CPU Overheats...shuts down computer.. (1 Viewer)

[DeathStar1]

OK everyone,

I completed my second build in a year, but this one has been giving me headaches. I must have been lucky with the first one.

I have an Asus P5n32-SLI Deluxe board, Intel Core 2 Duo chip 2.4 chip, and PNY 1GB X 2 DDR2 667 Ram. I did not install the Optional cooling fans on the motherboard as I was not sure if this was needed with the stock intel chip. They are supposed to go over the copper parts to the left and right of the chip.

The problem I have, is that with everything installed and thermal paste applied, the computer shuts down when the CPU reaches 90 degrees. It idles at 68 for a minute or two, and then just steadily climbs up back to 90 and goes down. I had it running once for 5 minutes straight untill it started climbing but to no avail..

any ideas?

could the Intel Heatsink need to be replaced with a Zalman?

 

[Joe D]

Is the fan on the heatsink spinning?

The second place to look at is to re-seat the heatsink/fan combo onto the CPU. Make sure you use a SMALL amount of thermal paste, similar to a grain of rice. Then re-seat the heatsink and see if that helps. Rubbing alcohol can be used to remove the existing thermal paste.

 

[SethH]

I agree with Joe. Re-seat the heatsink -- you'll need to read up on how to do this. I'm pretty sure you've got to clean off the old stuff using a q-tip and some alcohol. You could replace it with a Zalman or something, but that shouldn't be necessary unless you're overclocking or need a silent PC.

 

[DeathStar1]

this one is pretty quiet.....

But when I put in a small rice sized Grain, it didn't spread at all like the AMD Athalon chip/fan combination did. Maybe I didn't have the thing installed properly...

 

[Mike Fassler]

refer too this page it will teach you the proper methods of applying thermal grease.


http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm

 

[DeathStar1]

Hey everyone...

Thanks for all the help, and it lives!

I went back to the newegg page where I bought it, and read even more reviews. Seems the Intel HeatSink is either faulty, or just a pain in the ass to install properly. So, I bit the bullet, went out to get a Zalman,CNPS9500 LED, and it works perfectly now.

90 degrees with the intel heatsink, to a measly 10 with only the graphics card installed. With the Xi-Fi it shoots to 29, but still ten times better. It's been running the whole night and not a single probelm so far.


Now I've got to give it the week test, considering all the noises it made while trying to install the processor fan got me worried, . I have not noticed too much of a speed increase so far, just little things. ATI TV does not seem to lag anymore....the XP Logo kitt scanner(blue) only goes by 4 times instead of 7 loading the same drivers at boot.....but I Have not tried anything intensive like HD Video playback. Once the funds build back up, I will purchase either Windvd HD or PDVD Ultra and test it out .

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

A good CPU cooler, properly seated, is absolutely vital for stability and health of the machine. I rebuilt my computer yesterday, with a new motherboard and an Athlon X2 4200+ CPU. On top of that I added a Scythe Ninja cooler. They are absolutely huge, but installation was easy and my CPU temp is around 39-40 degrees C now... with no CPU fan. (Granted, the Antec P180 case has two large silent exhaust fans right by the CPU, but even so.)

 

[Paul_Sjordal]

Perhaps those optional fans aren't so optional?

 

[DeathStar1]

Well, if memory serves, it says only use them for water cooling. I'm using general fans and am not even sure what water cooling is .

It passed the two day test. Lets see if it passes the week test .

 

[Paul_Sjordal]

Ah, they're VERY optional then. Water cooling is a pain in the tukas and is really only worth it if you're doing a lot of overclocking.

I'm glad the third party cooler seems to be working out for you.

 

[ThomasC]

I may be having cooling problems as well. I applied a lot of thermal paste the first time around and was getting 32C and 29C for the two CPUs when nothing was running. When I ran video processing stuff, it would climb up to around 50C. Using the Intel Thermal Analysis Tool, I gave both CPUs a 100% workload and one CPU climbed up to 60C after a few minutes, and the other CPU was at 57C. Since Intel's thermal specification is 60.1C, this has me worried. I took off the grease and applied some Arctic Silver 5, and I tried to follow the instructions but may have still put too much grease. Arctic Silver says to put a very thin line, and mine may have been a bit thick. Once I seated the heatsink onto the CPU, I rotated it a few degrees clockwise and counterclockwise as directed, and then looked at how the grease was applied. It was probably about the size of a quarter. It's still running at the same temperatures as before. Do I need to apply even less grease? Or am I not understanding Intel's thermal specification correctly? Their definition has me a little confused. Can anyone clarify what they're trying to say?

