CPU gets hot, any solution?

[Quazer]

Hey guys!

I'm new here but I'm hoping that you can help me out with a "problem" of mine.

I have a Phenom II 955 BE with a Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Rev.2, and it's pretty hot, even in idle.
I've been wondering if this is bad for my performance or if it's normal for the CPU that I have?

At the moment I've got the regular thermal grease on, but I'm buying ZALMAN STG1 and is hoping this would resolve my issues.
But if you guys have any other suggestions, or maybe know why it is like this, please help me out!

These is my temperatures

Load:
http://piclair.com/lv7au

Idle:
http://piclair.com/ud5kj

My chassi is the Fractal Design Define R3 with two 120mm fans in front, one in back and one 140mm in top.

Regards - Quazer

 

[trents]

Quazer, no need to show separate pics of HWMonitor at load and at idle. HWMonitor records max, min and current temps and voltages. Just have it open from the get go before you put the CPU under load.

At stock CPU frequencies and voltages your temps should not be that high. This could be due to the cooler not being pasted or seated correctly or it could be due to inadequate case ventilation. The biggest baddest CPU cooler in the world will not be effective if you are not efficiently exhausting from the case the warm air coming off the cooler. It just builds up in the case so that you are trying to cool the cooler with warm air. Do you understand what I'm saying?

So tell us about your case. Make and model of case? Number, size, placement and direction of air flow of each fan?

 

[Quazer]

Quazer, no need to show separate pics of HWMonitor at load and at idle. HWMonitor records max, min and current temps and voltages. Just have it open from the get go before you put the CPU under load.

At stock CPU frequencies and voltages your temps should not be that high. This could be due to the cooler not being pasted or seated correctly or it could be due to inadequate case ventilation. The biggest baddest CPU cooler in the world will not be effective if you are not efficiently exhausting from the case the warm air coming off the cooler. It just builds up in the case so that you are trying to cool the cooler with warm air. Do you understand what I'm saying?

So tell us about your case. Make and model of case? Number, size, placement and direction of air flow of each fan?

I know what you mean.

Chassi:
Fractal Design Define R3

Fans:
2 fans 120mm (1 is being switched out) in front as intake.
1 in top 140mm as exhaust
1 in back 120mm as exhaust (also being switched)

About 23-29 degrees in the room.

 

[Mandrake4565]

I just looked at the reviews on that case for cooling. They don't look too bad but the Artic freezer didn't though it still shouldn't be that high. Is the processor overclocked? If not then like Trents said

This could be due to the cooler not being pasted or seated correctly

also this may be a silly question but are all the fans running?

 

[Quazer]

I just looked at the reviews on that case for cooling. They don't look too bad but the Artic freezer didn't though it still shouldn't be that high. Is the processor overclocked? If not then like Trents said also this may be a silly question but are all the fans running?

All fans is running, yes. And as I wrote in my previous post, I'm changing two of them for better airflow.

Alright, hopefully it'll help when i re-seat it after putting new thermal grease on it!

 

[trents]

Make sure you clean the bottom of the heatsink and the CPU face well to remove all remnants of the old paste. I've found that paper coffee filters are great for this. Ultra cheap plus their texture is such that they don't leave behind insulating lint as does kleenex, paper towels and soft cloths. Start with dry ones and progress to ones moistened with rubbing alcohol.

Then put a small blob of paste in the center of the CPU face. Small, meaning larger than a BB but smaller than a green pea. Don't try to spread it with anything or you will introduce air pockets. Then just lower the heatsink onto the CPU and clamp it down. Let the clamping pressure of the cooler's attachment mechanism spread the paste between the two smooth, flat surfaces.

Most beginner system builders use way too much thermal paste. You, know, "A little is good so a lot ought to be that much better."

 

[Quazer]

Make sure you clean the bottom of the heatsink and the CPU face well to remove all remnants of the old paste. I've found that paper coffee filters are great for this. Ultra cheap plus their texture is such that they don't leave behind insulating lint as does kleenex, paper towels and soft cloths. Start with dry ones and progress to ones moistened with rubbing alcohol.

