5000+ BE ZALMAN 9500 AM2 running at 50C. Why?!

[DM0407]

Im having issues with a new 5000+BE and ZALMAN CNPS 9500 AM. The CPU is IDLING at 50C, ive tried to line the fan up in every direction (blowing air out, in, toward PSU, away from PSU) and nothing. I am always getting the same temps. The fan is running at full speed and not taking the temp down at all. I used Articfreeze thermal paste.


Any ideas what the hell could be going on? This CPU and fan should be running in the 30c's correct?

 

[skittle]

How and how much paste did you apply? its pretty difficult to incorrectly mount an AM2 HSF. Also, what mobo and what BIOS version?

 

[DM0407]

I have applied a fair amount of paste, not to the point where is would flow over the sides.

The board is a Biostar Tforce4 with the most recent Bios..... Im totally lost on this one, I went from a AMD64 3800+ that ran reasonably cool. The fan should be mounted correctly, theres not much to it, from the reviews (even with a crappy fan) i should be in the 30's at idle.

Also the highest multiplier the bios shows is 13x. Am I crazy? what is going on here?

 

[Evilonigiri]

You are using coretemp correct?

If you're not, download it and use it. If it is reporting 50C, then something is wrong.

 

[DM0407]

Core temp reports temps of 0C and 10C respectively

 

[Evilonigiri]

Maybe the thermal sensor is broken.

Or maybe it's Vista if you're using that.

If you have some kind of probe that reads temps, I'd suggest you to place it really near the cpu to see if it actually hits 50C or near it.

As for your multiplier question, it's supposed to go a lot higher than 13. Most likely it's not supported by the bios.

 

[Reynod]

DM0407 ... any progress so far?

I assume your reporting information after installing the cpu and fan and booting into the bios?

What else can you tell us so we can help you?

 

[DM0407]

I can boot just fine, its just running hot so i dont want to leave it on for an extended amount of time..... I dont know what else to try at this point.

The bottom of the heatsink seems warm but not hot, the fins near the top are not even warm. There is plenty of ventilation in and around the case.... Even the slightest OC drive the temps up into the 60's

Thanks for the help and Merry Christmas!

 

[DM0407]

I found a FAQ on setting the BE multiplier for a Tforce 4 board. I'm not at home (and my computer isn't in any condition to run faster) but, I'll try and see if this works:

http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/support/faq.php?S_ID=377

 

[Jackalope73]

With out knowing all the specifics I would guess that the boards bios might not be recognizing the BE cpu correctly. I would enter the bios and check all cpu settings it could be over volting the cpu I also believe this board has over volting jumpers for OCing. But those temps still seem way high even for that was there a protective sticker covering the base of the heat sink? Sometimes there clear and it wouldn't be the first time one slipped by.

 

[o1die]

I have to disagree on all those low temp readings. I'm sceptical. In building systems for 15 years, I've never had temps in the low 30's unless my room temp is under 70 F. In the summer or when the heater makes the room toasty, your temps may be in the high 40's to 60c. And don't overtighten your heatsink, or you might damage the cpu core.

 

[DM0407]

Room temp avg is between 65f and 70f, never higher. It is also close to a drafty window, and if anything should be a little cooler. 15 years is a long time to be building systems but core temps have varied over the years..... 15 years ago the Pentium was on a 600nm chip.

Based on reviews, this chips should idle in the mid 30c's and touch 50c under load. The better fans seem to be even lower than this.

 

[Grimmy]

Does anyone have info on the sensors on AMD X2 B/E, like the C2D? Like the C2D have the Tcase and Tjunction sensors, what would AMD's sensors be?

One think I'd perhaps check, to see if the bottom of that Zalman is flat, with a razor blade. I remember some of the 9500 Zalmans did have a concave in them in the center.

Maybe perhaps you don't have a very flat bottom on that HS?

 

[Reynod]

Cool and quiet driver loaded?

 

[skittle]

I have to disagree on all those low temp readings. I'm sceptical. In building systems for 15 years, I've never had temps in the low 30's unless my room temp is under 70 F. In the summer or when the heater makes the room toasty, your temps may be in the high 40's to 60c. And don't overtighten your heatsink, or you might damage the cpu core.