Thermal Specification: The thermal specification shown is the maximum case temperature at the maximum Thermal Design Power (TDP) value for that processor. It is measured at the geometric center on the topside of the processor integrated heat spreader. For processors without integrated heat spreaders such as mobile processors, the thermal specification is referred to as the junction temperature (Tj). The maximum junction temperature is defined by an activation of the processor Intel® Thermal Monitor. The Intel Thermal Monitor’s automatic mode is used to indicate that the maximum TJ has been reached.

 

[DeathStar1]

From what I've discovered, it's not so much the rotation to apply the grease, but the preasure from the fan to the chip. You're heatsink is most likley not secured as tightly as possible.

The Zalman solved that problem for me, because it uses screws instead of that crummy push pin setup..

 

[ThomasC]

I've got a Zalman CNPS8000 which screws in, and I've got it screwed it pretty tight. I think the instructions say not too screw too tightly or it might damage the motherboard and/or CPU. Should I screw it even tighter, or apply less grease?

 

[Joe D]

The CPU only needs a small amount of thermal paste, similar to the size of a grain of rice.

 

[ThomasC]

Okay, I guess I'll try again. Thanks!

 

[ThomasC]

I've reapplied the grease a few times and it still doesn't seem to be working. I've got the CPU running a couple degrees cooler and both CPUs idle at around 36C, but I don't think that's enough. Giving the CPU a 100% workload with Intel's Thermal Analysis Tool will still take it to 60C pretty quickly. Should I try a different cooler? Right now, I have a Zalman CNPS8000. Will something else like the Ninja or the Zalman CNPS9500 LED definitely improve things?

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

Well, since I wasn't familiar with the cooler you mention, I googled and the first review I read had this in the conclusion:


Not sure what the odor issue was, but the fact that it was hard to mount is a big warning bell. If the cooler doesn't get great contact with the entire CPU, you will have issues with heat under load, that's a classic fault.

I've tried a few big coolers, and in my book the Ninja is still right up there, but any high-end cooler should work as long as it gets properly seated and has good contact against the CPU. I have another requirement too which is noise, more specifically as little of it as possible, which is why my setup has the fanless Ninja - fanless only works very well if one has a case that has great air extraction capabilities, but as I said, as long as it is a decent design and is properly seated it should be fine. A Ninja Plus with a quiet 12cm fan will cool fantastically well, and will be beat only by one or two other makes and designs - and then only marginally.

Zalman has the classic round CNPS7700-AlCu for instance, I've used one and it worked well; http://www.silentpcreview.com is a great site to visit for coolers, because in the quest for silence, a more efficient cooler is going to work best as it won't need as much noisy fan power. That works out great for people who want to push their gear as well - they can add some noise and instead get top notch cooling.

 

[ThomasC]

Thanks! A quiet PC is a high priority for me, so that's why I got the Zalman. I guess I should've read reviews before I got it, though; I agree with the reviewer about the design, but I didn't have any odor issue.

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

I'm sure the CNPS8000 is quite a decent heatsink; I suspect you have issues with getting it really properly seated. But still, you can do better; a 12cm fan is great if you have the space for it. A bigger fan will move more air with less noise.

The Ninja will kick its butt, and a Thermalright Ultra-120 will beat them both, only narrowly edging out the Ninja though. Both are frickin huge though, forget about getting either of them into a small case.

 

[ThomasC]

Yeah, I guess it may not be 100% seated; I've got it tightly screwed in, but that may not be the end of it. It's a bitch to even get the screws to match up with the nuts. I'm going to try another cooler and hope everything works.

I've got the Antec P180 case, so I'm hoping I won't have a problem with heatsink and fan size.