Then put a small blob of paste in the center of the CPU face. Small, meaning larger than a BB but smaller than a green pea. Don't try to spread it with anything or you will introduce air pockets. Then just lower the heatsink onto the CPU and clamp it down. Let the clamping pressure of the cooler's attachment mechanism spread the paste between the two smooth, flat surfaces.

Most beginner system builders use way too much thermal paste. You, know, "A little is good so a lot ought to be that much better."

Alright. Don't have any coffee filters though, but can get my hands on a few. This alcohol you're talking about, if I don't have anything like that, what can I use instead?

Also, will post a picture of the inside of my case, so you can tell me if I should mount the CPU-cooler any differently than I have it now.
How is it, you can only choose to turn it in two directions, or is that for the Intel sockets?

- Quazer

 

[Bosco]

Rubbing Alcohol (Isopryl alcohol).....90% isopryl or better is best, although 70% is ok. Any drug store or Walmart carries it for about one dollar (USA currency).

 

[Quazer]

Rubbing Alcohol (Isopryl alcohol).....90% isopryl or better is best, although 70% is ok. Any drug store or Walmart carries it for about one dollar (USA currency).

I live in Sweden, so just that and going to Walmart will be quite expensive just for that cause
I asked my parents, since my father is a carpenter, I thought he might know, he said that methylated spirit would work fine, since it has a high level of alcohol in it, with just a few addons so you won't be able to drink it, what do you think?

 

[Bosco]

It would work, but allow some time for it to be completely dry before you reapply. I'd wait a few extra minutes after wiping it off with a coffee filter (or a few coffee filters).

 

[Quazer]

It would work, but allow some time for it to be completely dry before you reapply. I'd wait a few extra minutes after wiping it off with a coffee filter (or a few coffee filters).

Thanks for the help man, and I will do that!

 

[Bosco]

NP

 

[Quazer]

As soon as I get home, I'll post a picture of the inside of my case, so you guys can help me if you see any problems!

Here's the picture that I promised, hope it's ok, didn't want to shut down the PC to take it, hah!

 

[trents]

Okay, your problem with overheating is very evident now. Your CPU heatsink/fan are aiming the wrong way. Turn it around 180 degrees so the fan is blowing through the heatsink toward the two fans in the top panel. The fans in the top panel and the one in the rear should be turned so they are exhausting. Any fans in the front panel should be turned so they are serving as the intake to pull or push cool air into the computer from the outside. The air flow in a computer case should be from bottom low to top back.

 

[Quazer]

Let's see...

The heatsink should be re-located so the fan is on the lower side, correct?
Only have one fan in top, and that one is in the right slot. Should I move this one to the left slot instead?

And my top fan has the sticker pointing upwards, if you know what I mean.

Got a picture of how my front fans is mounted right now.

 

[trents]

Let's see...

The heatsink should be re-located so the fan is on the lower side, correct?

Yes

Only have one fan in top, and that one is in the right slot. Should I move this one to the left slot instead?

Choose the mount that aligns best with the CPU heatsink. Then get a second fan as soon as possible.

And my top fan has the sticker pointing upwards, if you know what I mean.

I don't know about the sticker but the top fan needs to be exhausting air out the top of the case. If you aren't sure, put your hand over it and under it to check the direction of flow.

Got a picture of how my front fans is mounted right now.

 

[Quazer]

Is the fans in front mounted right? The top fan is mounted on the other way.

 

[trents]

I have no way of knowing from the picture because it would depend on which way the fan was rotating. Come on now, this is not rocket science. Use some common sense. If you are in doubt which way the fan is blowing, put your hand in the front and back of it and feel the air. If it is near ohter fans, unplug the others fan to reduce the interfering air currents.

 

[trents]

Please refer to the little diagram I included in post #16.

 

[adams1029]

Easiest way for me if there is not a small arrow on the fan side is plug it into and then get a piece of paper. Sadly my first build (tons of fans bad air flow) was really bad.