CPU 53ºC - Heatsink cold, is that possible??

[o770]

im wondering about my CPU temp., it rarely goes down the 50s. have opened the case and while the motherboard reports CPU temp at 53ºC (even with opened case) i put my fingers on its heatsink and it is relatively cold, the ambient temp more or lees. should it be hot or am i getting some problem here? could the heatsink be bad installed?
im using the stock intel fan and a huge metal heatsink (i dont know brand or model).

Intel Pentium III 800EB
CUV4X-E Asus MB

 

[ken257]

Sometimes those stock Intel h/f rock a little to 1 side and don't sit quite flush, check the instalation.

We need more information. Are you overclocking? If so at what speed and voltage? The stock fan doesn't cut it for ocing.

 

[o770]

ok. yes i am; but i guess i made a big mistake. now i waited for some more time the heatsink got hotter. this sould be tested with at least one hour using right? what im seeing is the heatsink getting hotter and the CPU temp standing at 53ºC.
overclocking: 137MHz FSB / 822MHz

im thinking on changing my case cuz this one has bad air flow, is it good to think on another CPU cooling system?

 

[klosters64a]

Whatever you have now isn't working right. Intel's stock P3E HSF's(except for the stock one that comes with 1+ Gig P3E's) have no place on a CPU. They're OK as Vidcard GPU coolers, but mighty thick. You are using a thin coat of Thermal Paste on top of your CPU, right? You must remove the hideous thermal pad that's pre-stuck on the bottom of a lot of HS's, and replace it with the aforementioned paste.

If your P3EB is on a Slocket, it's impossible to use a better HS than an Alpha PEP-66, with a Delta 38 cfm fan. Unless you wish to spend a LOT more for an all copper HS, and don't mind suspending a 1+ pound weight rather precariously in your case.

If possible, add an intake and exhaust fan to your case. If this isn't do-able, remove the left case cover and place a house fan so that it blasts the case's interior.

 

[o770]

i added a case fan but it helped not too much. the problem with my case i guess it is to lack an exhaust other than the power supply.
which one should i trust more?
SiSoft: 43ºC
BIOS: 53ºC
thanks for the recommendations, ill consider to get another better CPU cooling system - also a case.

 

[Kryten]

oTTO (Apr 29, 2001 05:30 p.m.):
i added a case fan but it helped not too much. the problem with my case i guess it is to lack an exhaust other than the power supply.
which one should i trust more?
SiSoft: 43ºC
BIOS: 53ºC
thanks for the recommendations, ill consider to get another better CPU cooling system - also a case.

What sort of mobo do you have?

 

[-=UR=- Ranger]

The bios temp is normally the correct one..
Are you sure, that your Heatsinkt is correctly seated..
Look for it, and ad some thermal paste
Good luck, and don´t fry your CPU

 

[AnonymousDude]

if the heatsink is cold it sounds like the transfer from the CPU to the sink is bad. Take off the thermal pad if using one and use a thin layer of thermal paste.

 

[o770]

ok.
im not sure about what "mobo" means but if it is motherboard mine is the writen above, CUV4X-E ASUS. i got some thermal paste and am going to try it.
do u all think the problem with the case bad air flow is significant?
as i said a case fan was added and its very effective but theres no other exhaust fan other than the power supply one - it makes the temp upper the room be some hot. i put my fingers there and noticed all the air the CPU cooler takes is already hot..

 

[-=UR=- Ranger]

So, am I right, that you do have an intake fan, but there´s no place in you case, where you could add an exaust fan?
What about the top off you case than?
Would it be possible, to cut a hole between the Power Supply and the 5 1/4 inch bays and add one or two 60 mm fans or better 80 mm fans there?
Just an Idea, I don´t know your case.
Good luck

 

[T. Random]

I'm waiting for somebody to suggest water cooling or liquid nitrogen. Come on, guys, scale back the recommendations for just once. This dude is running a PIII@822MHz, not a Thunderbird @1.5GHz. There is something like a threefold difference in heat dissipation you know. This system should be just fine with the stock cpu fan and without any case fans beyond the PSU fan.

oTTO, if the heatsink does not get hot, does anything else get hot? Like the cpu socket or the mobo around it? If those get hot then you may indeed have a problem with the cpu/heatsink contact. Use thermal paste and check that the sink seats right. Also, mobos are known sometimes measure incorrectly.

In the end, if your system is stable and you are not intent of making cooling your hobby (it tends to get addictive), why should you care about the proc temperature? 53C is miles inside the specs. You're not going to burn the processor (intel procs have thermal protection circuit - they don't burn, they shut down) or even shorten its life.