14 replies to this topic

[Combiseries]

My CPU seems to be running a little too hot when idling. It runs between 53 and 59 degrees, reaching 59 when extracting something from a disk. When playing Oblivion for an hour, after exiting the game I`ve notice the temperature at 64 degrees and then slowly getting cooler.

It is a dual core processor and I know they run a little hotter, but surely not this hot!!

I want to change the heatsink and cooling fan but have read in the guarantee that I will invalidate my warranty if I use a different heatsink and fan.

Its been like this for months, any help, big or small would be great.....

[zamiel]

They don't seem all that high to me, I've had CPU's idle around 50-60 before (mainly AMD). ABS should kick in before any damage gets done anyway and should be around the 80-85 mark if I remember rightly.

Sounds like you're also using the stock heatsink and fan, which are adequate enough, but there are far better ones on the market. You could also look at head spreaders for the CPU, thermal crease such as Arctic Silver and a copper based heatsink.

I prefer forms of passive cooling as I don't like the noise. I'm using a Silent Boost fan to keep the dB rating down.

The new GFX card probably is adding the ambient case temperature to, but I would think it would not be that significant.

In terms of the warranty, I'd ask the supplier as that seems to be a little BS to me. When someone wants to change the HS & Fan its generally for a better one that will make the CPU last longer etc.

[Jito463]

Zamiel, the X2 processors run very cool. My 4400+ (1MB cache per core) runs about 40 degrees celsius. Never more than 50 degrees or so under load. If your 3800+ (512KB cache per core) is running that hot, I'd check into making sure your ventilation is setup properly. If you have any fans in the front, make sure they're pulling air in, and your fan(s) in the back should be pulling air out. If you're not using the stock thermal pad, and instead applied thermal grease, make sure you didn't put on too much or too little. You should only have a pea-sized drop on the CPU.

That temp isn't overly concerning, as the processor can handle it, but I would definitely look into the cause of the problem and try to fix it.

[Combiseries]

Thanks, I`m gonna by a Zalman cooler. At thirty quid, it`ll only take me a month to save up.

My new PSU came today, I`m gonna put it in tommorrow. It has a built in 12cm fan, so I`m hoping that will cool things down a bit too, albeit by about three or four degrees.

[Jito463]

Technically speaking, using another HSF or cooling solution than the authorized AMD (or Intel) one does invalidate your warranty. However, as long as you can provide your original HSF for warranty purposes, you'll be fine.

[Combiseries]

Well, I`ve just stress tested my system using Ntune. And the temperatures shot up to around 66 during this and the ambient temperature was around 52. I`ve just been playing Oblivion on high settings and the temperature went past 70, which is the temperature I set the bios to switch the computer off. I`ve set it a little higher at 75, because I don`t want to get shut out before saving my games.

The temperature has dropped to 58 now that I`ve been typing away and the noise coming from the case is a little less chaotic.

I`m going to take the side panel off see if it helps until I can get hold of a good cooler.

Thanks.....

[Combiseries]

Bought one of those silent PSU`s with a big fan on the bottom of it. My CPU is running at idle 5/6 degrees cooler than what it was before. A nice fan to draw air out helps a lot doesn`t it, as well. Now I got to get one on the front at the bottom and then we`ll go from there.

When I get my Zalman cooler, it will be time to try some overclocking...

[Jito463]

Oh, defintely get a fan in the back to exhaust the hot air. That's probably your biggest problem right there.

[Combiseries]

I`ve fitted an old cpu fan on the back as the exhaust fan for the time being. It seems to be doing the trick, but its a little noisy because it is slightly smaller than the standard size. When the washing machine isn`t on in the kitchen it sounds like a flippin outside swimming pool air pump thingy......

That`s got to be sorted out.

I`m gonna get some nice coloured led ones from Ebuyer along with my cooler, when I can afford it, and also to justify the delivery charge; cos the local computer shop sells fans at £10 and £5 each.

Yeah I know, worra rip off merchant....

[Jito463]

Make sure you get ball bearing fans. Sleeve bearing fans don't last as long and are noisier.

[Combiseries]

Good tip Jito, will do. Ball bearing ones okay.....

Thanks

[MaLing]

Combiseries, you put 'Moaning Wife' directly under 'Creative Speakers', what a trick it is!

[Combiseries]

Combiseries, you put 'Moaning Wife' directly under 'Creative Speakers', what a trick it is!

Yes, so I did. She`s not that bad though really. I know of people with worse wives than mine. Although the only thing she moans about is me on the PC too much.....LOL

[shawn_nee]

I have these Stealth fans and they have been the quietest I have had. Just a barley audible hum, mostly drowned out from the Titan explosions and the arty going off all around me.

Also I put my front fans directly in front of the HDD's so it cools them off a bit when pulling in the air.

[MaLing]

Nowadays a computer does not operate without fans. I wonder whether one day it will require an air-conditioner just like human-beings do nowadays...