Help with adjusting BIOS, maintaining System Health and Stability.

PaladinAzumarill

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Jun 22, 2014
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After getting the monitor to respond, I'm now looking at the boot menu for my PC.
Before I get to installing the OS along with the other drivers, I want to adjust all the BIOS settings to suit my gaming and work needs.

Here is a list of the parts my PC is using:
PCPartPicker part list

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler
Motherboard: ASRock H97 PRO4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 760 2GB Dual Superclocked ACX Video Card
Case: BitFenix Comrade ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)
Monitor: AOC i2267Fw 60Hz 22.0" Monitor
Keyboard: Logitech K360 Wireless Standard Keyboard
Speakers: Logitech Z506 155W 5.1ch Speakers
Other: Rosewill RDCR-11004 5.25" 2 Port USB 3.0 / 4 Port USB 2.0 Hub / eSATA Multi-in-1 Internal Card Reader w/ USB3.0 Connector

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Here is what I saw on the readout of the H-W Monitor on the boot menu, changes with RPM and Voltage included, all while idling:

CPU Temperature: 37.0 C
M/B Temperature: 29.0 C

CPU Fan 1 Speed: 1365 ~ 1410 RPM
CPU Fan 2 Speed: N/A
Chassis Fan 1 Speed: N/A
Chassis Fan 2 Speed: N/A
Power Fan Speed: 1363 ~ 1383 RPM

CPU Input Voltage: +1.760 ~ 1+.776 V
Vcore: 1.036 V
+ 12.00V: +12.196 ~ +12.1249 V
+ 5.00V: +5.088 V
+ 3.30V: +3.376 V

I only have one fan each for the CPU and Power Fan sockets.
Is that too much heat for my CPU to work normally? Again, idle temperature.
Also, I don't intend to do any Overclocking.

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Finally, how to go about adjusting the number of settings with the BIOS. Recommended settings regarding stability and longevity of PC Life need only apply.

One setting I'm considering under Tools, the Dehumidifier. Since the room I'm keeping the PC in is humid, fluctuating between 60% and 85% on the humidity meter, would enabling that be a wise idea? If so, what settings for that would be best recommended?
 
Solution
If there are things you are sure you should change in BIOS, like changing to an add-on video card or adjusting RAM timings or Enabling some external ports, you should do that now. But for the most part much of that can wait until you have installed all the hardware in the case.

Regarding the CPU idle temp, what is "good" depends on the CPU, so you'll need to research that a bit on the net. As a starting point, if you have set your BIOS to monitor and automatically control the CPU temperature by controlling its fan speed, MOST mobos can identify the CPU mounted in them and the correct temperatures for its operation. Once you find reference material for your CPU you can check whether you agree with the mobo's automatic control settings...

Paperdoc

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What is plugged into the PWR_FAN port? Its original intention was to plug into it a special lead coming from the PSU, and its function simply is to monitor the speed for the fan in the PSU - it does not control that fan's speed. Many PSU's, however, do not have any such leads; in that case, the intent is NOT to connect any fan to this mobo port. It is NOT intended to power a case ventilation fan, although many such ports can do that. They just have no fan speed control ability.

IF you have the PSU's fan connected there, that means you have NO case ventilation fans, right? You need some! Alternatively, if you do have at least one case ventilation fan but it is connected to the PWR_FAN port, you really should move it to the CHA_FAN1 port and allow the mobo to monitor and control its speed. If you get a second fan, you could connect it to the other CHA_FAN2 port.
 

PaladinAzumarill

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Jun 22, 2014
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One of the fans is plugged into the PWR_FAN port, as seen here: http://imgur.com/a/HQYaz#2
Am I to assume that was meant for the CPU_FAN 2 port? Can't be used as a Chassis Fan due to it being a 3-pin fan, what is needed to plug into the PWR_FAN port or CPU_FAN 2 port. Both Chassis Fans ports on the Motherboard require 4-pin Fans.

As for the PSU Fan, I believe that is being powered another way, because it does spin normally when the PC is on, so I doubt that will be a issue, since there is no such lead from the PSU.

So, since all three fans- five if you count the GPU's two fans, are all running, I don't really see any problem here with the fans, save for not having any control with the fan in the PWR_FAN port. Though I do intend to get Fans for the Chassis in the future, but that's for another day.

Here is a album showing where the two fans are, with annotations: http://imgur.com/a/HQYaz#0
 

Paperdoc

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There may be no need to change it, since it can't do any harm to have your only ventilation fan run at full speed always. That is, unless you find the sound of it too loud.

