CPU gets hot = broken?

[iyo]

I built a new PC with an i7-860 CPU. Originally, I tried to use a Scythe Ninja 2 Rev. B cooler. When idle, the temperatures were in the upper twenties (celcius). However, when I started a stress test, the temperatures jumped to ~70 and continued growing until they reached the nineties after several minutes. I then stopped the stress test.

I thought maybe the Ninja 2 can't handle the i7-860 so I decided to try the boxed cooler instead. Idle temperatures were as low as 22-23 (environment temperature is 21). However, the stress test let the temperatures jump to 60 and then slowly grow to the nineties again. This surprised me since I thought that the boxed cooler should definitely be able to handle the processor. Also, the boxed cooler already had the thermal grease on it so I can't have made any mistake there. Does that mean that my CPU is broken?


I used RealTemp and CoreTemp to determine the CPU temperatures.

 

[sminlal]

It's highly unlikely that the CPU itself is to blame. Chance are that there's either a poor contact between the CPU and the heatsink, or that the case has poor airflow through it. The case airflow is just as important as the heatsink in keeping the CPU cool.

Check to make sure that the heatsink mounting system is applying even pressure to the CPU - a common problem with the stock cooler is having one or two plastic pins that aren't properly engaged in the motherboard.

And check to make sure that there's good airflow through the case. You should be able to feel a stream of air coming out of the system at the exhaust vents.

 

[iyo]

Thank you for your answer.

I checked the cooler. The plastic pins seem are all pretty tight in their position.

I have an Antec P183 case and I am using the fans that came with the case. The case has two 12cm fans near the CPU, one at the back and one on the top (the P183 has the power supply at the bottom). With my hand, I can feel a moderate amount of air coming out of both. I guess I might want to try to install stronger fans in the case and see whether anything changes.

 

[silverron]

Did you use Termal Compound at installation of CPU? This reduces heat build up. Also, some, if not all, CPU Fans that come with the CPU are not strong enough to do the job - might want to concern replacement. I am running i7 920 on Gig MB, this CPU runs on the hot side - Like what Sminlal said, would recommend 4-5 case fans with 120mm plus.

Good Luck and keep moving forward!

 

[iyo]

With the boxed cooler I used the thermal compound that already was on the cooler. I installed the Ninja 2 cooler multiple times (because I thought I had done it wrong) I used the compound that comes with the cooler the first time I installed it and compound by Antec the second time.

Which cooler do you use for your 920? Can anyone recommend a really strong (but maybe not too loud) cooler?

 

[sminlal]

Just as a sanity check - there's a fan on the heatsink itself, right? You're not just relying on the case fans alone to move the air over the heatsink fins?

 

[JackNaylorPE]

The HS and CPU must be thoroughly cleaned w/ alcohol and paper towel between uses to get off all traces of thermal compound / pad from previous usage.

http://www.innovationcooling.com/applicationinstructions.htm

 

[Stupido]

Also check the settings (low-medium-high) for your case fans.

if I was you, I would populate all case fans - as I know you can put 2 extra fans on front panel. Also would place nice high throughput fans on the back and top.

 

[iyo]

@sminlal: Yes, there is a fan on the heatsink
@JackNaylorPE: I did clean the CPU with 70% alcohol after taking the first cooler off.
@Stupido: The P183 has two independent chambers - one for the mainboard and DVD-drives and one for the power supply and hard drives. I have installed all fans for the mainboard chamber, so the only way thing I can do is install stronger fans. (It would be possible to install one more fan in the mainboard chamber if I had the upper hard disk case installed but my graphics card is too big so I had to take it out)

 

[sminlal]

I have an Antec P182 case which is very similar to your P183. I chose it because I wanted a quiet system and I'm actually only using one case fan on the "low" setting to draw air in through the front filter. My Core i7 CPU temperature (not core temps) peaks in the low 70sC with Prime95. I have a relatively low-end Asus EAH4350 passively cooled graphics card. The heatsink is a ThermalRight HR-01 with a Scythe Kama PWM fan that normally runs at about 500rpm and peaks at about 1300.

One thing to note: with thermal grease, more is NOT better. You should apply no more than a small bead about the size of a grain of rice, and then use pressure and slight lateral movements to spread it out. Too much grease would hurt your heatsink's performance.

 

[iyo]

I searched for good heatsinks but it seems there are only quite few for the LGA 1156 socket.

What is the difference between CPU temperature and core temperature?

 

[iyo]

Actually I might have used a little too much thermal compound. I put the Ninja back on and used the smallest portion of thermal compound that I could get on the CPU and now the temperatures stay below 70 after 15 minutes of stress test. Thanks for your help to everyone!

 

[silverron]

Glad you got down to the bottom line - it only takes just a little bit Thermal to make it work = below 70 for the i7 processor is not too bad - there run hot!

Make it a great day on the MB!

 

[sminlal]

I put the Ninja back on and used the smallest portion of thermal compound that I could get on the CPU and now the temperatures stay below 70 after 15 minutes of stress test.

That's great to hear - thanks for letting us know what solved the problem for you!