Q9450 Too hot?!?! 49C

Help! I just put this rig together, turned it on for first time today!

*Edit* I'll be adding pics from different programs as they're suggested to give helpers an easier time.

EasyTune: (dunno why my case temp is so high...)


CoreTemp program:


HWMonitor:




Is this just because its brand new?

I have a Xigmatek HDT-S1283 hooked up to it

In an Antec 900 case (fans are on low, but case does *not* in any way feel warm, very very cool to the touch.


I was looking at overclocking stuff and decided to download a temp monitor, and noticed this. (This is still at stock speeds until I figure out wtf is going on).

Q9450 on Vista 64, 4gb ram
Arctic Silver 5.

BIOS is updated to F2, current version. (I could update to a beta version of BIOS, since this was released 1/4/08 and the newest beta was 3/27/2008. Maybe since this is a newer processor it might be better?)

Your core 3 temps look really high. Thermal grease can take a few days to set and will lower temps but maybe not enough to put it in a great spot. My C2D OC to 3GHz will hit 48-55C fully loaded (before I upgraded the fans) and I thought that was OK. You have a quad-core so more heat is being generated. I think if your ambient temps were slightly higher than normal then that's probably about right.

BTW now my CPU never hits 50C with 80F ambient.

Check into updating the BIOS for your motherboard and see how that affects your cpu temperature measurement.

On a side note: If you use too much thermal paste it will cause your cpu temperature to be high.

Guys, BIOS affects CPU temperature ONLY, and does not affect Core temperatures. From the Core 2 Quad and Duo Temperature Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] ture-guide


Section 5: Findings

(A) Tcase is acquired on the CPU Die from the CPU Case Thermal Diode as an analog level, which is converted to a digital value by the super I/O chip on the motherboard. The digital value is BIOS Calibrated and displayed by temperature software. BIOS Calibration affects the accuracy of Tcase, or CPU temperature.

(B) Tjunction is acquired within the Cores from Thermal Diodes as analog levels, which are converted to digital values by the Digital Thermal Sensors (DTS) within each Core. The digital values are Factory Calibrated and displayed by temperature software. Factory Calibration affects the accuracy of Tjunction, or Core temperatures.

(C) Tcase and Tjunction are both acquired from Thermal Diodes. Tcase and Tjunction analog to digital (A to D) conversions are executed by separate devices in different locations. BIOS Calibrations from motherboard manufacturers, Factory Calibrations from Intel, and popular temperature utilities are frequently inaccurate.

Also:

Section 15: Troubleshooting

Notice: A significant percentage of 45 nanometer processors are being reported with defective DTS sensors, which appear as unresponsive Core temperatures, particularly at lower Scale. Excessive Offsets between Cores of as much as 8c are also being reported. Sensors can be tested using Real Temp 2.41: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forum [...] ?p=2809778 Processors with defective sensors should be RMA`d. This applies to E8000, Q9000 and QX9000 series processors.

(A) Vcore will typically droop at least 0.025 volts under full Load.

(B) Offsets between Cores of up to 5c for Quad`s and 3c for Duo`s are normal.

(C) Any hardware and / or software may misreport Tcase and / or Tjunction temps.

(D) BIOS updates will affect the accuracy of Tcase, but will have no affect on Tjunction.

(E) If Tcase is higher than Tjunction, then enabling PECI (if equipped) in BIOS may correct inverted temps.

(F) CPU's manufactured with concave / convex Integrated Heat Spreaders may indicate high Idle to Load Delta.

(G) An improperly seated CPU cooler is the leading cause of abnormally high temperatures.

(H) Ambient and Vcore are the most dominant Variables affecting temperatures.


Hope this helps,

Comp

have you tried core temp 0.9.8.1? just to see your readings are accurate in both programs? im guessing your system is not under full load right? thats really high for idle.

thermal paste does take awhile to set into all the micro crevices on ur cpu and hs though but i dun think thats the prob.

only thing i can think of is that the program is giving you inaccurate readings

try using the newest core temp and see what it reads.

my q9450 run in the 35-37 ish range when idle and around 54-57 when under full load from prime 95.

if anything, try reinstalling the heatsink? or lap your cpu and see if that makes a difference. that's all i can really think of x_x

35%-45% humidity usually here.

Chipset drivers = BIOS software. Sometimes different CPU steppings can need BIOS updates so that the code sent from the temp sensors is correctly interpeted.

Agreed. Turn that fan up! My Arctic Freezer 7 is at about 2700-3000 RPM.

Hmmm... that seems to be a nice HS (Xigmatek HDT-S1283).

I've read one other post before to where the HS was blowing in the wrong direction.

Even with my HS with the fan turned low, my cores are at 38/39/37/37 at this time, ambient temp on my front fan is (gah) 85-86F.

So I kinda wonder if you have the airflow perhaps working against ya, even though the RPMs are low. And if you have SmartFan enable in the bios, it won't kick the fan to high, until the Tcase temp reaches a certain temp, which you would specify or to it's default settings.

Edit:

Forgot to mention I am on a Q6600.

Agreed.

Airflow in your case is bad; if both your CPU and GPU are running hotter than what seems to be average (Google, forum scavaging) I would tend to bet you don't have adequate airflow.

On my Q6600 at load, with watercooling, I never break 48C @ 3.425ghz, so your air cooled temps don't look that bad.

Better fans, better case or both.

Heh.. that's one reason why I'm thinking perhaps the fan on the HS is pointed the wrong way.