75F in my house, 3800+ @ 2.4ghz idle temps are 26-28c.

Also, how do you "over tighten" a AM2 heatsink? that seems rather impossible.

 

[elbert]

Whats the voltage? Your bios may be giving the brisbane 65nm voltage a 90nm needs at that clock. You should be around 1.25~1.3v at stock. At 1.325v you should hit 3GHz stable.

Was the face of the Heatsink concaved? You may have to lap if thats the case.

 

[ZOldDude]

You may have used too much TIM or the MB is incorrectly reporting temps/voltages...or your air flow is not very good.

I have seven Optron 146 and DFI Expert MB systems all overclocked 950Mhz on stock voltages.
I use Thermalright SI-120 with Silverstone FM-121 fans for the cooler and case (CoolerMaster T0-1 with rear fan grill removed) and only hit 3C over room temps after an hour of Prime/SuperPi.

 

[skittle]

my guess would be too much TIM, you really only need a little bit. About the size of a BB.

 

[ZOldDude]

my guess would be too much TIM, you really only need a little bit. About the size of a BB.

That is about how much I use for two installs!
I first clean the new CPU and HS with acetone with a Q-Tip and then with technical grade isopropyl alcohol...then after air drying use a clean coffee filter to rub them.
Never use cloth,paper towel,kleenex or tp!

I apply no more than a dry grain of rice sized "speck" of TIM and with a bit of plastic wrap covering my finger pic up about 1/3 of that and rub the HS with it untill it can't be seen (fills micro-cracks).
No need to rub what is left in the center of the CPU's IHS as it spreads when you put the HS on but I do so anyhow with the plastic wrap on finger with less than half of what remains.

I find that less TIM used gives the best cooling and how you prep and apply matters far more that what brand of TIM is used.
A 99 cent unit of the old white silicon TIM is enough for as many as 10 CPU installs to show an example of how little is really needed.

 

[ZOldDude]

If the IHS on your CPU is dished you may need a bit more in the center but first seat the HS and then remove and inspect to see if that speck in the center spread out...but the idea is to use as little as you can.

 

[DM0407]

Thank you for your help.

I am currently at work but I do believe the voltage was high, it is set to 'auto' in the bios and reports somewhere in the high 1.3xV range. I didn't want to mess with it because i didn't want to do further damage. Would this voltage create so much heat? It is a Tforce4 board and originally had a 90nm 3800+.

As for the paste, according to what you use i did use too much (I have never seen anyone list the correct amount). The HS is warm to the touch but certainly not hot. There does seem to be some warmer air near the board itself, the HS doesn't do a good job of moving the air near the PCI-E port.

to get an idea of what I'm working with:
http://www.biostar-usa.com/mbdetails.asp?model=tforce4+am2

As you can see there isn't too much room between the board and the PCI-E, so the video card blocks off air flow as does the wiring for the MB itself( although not to the point where it should be 20c hotter).

 

[Shadow703793]

^Yes a 1.3 would create quite a bit of heat.

 

[Shadow703793]

I have to disagree on all those low temp readings. I'm sceptical. In building systems for 15 years, I've never had temps in the low 30's unless my room temp is under 70 F. In the summer or when the heater makes the room toasty, your temps may be in the high 40's to 60c. And don't overtighten your heatsink, or you might damage the cpu core.

^Not True

http://www.mediafire.com/?592y21dnnm1

This is with SpeedStep disabled and the CPU OCed to 3.2Ghz. With SpeedStep enabled the temps drop down to about 22/24C. The room temp is @72F

 

[DM0407]

I hope your right shadow.....

Is there a voltage i should stop at? Is it worth it to keep pushing down the Voltage or just stay at 1.25ish?

I'll try it as soon as i get home and give you guys an update, hopefully from my computer. ( I hate it when people figure out their issue and never explain how they fixed it, leaving others to ask the same questions)

 

[DM0407]

P.S.

You guys are either extremely quick and knowledgeable or some of the worst forum rats i have ever seen!

Either way you have been a ton of help this past week.