Need help with CPU cooling

[vadaar]

Hey all,

My system has never been terribly cool (cheap heatsink), but after replacing my motherboard last night, it's gotten downright hot. I'm using an Athlon XP 3000+ at stock speeds, with a Gigabyte cooler found here, and installed using Artic Silver 5: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835128006

The problem is that, according to the "PC Health" screen in the bios, the system is idling at around 55C with the side of the case off. Motherboard temperature is much lower, and hovers in the mid 30's Celcius.

I've been cycling the system to get the Artic Silver to spread out some, but it doesn't seem to change anything.

So what's the deal? Is the cooler just junk? Or did I mess up with the installation? Too much grease? Not enough? (I followed the Artic Silver install guide).

Help!

 

[mpasternak]

<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835128006" target="_new">Clicky</A>

ok, the temp drops to around 30's with the side of the case off?

what fans are you using to move air around the case?

you should have one up front sucking air INTO the case and another one on the back sucking air OUT of the case. this will create airflow to take the hot air from around the CPU out.

if it's idling high with the case on. sounds like there's no airflow inside and cooler air isnt getting to the CPU.

 

[vadaar]

Sorry for being unclear:

The ambient motherboard temp is 33-35C with the side off. The CPU temp is 55-57C with the side off. I'm too chicken to see what it's like with the side on! Front fans are sucking in, back fans are blowing out. I even cleaned all the dust out of the front of the case when I changed the motherboard to ensure clean airflow.

Using rounded cables as well...there's really no reason why good cool air shouldn't be reaching the CPU.

One last thing that I thought of: I used 70% purity rubbing alcohol to clean the underside of the heatsink and the CPU die. The alcohol didn't have any perfumes or anything in it, just alcohol and water. The mating surfaces of both looked quite pristine before I put the artic silver on. Any problems with using alcohol?<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by vadaar on 06/21/05 11:04 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[shawnlizzle =]]

hmm... never knew gigabyte made hsfs... lol, yeah, that looks like junk, i bet your stock AMD hsf works better... or just buy a zalman 7700 or xp120, both will bring your temps down A LOT

<font color=red>gforce mx100/200 @ 230/440 =]</font color=red>

 

[shawnlizzle =]]

took a closer look at the hsf... its pretty PATHETIC.. my three year old stock intel willamette hsf looks like a monster compared to that.

<font color=red>gforce mx100/200 @ 230/440 =]</font color=red>

 

[vadaar]

Well, it would appear to be either the cooler or the installation of the cooler then. I'll check the latter when I get home. I'm thinking of just switching to water cooling soon anyways...think it's safe to run in the high 50's at idle for a few weeks until I get a water cooling setup?

 

[shawnlizzle =]]

as long as your comp doesn't crash, its not hot enough =]

<font color=red>gforce mx100/200 @ 230/440 =]</font color=red>