Stress testing my CPU with Prime 95 - Temps around 85 with 1.26 volts

Hello everyone,

This is my first time running a custom PC so excuse me if I am a complete noob with all of this

I ran a stress test in Prime95 today and am a little worried about the results. To start I have an i7 2600k and a Corsair H60 liquid CPU cooler. I have a cooler master case equipped with 4 fans (two down low in front and one on the side all blowing in, one vent on top and the Corsair vent going out the back). I also measured the temps with Core Temp if it matters.

So I did this test for only 7 minutes...the torture test (Small FFT) came back saying I am using 79 watts, and 1.26 volts with no errors or warnings and the temperatures I have been getting topped at 86 Celsius in core #1.

So whats the deal here? Why is this getting so hot? Is it possible I need to re-seat my Corsair? I had techs at Tiger Direct (we have an actual store by my house) put it all together for me so I can't say as to whether it was done well or whatnot but I assume they know what they're doing... Can anyone help?

what is your cpu temp? 85 is a little high, but not dangerous.

do you have it OC'd?

Ok... So I ran it one more time, this time with Speed Fan because that seems to be the way to go...?

I guess what I'm looking for now is confirmation that I'm an idiot? I have CPU reading at 27 (thank God) but it's just the cores that get super hot. Is that normal?

What I'm putting together now is that this Core Temp program I was using only reads core temps as opposed to the cpu temp

So when i stress test, the CPU temp goes down into the 20's. BUT when idling, its reading at 83 right now... can anyone help me sort this out?

In the 80's is way too high especially if not oc'd, you should be getting 50's and at most 60's.
Are you sure the corsair h60 is installed properly? Seeing as this is your first build it mightn't be.

That is an very hi temperature for a non OC'd processor. I don't expect much from the Corsair H50, 60, 70 coolers which don't get as good numbers as the better air coolers but this is way too high. Here's the numbers from my 1st attempt at OC'ing a 2600k desktop....I had my lappie (which I am using now to type this) there to keep the test numbers on and later test results were kept on the desktop.....those records are on that machine

Stock 51,53, 53, 51 (1.224) LLC = Auto
4.0 Ghz 52, 54, 55, 52 (1.016-1.024) LLC = Auto
4.2 GHz 54, 56, 57, 55 (1.256 - 1.264) LLC = Auto
4.4 Ghz 56, 60, 60, 67 (1.280 - 1.288) LLC = Auto
4.6 Ghz 62, 66, 68, 65 (1.360 - 1.368) LLC = High
4.8 Ghz 71, 77, 79, 72 (1.408 - 1.416) LLC = Ultra High*

I dropped the temps a bit at the High Setting after lowing the voltage but don't recall what the numbers were. This test was run using a Thermalright Silver Arrow which usually betas the H70 by about 3.5 C w/ stock fans and the H50 by about 12.5C

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index. [...] mitstart=4

Based upon the above, you should be seeing numbers well below 60C at stock settings. Did you apply TIM ?

you would need to know which fan header it was on--for example sys fan then just monitor the fan header

the pump is on to see if its at a constant speed--mine fluctuates a little bit between 1400rpm and

1450rpm but never below 1400rpm

i assume you were charged a fair bit and the shop is close to you so i would take it in there--the worst that can happen is they tell you that you are reading the wrong temperature or something

after all you are a paying customer so you must have rights--and most shops dont like people standing there complaining as its bad for business--just be polite but firm with them and point out your concern

Okay, so here's what happened. I took it in and they found out that the Corsair pump was busted. (yyaayy!) So they replaced it and stress tested it overnight and found nothing wrong.

As soon as I get the PC home, I stress it myself in Prime 95. As soon as it starts, temps shoot up to 95-98 degrees. I didn't give the cooler much time to kick in because I was so worried, so I pulled the plug on the test.

Now, idle, the temps are around 30 which is great, but I'm still worried about the stress test. I called the tech that worked on it last night and he told me it was fine and that he had no errors or anything when he let it go overnight. SO, should I be worrying? Should I test it again and let the pump start kicking in? Should I re-seat that sucker even though they just did it?

Any help would be so appreciated! I'm getting so fed up with this! Thanks

Nah... something isn't right... they may have just bs'd you.... I just got an H60 (because it was on sale for $54.99 ) and JUST finished installing it and... well.. actually... I'm running Prime95 small FFT test as I am typing this response... and... lemme check the temps right now using CPUID HWMonitor...


and yeah... I'm currently at 67c, 59c, 65c, 59c for the 4 cores... and... i'm running a q6600 @ 3.2ghz... at 1.4 volts... which should be generating waaay more heat than that 2600k (u bastid.. )....

anyways... I've been running the test now for..... 6 minutes and here are the max temps reached for each core....
67c, 59c, 66c, 59c .... and it's pumpin away the Prime....

Heading outside for a smoke while it runs....

oh... yeah... those jack-bastids at Tiger (compusa) are retards (and that's an offense to mentally challenged folk)...

yeah...you are awesome right now. great temps!

Make sure its not leaking. Some people had some minor leaks with them. Try and reseat it. Whats your ambient?

Also... before I installed the H60... I totally pulled my cpu out and cleaned alllllll the residual thermal paste off the copper... made it nice and clean... and then installed it.... so there is definitely a good clean surface contact....

I probably should have applied a dollup of good quality thermal paste but I forgot to get some and didn't have any and didn't want to go back to Compusa (besides, they already had a nice square coat of it on the cpu block).....

However... from what I have read on anandtech.com

Corsair Hydro Series: H60, H80 and H100 Reviewed
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5054 [...] 0-reviewed

They do make notice that it's kind of important to do the screwing down of the cpu block in the correct order as on the instruction sheet.... maybe that could be an issue?

Hope you get it up and going good because even this cheap model ... and anandtech overclocked their 2600k to 4.8ghz and the H60 they tested kept temps at 57c... which kind of makes me wonder if I should redo MY install...

hi !
Iam using a corsoir H70 hydro series on Asus p8 p67 pro + i7 2600k system .
I used prime 95 to test the stability of my PC for about eight minutes. The temp fluctuated between 50 C to 65 C. It never went so high as you reported.
Probably you may have to refit it. Some tips. clean the heat dissipating surface thoroughly, use a good thermal paste
tighten the screws together which are diagonally opposite. make sure the direction of two fans such a way that one sucks and the other pushes.
All the best