How can a Phenom 955 run so hot with a aftermarket cooler?

I recently completed building my new system, and went to overclock the CPU. Well while doing so, I noticed, it runs rather hot, I tested at stock and overclocked, and it runs much hotter then it should for the cooling my case has, and the aftermarket cooler I installed.

I'm using a Phenom II X4 955 BE C3 stepping (verified in CPU-z)
NZXT phantom case, with 2x 200mm and 1x 120mm exhaust, 2x 120mm and 1x 140mm intake
Arctic cooling Freezer 13 with Arctic silver ceramique thermal compound
Seasonic 750w X series PSU
ASrock 880G motherboard

I'm idling atm, at stock speed/voltage at 47C according to software readings. My max temp running Aion and borderlands was 64C.
Overclocked to 3.8Ghz (Upping the multiplier) @1.43v it ran benchmarks stable (Did not do so at 1.42v crashed on the 3run, maybe I overset that when I bumped up to 1.43? It was running around 68C maybe just overheat and not instability?) Anyway, at 3.8ghz it idled around 52C, and max at a bluescreen dump. Somewhere around 69C, but only bluescreened today.

I understand overclocking increases temperatures, but why am I at 64C under load with the above cooler and thermal paste? Reviews stated this cooler could run a 970 @3.8ghz at only 52C load with lesser case cooling, why is mine hovering around 64+?

I applied the thermal paste carefully, and according to directions on the Artic silver website.
I cleaned the HSF with 91% alcohol and wiped clean with a untouched microfiber cloth meant for electronics cleaning (maybe it left fiber on the Heatsink I couldn't see? would have burned by now tho, but was as close to a glasses cleaning cloth as I had.), let dry for almost 10mins while I reviewed the instructions, and applied a drop of paste no bigger then a grain of rice to the center of the CPU and spread in multiple directions with a prior cleaned credit card (using alcohol again), again, according to instructions covering most of the CPU, esp the center.. Or was that my error? lol. some of the outside edges did not get clearly covered though, but the real needed area is the center right?

I do not believe I have any defective parts, my HSF is running at 2250rpm's, my case fans are running at max speed, and blowing quite a bit of cold air, ambient temps in the case seem average, around 40C. It does get a little warm in here, esp today, that's when it bluescreened playing Aion, after running stable at 3.8 and 1.43v for 2 days. I do not fully believe the overclock is the issue itself, just the temps it makes.

I've read Phenoms don't like temps above 69C, is that true? Am I currently better at stock speeds? But again, why would it be running so hot with such good case cooling, and acceptable CPU cooling? Did I apply the thermal paste incorrectly?

To note, the CPU fan faces up, blowing the air directly into one of the 200mm fans mounted not even 2inchs from the HSF. I checked the HSF after I had help mounting it at a local shop I generally trust with computer work, it seemed centered. And cool and quiet was disabled manually.


Until this is figurd out, I'm keeping the system at stock. I don't need any damage done to the CPU.
But I would be very grateful for any help you guys could render^^

i wanna know too, ill be checking in

I like a heat spreader that is 100% covered by TIM. Back in the old days when there was only one core in the middle leaving the edges might have been ok, but not now. I'd take it off and reply, but this time use a bit more and THINLY cover the entire IHS.

I'm also not familiar with that heatsink. If its one of those direct contact heatpipe type coolers make sure you work enough TIM into the cracks that naturally occur in such a heatsink. Air is a horrible conductor of heat, so make sure there is none.

Yes, I read that.
In my defense I had done so to my previous Intel core 2 duo which requires a line of paste, same with a C2Q, and they ran at low temps, though I think the C2Q does state to spread the paste. I was (Foolishly perhaps.) worried it wouldn't cover the whole CPU just by "squishing it" across when placing the sink, given my last experience "defying" instructions I felt it alright to do so. I did wiggle the sink when i "attached" it to ensure the paste spread out thinly and covered. Again, this may not have worked.

It would seem, that judgment may have been in error though. Either because it may not have applied to the whole CPU properly, or may have built up in the center despite scrapping with a flat edged card to even the paste out.


I'm going to pop it out this afternoon if I can get time, clean the paste off, and reapply according to instructions, and see if that drops the temps. I'm also going to ensure I had/have the HSF properly mounted. I'm also going to check all the case fans, and the CPU fan and be sure their still running and at the correct RPM. Just in case.

My worry is, what if it doesn't?

And yes, I manually disabled cool n quiet in the bios before overclocking.

wisecracker,

My board defaulted the cpu voltage to 1.4v automatically, I haven't found any information to the contrary of that setting. Is that incorrect stock voltage? I haven't found the whitesheet for this cpu on AMD's website to find that out, or the thermal limit.

Keep in mind, once I get the temps back to where they should be, I do want to overclock it back to 3.8ghz, or hopefully, 4Ghz as was my goal... Assuming the chip allows it. And that usually requires a voltage bump from stock. I needed 1.43v to stabilize, or what I think was stable given the high temps and shut off. But once running cooler, I will start the overclock from step 1 though i know it will run at 3.5ghz without a bump, so I'll start there, measure heat and test stability.

thing that worries me though is ambient temps get high in this part of the room, in the summer ambient in the room is around 77F, I'm worried how that will effect the core temp while overclocked. but that's a matter for once I find the new temp range.

p.s. I'm not a he.

I didn't say I prefer them btw. But they are popular and its a step that is often missed. If you don't put TIM in those cracks, you'll have air which != good heat transfer.

I suppose that would be a crude solution to OC ing.

I'm not getting all high and mighty but I would always like to know how low the voltage can be to run at default before increasing speed and temps. Gives you a good platform to work from and in many cases by increasing the voltage in small increments you may find that at say 1.3725v the cpu might go as well as at 1.4v but you won't know this unless you work your way up. Its surprising how much difference to heat a small voltage decrease can make.

Also a 4ghz goal is ambitious although not impossible but a struggle with that cooler. The last 955 I tried just wouldn't hit 4ghz, it managed just above 3.9ghz and was seriously warm.

I can highly recommend the Zalman 9900MAX for a serious 955 OC, it reduced the OC'ed 955 temps under load from 80+ with a stock cooler to around 56C, idled somewhere around 30C.

Its just the way I always go but it does take forever, the advantage is you have all the different stages of an OC written down so you know your settings needed should you want to make a change, you may find that you can drop the voltage a bit for your previous 3.8 OC. I always go for a cooler slighty slower OC over max speed and heat.

I would just surmise that you have a warm running chip and your cooler isn't that great.

The 9900MAX is quite large but not as big as some of the towers, it would eat a V6 for breakfast and be quieter.

Dimensions are 94mm(L)x131mm(W)x152mm(H) so you need to check you case restrictions if any.

Made top 10 on Frostytech http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

For you budget one of these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 106-150-TS

I still say the Zalman, you will be amazed.

I've seen it in action so I know it works.

It cools a 1090T running @3.95ghz on lowest speed and you have to get within a few feet to hear it.

Plus IMO it just looks really stylish and smart.

The others you mention look great on reviews and paper but I doubt they are as quiet.

I don't think you will regret buying any of them but all I can tell you about the 9900 is from 1st hand experience.

The decision is always yours to make and when you have 3 quality choices sometimes it just comes down to what you like the look of.

Never used a Frio but I hear they are good.

I always try and fire my cpu cooler towards the rear case exhaust fan.

Hope it works well for ya.