High System Temperature on Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3P

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Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3P showing System Temperature of 93C/199F, CPU 20C. Left off all night in cool 60F room and on start up CMOS health shows 92C. Case is Antec 900 with 4 fans running on high. I can't feel any heat from anywhere. Fans putting out real cool air. Computer runs fine. Processor is Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @3.0 GHz. Seeking advice on how to proceed - is this a bad sensor? Does that require a motherboard replacement? Can I use computer without concern just monitoring CPU temperature?
 
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Hi there,

Looked thru your manual and could not specifically find where the "System Temperature" is measured, might review it, but I suspect it is under the P35 "northbridge" chip. It also looks in the photo like the heat sink comes off with 2 screws.

You could download the "SpeedFan" utility which also measures temperatures, as a double check.

The nicest measurement tool I've found is an inexpensive fluke non touch laser IR thermometer. You just point the laser beam at the measurement area and it gives you an instant readout of the temp there. Great if you have one or can borrow one.

If you find the temp is way up at the P35 chip, possibly the thermal compound under the heat sink has dried or is not in contact, & just need a...

John_VanKirk

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Hi there,

Looked thru your manual and could not specifically find where the "System Temperature" is measured, might review it, but I suspect it is under the P35 "northbridge" chip. It also looks in the photo like the heat sink comes off with 2 screws.

You could download the "SpeedFan" utility which also measures temperatures, as a double check.

The nicest measurement tool I've found is an inexpensive fluke non touch laser IR thermometer. You just point the laser beam at the measurement area and it gives you an instant readout of the temp there. Great if you have one or can borrow one.

If you find the temp is way up at the P35 chip, possibly the thermal compound under the heat sink has dried or is not in contact, & just need a reapplication.

First thing however, is to determine exactly which component is getting hot.
 
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Thank you - SpeedFan gives the same results. Guess it wouldn't be prudent to use my BBQ instant digital thermomator with it's metal tip. I've touched with my fingers and felt nothing even warm.
 

John_VanKirk

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Hi again,

Nope, don't use any metal thermometers.



Here is a good safe way of pinpointing hot spots while running.

You might not feel the heat sink being "hot" if the thermal paste has dried underneath but it might be much warmer around the edges. Turn off your system and immediately check with your hand if you feel any much warmer areas.

If the P35 heat sink does lift off fairly easily, you could clean it with 95% isopropyl alcohol and reapply a thin coat of artic silver thermal paste.
 
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Since the processor cooler is easy to get to, I removed it, cleaned it and the processor's top and applied a thin coat of thermal compound by Arctic Silver. The CPU is a little warmer now, going from the 20C to 30C. The System Temperature is still 95C. Exhaust air is still cool. System Temp rarely moves off of 95C. Appreciate the help. My inquiry to Gigabyte hasn't yet received a response. I don't think I ever checked the temperature before, can't remember anyway. So it could have always been 95C. It's about 2 years old. It's still running fine as best I can tell.

Oh, I removed the cooler, etc, right after powering off and didn't feel anything warm there. The bottom of the cooler was cool to the touch.
 
What about the heat sink just below or to the right of the CPU (depending which way you look at the board?) The one with the heat pipes coming from it. Is the chip hot under the heat sink? I just went thru a similar problem. John_VanKirk, got me pointed in the right direction! I removed the heat sink and found that the thermal grease was applied poorly not cover much of the chip and squished out, etc. Cleaned up the mess and applied a good coat and put it back together and my MCH temps are way lower now.
 
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That area is cool to the touch and I didn't know to remove that one - so I might. I don't understand how the System Temp can go to 200F in less than a minute when PC is turned on in the morning after a night in a 60F room. Can it? And isn't 200F high enough that I could feel it somewhere?

I found on these forums someone with a heat problem on a Gigabyte board replaced the heatsink/cooler on top of the processor with one more powerful and got good results. I have an Intel that came with the processor. http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/267874-31-gigabyte-motherboard-heat-problems I have no idea what to replace it with.
 
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Gee, I may not be here long enough to get this resolved. I keep getting a message to confirm my email address within 48 hours, but have never received an email back to do that and don't see any way to contact anyone about it.
 
You might try tightening the heat sink some before you remove it. See if that makes any difference. If there's no heat conductivity, then the heat sink will most likely stay cool. The chip under it is what is heating up. I had to remove the board just to reinstall the heat sink because of a bracket behind the board.

MoBo: GA-EX58-UD3R

Here's a link to my problem:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=30&post=280227&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0
 
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How do you remove or tighten the heatsink? What I redid was over the processor.
41wSqJWbbLL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 
How do you remove or tighten the heatsink? What I redid was over the processor.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41wSqJWbbLL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

There should be screws that hold the heat sink down in place. From a picture of your board, there looks like two screws holding the heat sink down. I would tighten them up some and check if that helps. Do not over tighten so as to bend anything. If this does not help, you might want to take it off and clean off the chip and heat sink and then re-apply thermal grease and put it back together. Be warned. I took mine off and could not get it back on without having to take the whole board out.


 
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Thanks, but I don't think I will go there. The CPU is 27C. I ran Intel's processor performance test and it passed all the checks and stress tests - with CPU temp good under stress. I use this PC to make a living, so I think I better leave as is and periodically check processor performance. I have ordered one more fan - this one for the side of the Antec 900 case, just in case it needs that.

SpeedFan says the high temp is from the ITE IT8718F. I located that in the lower left corner and it wasn't hot.

No response from Gigabyte. I would think they could tell me if it is OK to run with this mystery 95C system temp when the CPU is running fine and cool.
 