You may be right that there is no better place to connect this fan. And you are right that it should NOT be connected to the CPU_FAN2 port. The only other mobo ports are the CHA_FAN1 and 2 4-pin fan ports, as you say. Now, those ports are intended for case fans and can control their speed, but sometimes they cannot control speed of a 3-pin fan, as you suspect. A 3-pin fan works differently and needs a different control system from 4-pins. A pure 4-pin fan port can only control a 4-pin fan through its PWM signal on the 4th pin; for a 3-pin fan on such a port, that fan will only run at full speed always, which is what you are getting now using the PWR_FAN port. However, SOME 4-pin fan ports on mobos either are smart enough to change their mode if they detect a 3-pin fan connected, OR allow you to change that mode manually in BIOS Setup. I looked in your manual Section 4.6 on p 90 and all it says is you can set the port mode, with no indication of what settings are available. But check there and see whether you can manually set one of these ports to a 3-pin fan mode. IF you can do this, then connecting that case fan to that port in 3-pin mode will give you automated control of fan speed according to case interior temperature, and allow the mobo to monitor that fan as a properly-identified case ventilation unit. If that can't be done, I can see no real compelling reason to make a change.

By the way, any fan inside the PSU is powered internally by that PSU. And some PSU's actually automatically control their internal fan's speed according to heat load inside the unit. For PSU's that have the special set of leads to connect to a mobo PWR_FAN port, in fact that PSU fan is neither powered from nor controlled by the mobo. The only function of those leads is to let the PSU fan's speed signal be fed to the mobo for monitoring.
 

PaladinAzumarill

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Jun 22, 2014
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I checked around the BIOS for a option like that for the 4-pin Chassis Fan ports to see if those could be changed to work with 3-pin Fans, it appears to not be available. Not a problem since I intend to get some Fans for the Chassis in the future.

So, with the fans out of the way, how do I go about setting my BIOS? While most of the options are set to auto, some options enabled and disabled, I assume those are the default settings. What settings would work best in terms of stability and longevity? There is that Dehumidifier option under Tools I'm tempted to enable. Wise idea?
 

Paperdoc

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Hard to answer your query about best BIOS settings. A hint about the Dehumidifier setting: read about that. A quick glance at the ASRock site for your mobo suggests it is something used when you have put your system into some standby or sleep mode. With this feature activated, the system would periodically wake up and blow air through, using its own internal heat generation (I think, but maybe it actually uses a dedicated heater). This would ensure that any moisture condensed in the case while the system was not running would be dried out before a large build-up occurred. I could not tell whether this system also would be activated to provide a quick shot of extra heat when a system that is actually off is booted up. So, think about whether you would likely use that standby mode, and whether your environment includes high humidity that could result in condensation.
 

PaladinAzumarill

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Jun 22, 2014
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I'll look into the Dehumidifier Options then.

I guess in that case, should I just leave the BIOS settings alone as it is now? It does recognize the CPU, RAM, Hard Drives and every other part in the Motherboard.

Checked the CPU Temp in the H/W Monitor again, apparently it's idle heat now sets at 38.5 C. Too hot?
 

Paperdoc

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If there are things you are sure you should change in BIOS, like changing to an add-on video card or adjusting RAM timings or Enabling some external ports, you should do that now. But for the most part much of that can wait until you have installed all the hardware in the case.

Regarding the CPU idle temp, what is "good" depends on the CPU, so you'll need to research that a bit on the net. As a starting point, if you have set your BIOS to monitor and automatically control the CPU temperature by controlling its fan speed, MOST mobos can identify the CPU mounted in them and the correct temperatures for its operation. Once you find reference material for your CPU you can check whether you agree with the mobo's automatic control settings. However, I can say that 38C looks perfectly acceptable and cool for a CPU at idle. I would guess yourt CPU fan speed is low - around 1000 rpm.

As a start at temp research, I found that Intel's site says the i5-4690's max temp should be 100C, but that's MAX. Several overclocker sites (these people push processors to the limits and work hard to remove lots of heat) suggested they got good enhanced but stable performance with temps of 75C, and some were willing to go up to 90C, although they MAY be taking a risk there. One site said the 75C temp was observed to be a normal operating temp. with the supplied stock cooler and no overclocking - just a heavy computing load using testing software. And idle temps were about 36C.
 
Solution

Paperdoc

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I'm a bit out of touch with the most recent hardware, so someone else may have better knowledge of that. You start with the specs for the RAM you have, and then you have to gather some understanding of all the parameters available for adjustment in BIOS Setup.