Overheating problem - Please Help

[crashed97tsi]

Well, here we go again. I just got my RMA'd motherboard back from newegg. First off, I sent back everything as instructed and what I receive back is just the board. If I would have known that I would have kept everything.

Anyways, specs are as follows:
AMD 3800+ CPU
Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe
2gb Corsair XMS2
Geforce 7600GT
Creative X-FI

Ok, so about 3 weeks ago I sent my board in for an RMA. It had a ton of problems but one thing it did not have was an overheating problem. CPU temps were solid at 38C and motherboard was maybe 41-43. Received new motherboard and now my temperatures are 55C+. The CPU hovers around 55C and the motherboard keeps climbing.

I started getting scared at 62C and shut it down. This is idle in the bios, no programs running. I take off the cover and there is heat emanating from the socket area under the heatsink. The heatsink is cool to the touch however. The heatspreader on the Nvidia Chipset is hot to the touch (the one with the ASUS logo. The fins at the end of the heatpipe which is connected to the chipset is cool to the touch.

The only thing different in the rebuild was that I used Artic Silver 5 Thermal Compound. I applied that with a bb'd size dot in the center as per instructions.

So, any ideas? Do I have to RMA again? If so I will be buying a new board from zipzoomfly or something, when I send something in for repair that cost 141.99, I do not expect to get something back that they sell for 81.99.

 

[Grimmy]

I'd re-check the HSF installation.

Just lil info, on why it will be hotter in the bios vs windows. Even when your in the bios, your CPU usage will be higher. It is about the same as running a DOS program, so it will get hotter in there, rather then windows. Windows does have the power management to keep things cooler.

 

[crashed97tsi]

But 62C? And it keeps on rising. I never got that high of readings when I was benchmarking or playing BF2. Even with SLI enabled.

In the time I wrote this I reapplied the AS5, same readings. I'm afraid to install anything because I think the threshold for this board is something like 70C.

Also, in my old board in the bios the readins never got over 45 for the MB, 40 for the cpu.

Thanks for the help though.

 

[WR]

Before you re-apply the AS5, do you make sure to thoroughly clean both the heatsink base and the CPU surface with 91% isopropyl alcohol? If either surface does not look like clean, bare metal (either copper or nickel-colored), then you'll need to reclean it.

If you've done that but still notice heat emanating from the socket while the heatsink remains cool, then the problem could be in the physical latching of the heatsink. Normally, the heatsink is firmly pressed against the CPU - check to make sure that screws are fastened well and that the heatsink does not slide around.

Your northbridge and exhaust fins are at normal temperatures. Only heavy overclockers would consider taking them apart and risk messing up the thermal interface.

 

[crashed97tsi]

Everytime I have applied the AS5, I did thorough cleanings of the surfaces. I scrub the surfaces with cofee filters and 91% until the cloth still looks clean after scrubbing.

The second time I applied the AS5, I made note of how secure the heatsink was. After a couple restarts, I checked the heatsink again and it was even tighter after heating up and cooling down.

One thing that it might be is the oem thermal paste that comes with the cpu. I used this on my first motherboard, and when I had to RMA it I used artic silver 5 for the reinstall.

Also, Northbridge temps are not normal. Normal for this board is around 38-42C, Mine doesn't stop going up. I haven't kept the PC on long enough for it to get higher than 64C. Can CPU temps cause the MB to heat up also?


Thanks for the help.

 

[m25]

How is case ventilation? CPU and motherboard are unlikely to have simultaneous heat problems by themselves.

 

[crashed97tsi]

I just did a bios update, the temps are normal now. Thanks for the help guys, I feel like a dumbass.