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I ordered an IR thermometer. Guess I can check while it is running to look for a hot spot. Can it get to 93C in 30 seconds on startup? I check temp on the BIOS screen and it is already 93C in the few seconds it takes to get to the BIOS after being off all night.
 
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There is something holding it, but not screws. I am getting a digital thermometer to check temps around that and other areas and it would it would be nice to get a response from Gigabyte before I remove anything else.
 
Oh bummer! I just found this picture of your board:
http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Gigabyte_GA_EP35_DS3P/10.jpg
It looks like there are plastic stops (or whatever they are called) holding the heat sinks down. I don't like that. You can't tighten them up any more than the springs are tight. You will probably have to take the board out to get to the back, then with a pair of pliers, squeeze the pastic ends and they should pop out with the spring pressure. To get them back in you just press them into the holes again and they will fasten them selves again.

I would clean off all the thermal grease and put a thick coat of OCZ Freeze Extreme Thermal Conductivity Compound.
http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/cooling_products/ocz_freeze_extreme_thermal_conductivity_compound

Freeze works much better than arctic silver, which is way over rated IMO. I just purchased some at amazon.com. It's getting harder to find. Sold out at newegg and tigerdirect both.

Spread it thick because you cannot tighten with no screws. Even if you had screws, thick is good with freeze. It does not squish out. At least thats my experience. It semi hardens on the chip before you even put the heat sink on. It has a really high rate of heat conductivity like there is only one piece of metal with the heat sink & chip.

Here's Gigabyte's contack info:
G.B.T. INC. - U.S.A.
TEL: +1-626-854-9338
FAX: +1-626-854-9339
Tech. Support:
http://rma.gigabyte-usa.com
Web address: http://www.gigabyte.us

I've called the TEL nunber a couple of times with a couple of recent builds. Didn't wait more than a couple mins each time and talked to a tech in California that got me straight quick! The best phone support that I can remember!

Hope this all helps...
 

JohnRoss

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Thank you. I am working email with Gigabyte but it is sooo slow. So far they just told me to check temp at BIOS on startup which I had already done. It read same high temp so they said, "Well it is probably correct. Have you moved to BIOS F6 or reverted to F5".

It is almost easier to put in a new board than redo that heatsink with the uncertainty of whether it will work or not. I think they are about $150 now.

Frustrating to have a 200F reading, not feel any heat anywhere and slow response from Gigabyte. What brand of motherboard is a good substitute if Gigabyte tells me I need a new motherboard?

Guess I am going to put in a floppy drive so I can revert back to F5 - I know that can be done with CD, but looks complicated making that bootable CD (wouldn't Gigabyte know if F6 were not compatibale with my motherboard?)

Why should I have to experiment with different BIOS versions? Disappointed with Gigabyte support. I'll try calling them Monday to see if I get something better than email support. And I'll have my new IR thermometer by then too, to see if is really hotter somewhere.
 

JohnRoss

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I got the IR thermometer today. The highest spot I can find is 39.8C at the South Bridge (I think that is what it is called - smaller heatsink lower right). Most readings are in the high 20C to low 30C.
 

JohnRoss

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My entries were changed to Anonymous cause the forum never sent me the confirm email. But I am JohnRoss.

Update Gigabyte techs had me revert to F5 bios - no change in temperatures. 93C on the Bios just 30 seconds after start up after being off all night. Digital thermometer finds no high temps anywhere on Gigabyte motherboard.

Installed new video card (Gigabyte GV-N450OC-1Gi - has 2 fans) and this reduced GPU temp by 10C, but no change in the the "System Temperature", still 93C to 96C. I believe it goes up to 96C as room temperature rises during the day. CPU is 22C low load to 36C high load.

So I am ignoring it for now since PC runs good, but would like the mystery resolved.
 

JohnRoss

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Gigabyte response - "It appears system temperature may not be detecting properly and there may be a faulty sensor on the board." Question now, do I go without good performing computer for 3 weeks while I return the mb and get a replacement - it is under warranty (3 years). Think I'll buy a replacement, then send this one in for repair and keep it until I can think of a use for it.

I am looking at a close replacement - how about Gigabyte GA-EP45T-USB3P? Would anyone comment on that? I am not a hardware person.
 

JohnRoss

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Thank you both who replied, for your time and your help. I learned that a mother board can show hot in Speedfan and Gigabyte BIOS while the computer is performing just fine. This GIGABYTE mother board is providing bad data or no data on the system temperature. It was very useful to obtain an IR digital themometer to look around the board for hot spots. Once I found there were none and all other temperatures were good, I could continue to use the computer with some peace of mind that it wasn't going to flame out on my desk. Now I can live with it, be without my computer for 3 weeks while it is replaced or repaired by GIGABYTE, or just buy a new motherboard at costs of zero, 3 weeks time, or $130 plus replacement time, respectively. I bet most people reading this forum would replace that ah heck. I am leaning toward option 1 - wish there were no decision at all. Thanks again.
 
Since it is still under warranty, I would get it repaired or replaced. You've paid for it.

Actually, I would take off the heat sink off and clean it up and put a good, even coat of thermal compound on the chip underneath and see if that helps. Were you able to take a reading directly off of the chip? I guess the closest you could get to it would be from the back of the board.
 

JohnRoss

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I checked around the edges of that chip and it was not hot at all. I got the highest reading around the SB (39.8C). It seems impossible for something on the mother board to go from cold (off all night in cold room, 60F) to 200F in 20 to 30 seconds that it takes to get the BIOS health screen up. What's yours read in that 20 to 30 seconds after being off for 12 hours?

If I redo that heatsink, the warranty is voided and I do another 4-6 hours work taking it apart and putting it back together again.
 
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