Overheating APU. Please help!

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redyellowblueblast

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May 21, 2012
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I really need help with this one.

I have a AMD A8-5600K Trinity based computer. For about the first five months or so running it, it worked great! However, in the last month or so, it started suffering from several lock ups, in both Windows and GNU/Linux.

I started working through all the potential problems. I upgraded the BIOS, cleaned the heat sink off and gave it a new application of thermal paste, ran memtest and several other things. The only thing that I have done that seems to help is undervolting the VCORE. The default VCORE is 1.4, and I brought it down to 1.2.

Under 1.4, My idle temperature was 41C, and 60C under load. Under 1.2, my idle temperature was 36C and 53C under load. This helped a lot and stabilized the system for a much more significant amount of time when running things like Prime95.

However, I'm still getting a few lock ups here and there and I just don't know what else I can do. I also don't understand why this is just now becoming a problem when it was running just fine for so long. And shouldn't it be okay at the default VCORE settings for stock speed? I'm hoping I can get some suggestions from you all.

Here's my specs:

Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75 Pro4-M
RAM: 16GBs of SDRAM DDR3 1866MHz CORSAIR Vengeance RAM
CPU: AMD A8-5600K Trinity APU
PSU: Cooler Master Elite 460W PSU

I'm using completely stock BIOS settings with the exception of the VCORE modification. And I believe it should also be noted that I'm using the APU's built in GPU as my main means of of video output, as I currently do not have the ability to get a discrete graphics card. The most stressful applications I use on it are Team Fortress 2 and Minecraft, that's about it. This is all being done with the stock heat sink that came with the APU.

Thanks for any and all advice. It's much appreciated.
 
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ingtar33
you're welcome, and i'm glad you got it sorted out. power problems unfortunately share a lot of similar symptoms with other problems so it can be hard to nail down sometimes. glad you got it sorted out though :D
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clutchc

clutchc

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First, set everything back to stock. Then be sure your case has plenty of airflow. 60C is not dangerous for that processor. 74C is its recommended max: http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Bulldozer/AMD-A8-Series%20A8-5600K.html ..and it won't hurt it to occasionally peak above that. It can run into the 90Cs before it begins to throttle back. Of course, you'd like to keep it below the recommended max.

If you feel the CPU is working too hard when it shouldn't you may have too much stuff running in the background. Or a virus. Here's what I would do to eliminate those possibilities...
1) Run a FULL virus scan with your virus pgm.
2) See how many things are running in your Tray. Too many TSRs running in the background can use up clock cycles and waste resources. disable as many as possible.
3) Run CCleaner and do the Clean and Registry portions both. That will clean up wasted junk files, resource hogging crap, and clean up Registry errors.
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
4) Don't let programs install added crap when they offer it. Always opt for the manual install, not the express or whatever they call it. That way youcan uncheck the boxes that allow it to install extra junk.
 
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ingtar33

ingtar33

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Dec 17, 2012
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the a10's stock heatsink sorta sucks... but i'm not sure that's your problem. in your case i'd investigate your motherboard first. the asrock FM2 motherboards for the most part were a general disaster for reliability, using substandard parts. lets first see if temps are your problem. pop the side of your case off and stick a room fan in the opening. run prime95 and see if your system locks up. use hwmonitor to watch the reported motherboard temps.

if the temps are significantly cooler then with the side of the case on, you have some case airflow to work on. I would look into getting some VRM heatsinks (they sell copper heatsinks for your vrm/mosfets) for your motherboard, and some better airflow in your case. if this doesn't get the problem and it seems independent from your temps, try another psu. your problem really is indicative of dirty power... past experience is telling me it's likely the asrock motherboard, but it could be the cooler master psu.

if with a different psu you no longer have the issues then you know what the problem was.
 
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redyellowblueblast

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May 21, 2012
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Shouldn't the stock fans be okay for stock speeds? And how do I go about doing this CMOS fix?



Iv'e been following all of your recommendations for years now. I'm on a almost new install of Windows 7 and there is next to nothing installed. I'm not one to let garbage on my system. lol.

Could there be a chance that there is something now phycailly wrong with the APU?
 
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ingtar33

ingtar33

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Dec 17, 2012
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i'd believe it more likely the faulty part be the motherboard or psu then the apu.
 
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redyellowblueblast

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Fair enough. I'll give that a shot.
 
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redyellowblueblast

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I was just wondering if something could have gone wrong over time inside the APU that would have caused it to starting acting the way it is now. I know a lot about computers, but not that much.. lol.
 
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clutchc

clutchc

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OK. I had to scroll back up to re-read that your problem was lockups. I thought it was overtemp that was bothering you. The ideas presented above are worth trying. Also be sure you have the latest BIOS.
 
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redyellowblueblast

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I'll try this as well, but isn't restoring the default settings through BIOS doing the same thing?
 
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clutchc

clutchc

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With the CMOS jumper, you'll have to reset clock,etc too.
 
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redyellowblueblast

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May 21, 2012
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I just got done doing this, but it seems to be rendering similar results still. As it was suggested before, I'm starting to bet on the PSU now. As the computer seems (for the most part) okay under a VCORE of 1.2 and unstable at its default VCORE. I'm going to keep it undervolted for the time being until I get my hands on a new PSU tomorrow. I'll be sure to keep you all posted on what happens.

Thanks for all the help and information!
 
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redyellowblueblast

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May 21, 2012
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For anyone who was following this thread, I went out and bought me a nice new PSU. (a good one.) And I'm glad to say that after a Prime95 test for a solid 12 hours on stock settings, it was able to keep up. So it was indeed my old PSU being the problem. Thanks to all of those who helped me figure this out!
 
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