get thermal throttling.

 

[BeepBeep2]

It was probably not thermal throttling, but APM...
Which ironically throttles via a mix of power draw and temperature, mainly current draw.

To those that want highest performance at load, APM should be disabled all the time, even at stock where 100% loads may throttle the CPU a bit. Those adjusting voltage/HT Ref. Clock more, I'd suggest disabling C&Q, C6 and Turbo too...but C1E can usually be left on in all cases.

C&Q, C1E and C6 personally I leave on for machines that run mild overclocks near stock voltage...Phenom II @ 3.7 or under, FX at 4.2 or under, most of us though are pushing absolute stability limits and not caring about efficiency, but it is easy to get a 4 GHz-4.2 GHz OC on an FX-81X0 CPU with the stock cooler and even higher with FX-8300 at low voltage...same with Phenom II around 3.8 GHz.

I'm pretty sure everyone that comes here looking for a bit more speed or to overclock for curiosity/get more bang for their buck with an AMD CPU ends up paying more $$$ than they need to be in the long run and contributing more and more to our world's energy epidemic...most PCs spend majority of on time at idle and the difference is like 100w+ for every person we tell to disable all power saving options, lol...