I have the fan on the heatsink positioned 1 inch from the fan on the back of the case...


Also I don't know how to turn up my cpu fan... my comp is on that scaling mode, w/e you call it where intel scales down processors when not in use, i figure thats why the RPM were low?


As far as applying AS5 to the heatsink, I didn't do that. I was told not to on AS5 website? I know my pushpins are in all the way... scared the crap outta me when I put them in. I can try and take some pictures up close of my setup when I get back from class.

Quick question regarding my video card as I can't seem to find any mention of what this particular connector does.




If you look at the middle of the top of the card, theres a little hole that looks like it fits a small 2 pronged plug. Is that for the video card fan? If so that could explain the high temps on that. I've never seen that kind of connector before. (Best pic I could get without taking my own, which ill do when I get back from class.)

CompuTronix, I'll read that when I get back

Airflow has to be good in my case. My NZXT case was always super duper hot inside, and this one isnt... Hell I'll turn my case fans to high and see what happens though.

I attached the fan to the heatsink via little rubber things that anchor onto the heatsink.


The Xigmatek comes with like 3 different screwable plates, so you can use with AMD etc...

I'll post pics

I know the cables are a nightmare... Ive dragged all of the unused ones through the hole in the case (so they end up behind the motherboard), but those sata cables are way way way too long to go like 4 inches lol.

I should also point out that this is the first time ive used this push-pin BS. My last build was with AMD. But I'm fairly confident I have them all the way in (I saw little cones of plastic on the bottom, and heard a huge click for each of them) almost felt like I snapped my mobo though, scared the hell outta me

From those pictures, the fan is wrong. it should be on the opposite side of the HS. Also you have a vacuum lock. I'll try to explain like this:

RearFan <----| |<--- Pulling air that way

HS Fan ---> | | ----> Pulling air that way

When you see the fan, usually when you see this (just using this fan as an example):

So when you see the open face of a fan, what your actually looking at, is the intake side or suction. When you see the bracket of a fan:

Your looking at the out put side, where you would feel air if you held it in your at facing it at you.

So you have an airflow problem that is causing your high temps for idle.

If you remove the heatsink, you need to reapply Arctic Silver. Use the instructions on their website.

actually the heatsink fan is blowing into the sucking case fan... but I see what you mean, blowing air *through* the heatsink is better no?


I would have to take my mobo out to flip that around lol


and those rubber things that hold the fan in place are a nightmare to get on, ( you feel like ur gonna rip the rubber when you pull it through the thing).


So let me get this straight before I move stuff around, I want to flip it 180 degrees and make it so the fan will blow air *through* the heatsink and let the case fan suck up that air? (Which means I'll have to reverse the orientation of the fan as well)

ah I see...

Since I plan on OC'ing... wouldn't it be better if I just moved everything around anyway? for the long run...?

Hmmmm... so one core stayed at 60C?

Well.. since it is using the 4 push pin installation, you prolly have 1 or 2 pins not secure, and that would be the corner that is high. I'd guess, since its core #2 its one of the top pins that is nearest to the top fan of your case.

Unfortunately, in order to be sure that the pins are all the way in, you'll have to take your MB out and look at the back of it. It should look like this:



The push pins can be a pain. Couple of things, be sure those knobs are fully turned the opposite of the arrow, and when you install it, push down on the pin that is most hardest to get down first, then push the other 3 pins that are easier to lock in place.

GL on that.

Hmmm. It's possible that one DTS maybe screwed up, but if you haven't tried re-installing the HS (I'm guessing you have) it may help out. But be sure to clean the CPU/HS off and reapply thermal grease. I'd recommend MX-2 Thermal Compound if you can get it. Also if you could find a back plate kit for that HS, that could also make better contact on the HS/CPU.

I used a Tuniq, and switched to ZeroTherm 120 which works just as good and have the same temps, but both use back plates instead of the 4 push pins, which I really don't trust. I know in time that plastic may become brittle enough to break, so if you have the system long enough, you'll end up perhaps replacing it, or some part of it.

I guess you use AS5, that should be okay, but since I've used both, I'd prefer MX-2.

I basically had no other choice but to go with Q6600, since mine is 650i NV chipset. So I could have been on the same boat as you if the DTS are really messed up.

Maybe you could sell that one and get a Q6600 or 6700? Or could you send that back, is it retail or OEM?

My HS is the same way, till I put a load on it. So I guess if you could stress one of the cores or a couple of cores, you should feel a difference.

I did read some of the review off newegg... heh seems the 4 push pins are giving other people headaches on this type of HS:

XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler

I did see on guy say:

Not sure where you could find it, if you wanted to try.

Anyhoo... GL on what you end up choosing.

anyone correct me if im wrong, but with one of your core at 60c and the others going down. if you have any experience in lapping, you should give it a try. if your HS is installed correctly and it's only one core with that high of a temp, it might not have even contact with the HS because its not even, or you can lap both the CPU and the HS, at your discretion, just a thought or get a new HS such as a Xigmatek or a TRUE

if that doesn't help, then your DTS is prolly screwed. damn intel for not releasing the TjMax on their 45nm's

i recently built a system for my friend with the Q9450 as well, and his temps are 48-50c idle when i used CoreTemp, but when i used RealTemp, the temperature was 40-42C. go figure. here's a link to the RealTemp guide to recalibrate your temperature and to get roughly a more precise reading that is closer to your actual temperature.

http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/docs.php

hope that helps! cheers