Help: Very High Idle Temps on E4400?

[ThingFish]

I'm currently building a low end system for a friend using a Gigabyte GA-965GM-S2 mobo and a E4400. Using Tat and Coretemp v95 I'm seeing idle temps at stock speed 2.0Ghz between 42-47c on intel stock cooler. Using TAT or Orthos with load I see temps jump to 70-74 8O . This is way higher than my E6600 overclocked to 3.0Ghz. Tried fans on auto and on full, almost no difference. Is it possible the mobo is bad and over volting the cpu or do I have a bad CPU? Any help is appreciated.

 

[sirheck]

Have you physically touched the hsf too see if it feels warm
or hot?

Maybe wrong readings from the mobo.
Might try flashing the bios?

 

[ThingFish]

The Heatsink feels warm but not hot it's much cooler than the Northbridge or the southbridge heatsink.

I've also reseated the HSF and removed the original heat compound and added artic silver.
I've tried the two latest BIOS F6 and F7
BIOS is limited, this was not intended to OC, there are no CPU volt options.
Speed fan and the Gigabyte software show a 10-15 degree lower difference.

 

[sirheck]

The Heatsink feels warm but not hot it's much cooler than the Northbridge or the southbridge heatsink.

That tells me that it is probably reading wrong

Its probably really at what speedfan and the gigabyte software reads.
So you are probably good to go.

Another tool you might try is (pcwizzard) it has all sorts of info.

 

[ThingFish]

I was under the impression that TAT and Coretemp read directly from the internal thermal diode. If that reading is incorrect, that would indicate (at least to me) that the CPU is defective and I should RMA it. It looks like I'm going to have to try the CPU in my rig and see if I get a good reading. I'm just not looking forward to taking my HSF apart just to test it.

 

[Mondoman]

It's very common to not-quite-fully install the OEM Intel cooler, which leads to increased CPU temps as you have been seeing. Make sure all 4 pins are *completely* through to the back side of the MB -- it's normally difficult to achieve this unless the cooler is installed before the MB is mounted in the case. Also, the pins need to be turned completely in the direction *opposite* the arrows on top *before* installing, since the arrows show the "quick-release" method. Finally, don't forget to clean off the old thermal compound and apply fresh compound each time you remove/reinstall the CPU cooler.

 

[a-boom]

the idle temps seem normal when compared to my cpu (e4300), dont forget that the case plays a big factor too for the temp

 

[Grimmy]

Pretty much agree with Mondoman.

I also built my dad a E4300 OC to 2.4 ghz. I've tested it with Prime95 and Orthos with speed step turned on. When the room is 70F idle temp will fall down to 38C. Since its summer, load temps with those test apps will hit 63C at the highest.

But normal loads, 55C on the cores, using Sunbeams HSF clone of the AC7 pro.

I hate the 4 pin setup. When I build a new system for myself, I'm definitely going to look into a 3rd party HSF with screws. :lol:

 

[ThingFish]

Ok so I took out my e6600 and popped in the e4400 and it idles at 40c and load is 67c. Using TAT and CoreTemp, SpeedFan shows 10c lower

Then I put the stock cooler on my e6600 and ran it at stock speed, it idles at 30c and load is 54c. Using TAT and CoreTemp, SpeedFan shows the same!

I figure with less cache and lower speed that it would run cooler than the e6600. The heatsink get's hot but I can touch it and it's about the same as the northbridge.

Sill think the e4400 is good?

 

[Grimmy]

Hmmm...

Thats kind of weird, it should run cooler, but I don't think it would have too much to do with the size of the cache.

Is smart fan enabled? How are the RPMs on that stock fan?

That would be my only other guess if the HS is on correctly, since you mention it gets as hot as the NB, which is pretty fricken hot. :lol:

Edit:

Other guess.. hows the vcore?

 

[ThingFish]

I had the cpu fan on Auto and it was about 1300-1400 RPM's on both the e6600 and the e4400. I also disabled the fan adjustments and ran it on full speed at around 1850 rpm's.
vCore shows 1.34 in PC Wizard and 1.39 in Speedfan and CPU-z.

 

[phial]

It's very common to not-quite-fully install the OEM Intel cooler, which leads to increased CPU temps as you have been seeing. Make sure all 4 pins are *completely* through to the back side of the MB -- it's normally difficult to achieve this unless the cooler is installed before the MB is mounted in the case.

Im guilty of this myself. Idle temps went from 45 to 30degrees... pretty cheap way to mount a cooler, expected something a little more secure than thin plastic clips on an intel product.

 

[enewmen]

Make sure you have good thermal paste and screw that fan on TIGHT. This happened to me before.

 

[Grimmy]

vCore shows 1.34 in PC Wizard and 1.39 in Speedfan and CPU-z.

Looking through the caps I have from what I did, 2.4ghz OC (CPU-Z), when I switch speed step back on, for Idle the vcore was at 1.144 volts. On load on both cores, the vcore was at 1.296 volts. And my vcore is at stock settings.

Soooo... I'd say you have the vcore a lil high for stock settings, and that is perhaps why you having some unwanted heat build up.

Edit:

Unless your OC that E4400 to 3 or over 3 ghz...

 

[ThingFish]

Well this build was for a friend with a tight budget and the mobo has no voltage options and I'm running at the stock speed of 2.0Ghz.

Even when I put the e4400 in my rig it runs hotter than my e6600 at stock on the stock Intel cooler. When I put my SI-128 on the e4400 it runs almost as hot (3-4c cooler) on full load as my e6600 overclocked to 3.4Ghz :?

I'm going to RMA the chip and see what happens if I get the same results I'm going to look into a different mobo with voltage adjustments.

Anyone know of a good mobo with onboard video and voltage adjustments that's around $130?