Bad performance from Prolimatech Megahalems?

[volks1470]

So I was really looking forward to be able finally surpass 4GHz with my 125w Phenom II X4 965 with a nice big bad cooler, but i've yet to even get 3.9GHz stable. I used to have a TRUE 120 on a X3 720 which worked great!

I'm not sure if i'm getting normal temps but I doubt it. Here's some numbers and the setup.

Coolermaster HAF 932
MSI 790FX-GD70
A-data 4GB 1333mhz ram
Corsair 750TX
5870

I hope this little text layout makes sense. All the fans are lined up, and there is a large gap between the heatsink and surrounding fans.

[<-- Rear exhaust 120mm 44cfm] [<--120mm 90cfm] HEATSINK [<--120mm 90cfm] [<-- Front fan 140mm 60cfm]

Stock clocks (3.4GHz)
Idle: 36°C
Prime95: 47°C

 

[cory1234]

Wow...90cfm that must be loud. I wouldn't have upgraded from the TRUE..a good lap job with make up the difference in temps. Temps don't seem to be the problem, what are your settings in bios?

 

[AsAnAtheist]

Sounds like you may need to reseat your heatsink, and reapply thermal paste correctly.
But first
1. What is your ambient temperature? In Celsius please.
2. Did you apply the thermal paste correctly? (thin, and even)

 

[volks1470]

Sounds like you may need to reseat your heatsink, and reapply thermal paste correctly.
But first
1. What is your ambient temperature? In Celsius please.
2. Did you apply the thermal paste correctly? (thin, and even)

That's what I did. I was getting temps in the 52°C range before.
1. Ambient is around 26-27° C
2. Yes, I made sure to do it correctly.

Wow...90cfm that must be loud. I wouldn't have upgraded from the TRUE..a good lap job with make up the difference in temps. Temps don't seem to be the problem, what are your settings in bios?

Surprisingly not, they're very quiet for the air they (supposedly...) move.

Well I did upgrade to a watercooling setup, but I sold that to get a 5870 and a X4 965. Now I have the Megahalems. I remember it performed very in all the benchmarks, I don't know why mine is sucking so badly...

All BIOS setting were stock with those temps. 36-47°C

 

[AsAnAtheist]

That's what I did. I was getting temps in the 52°C range before.
1. Ambient is around 26-27° C
2. Yes, I made sure to do it correctly.



Surprisingly not, they're very quiet for the air they (supposedly...) move.

Well I did upgrade to a watercooling setup, but I sold that to get a 5870 and a X4 965. Now I have the Megahalems. I remember it performed very in all the benchmarks, I don't know why mine is sucking so badly...

(in your "visual text" demonstration)
By 140mm front fan do you mean the front fan on the HAF 932? Isn't that supposed to be a 230mm intake fan?

Try reseating it. If that doesn't work it could be a number of things:
1. Mount was installed incorrectly.
2. Megahalem's defective
3. Not enough air flow in your case.

 

[volks1470]

(in your "visual text" demonstration)
By 140mm front fan do you mean the front fan on the HAF 932? Isn't that supposed to be a 230mm intake fan?

Try reseating it. If that doesn't work it could be a number of things:
1. Mount was installed incorrectly.
2. Megahalem's defective
3. Not enough air flow in your case.

Sorry for not being too specific. The 140mm fan sitting on top of a cd drive pulling in air from where the 5.25'' drives are. Also have all three 230mm fans. going.

1. This could be since absolutely no instructions came with the AM2+/AM3 adapter bracket. Although it's not difficult to figure out. I'm not sure how much to screw the bolts in though...
2. How might it be defective? Just not a great cooler?
3. Theres no way! haha, the TRUE 120 did great. Now that i'm thinking about it, the TRUE 120 was blowing hot air up to the top of the case. I have the Megahalems mounted blowig hot air out the back if the case. I couldn't see this making too much of a difference but maybe...

 

[AsAnAtheist]

1. Instructions: Mount the bracket into the motherboard (self explanatory) be sure to apply firm pressure when applying the screws, use proper judgement. Then mount the heatsink (while bar is loose, duh), and use the bar that goes between the heatsink to create the pressure between heatsink/processor by screwing it.. The screws on the bar should be very tight..

2. There's several ways a heat sink can fail most don't impact thermal efficiency as much as these two: badly machined surface (you would hear a lot of people complaining), or heat pipes cracking. It is [strike]quite[/strike] extremely unusual to be honest. Also the Megahalem is a great heatsink and generally does better then the TRUE.

3. I was just saying the possibilities :/

I would recommend removing the front 140mm fan and installing it at the base of the haf 932, provided the case is sitting on a hard even surface.

If this doesn't work you got two options:
1. Return the heatsink to where you bought it from if you can.
2. RMA it, and hope that it was defective.