Core i7 2600k Overheating at IDLE
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- Intel i7
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Last response: in Systems
el3ment
November 11, 2011 3:08:56 PM
Hi guys,
First off, let me give you some specs:
Intel Core i7 2600k Sandy bridge (Just now bought the corsair H60 watercooling system)
ASRock Extreme4 Gen 3 Mobo
8 GB Corsair DDR3 Ram clocked at 2133
128GB Crucial Sata 3 SSD
2x ASUS GTX 560's SLI
850 W Antec Modular PSU
When I first built the system, I used the stock fan provided from intel.. I noticed in BIOS that the CPU idle temp was 50c, and in windows idle was 45c. At load, the cpu would go above 70c playing battlefield 3. So, I thought, why don't I just buy myself some new thermal compound.. So I bought some Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound, removed the heatsink, removed and applied the thermal compound properly. (Saw three different videos.. Apparently everyone has their own style on how to this.) Put the stock heat sink back on, and there was no temperature change at all...
So, hmm. A few weeks later I decided to buy the Corsair h60 water cooling system. So, i went ahead and installed it. I removed the thermal compound that came stock with the H60 properly, and the compound on my CPU. Applied the Arctic Silver 5 Compound, and installed the radiator in a Push/Pull Configuration with one of my case fans.. Plugged in the pump and fan into the right ports on my mobo and I was ready to go...
Loaded into bios to check my temps.. THE SAME TEMP! IDLES AT 50c with water cooling!!!! I tried a few troubleshooting steps like someone on another forum mentioned that I tilt my Case to let the water flow through initially.. Didn't work..
Then I thought, maybe my BIOS is just reading the tempurature wrong.. So I got the most recent bios update, flashed my bios.. Went back in and it's exactly the same...
I'm at a total loss. I bought this nice watercooling system and it's just running so hot. What else could it be? Is somthing faulty? I'm I just faulty? Did I not eat my Wheaties for breakfast?? AHHHHH
First off, let me give you some specs:
Intel Core i7 2600k Sandy bridge (Just now bought the corsair H60 watercooling system)
ASRock Extreme4 Gen 3 Mobo
8 GB Corsair DDR3 Ram clocked at 2133
128GB Crucial Sata 3 SSD
2x ASUS GTX 560's SLI
850 W Antec Modular PSU
When I first built the system, I used the stock fan provided from intel.. I noticed in BIOS that the CPU idle temp was 50c, and in windows idle was 45c. At load, the cpu would go above 70c playing battlefield 3. So, I thought, why don't I just buy myself some new thermal compound.. So I bought some Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound, removed the heatsink, removed and applied the thermal compound properly. (Saw three different videos.. Apparently everyone has their own style on how to this.) Put the stock heat sink back on, and there was no temperature change at all...
So, hmm. A few weeks later I decided to buy the Corsair h60 water cooling system. So, i went ahead and installed it. I removed the thermal compound that came stock with the H60 properly, and the compound on my CPU. Applied the Arctic Silver 5 Compound, and installed the radiator in a Push/Pull Configuration with one of my case fans.. Plugged in the pump and fan into the right ports on my mobo and I was ready to go...
Loaded into bios to check my temps.. THE SAME TEMP! IDLES AT 50c with water cooling!!!! I tried a few troubleshooting steps like someone on another forum mentioned that I tilt my Case to let the water flow through initially.. Didn't work..
Then I thought, maybe my BIOS is just reading the tempurature wrong.. So I got the most recent bios update, flashed my bios.. Went back in and it's exactly the same...
I'm at a total loss. I bought this nice watercooling system and it's just running so hot. What else could it be? Is somthing faulty? I'm I just faulty? Did I not eat my Wheaties for breakfast?? AHHHHH
More about : core 2600k overheating idle
steadywaters
November 11, 2011 5:34:06 PM
Lol @ Wheaties.
At idle, you will probably see little to no difference between air cooling and water cooling. You will notice a better cooling performance at load though.
P.S. Not to shoot down your purchase, but the H60 is far from a nice water-cooling system.
Others are reporting idle temps with over clocks at less than 30C. Did you over clock your chip? Put too much/little thermal paste?
At idle, you will probably see little to no difference between air cooling and water cooling. You will notice a better cooling performance at load though.
P.S. Not to shoot down your purchase, but the H60 is far from a nice water-cooling system.
Others are reporting idle temps with over clocks at less than 30C. Did you over clock your chip? Put too much/little thermal paste?
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el3ment
November 11, 2011 5:42:07 PM
Hi steadywaters,
Thanks for your reply.
My system is not overclocked at the moment. . I did however try to overclock it to just 4.2, and idle was like 65c.. So I changed it back to default..
Even with the stock fan though, the idle temp should not be around 50c.. Although after installing the water cooling unit, I did notice a 2-3 c difference in windows, but 43c idle in windows is garbage!!!
I have a friend who has a similar build with the H60 and he says he's idling in the 20's and hes at 4.6!!
As far as the thermal paste, I have been reading that it's just a pea size.. So I did just that.. Some say to spread the pea size then add the heat sink, and others say to just smash it with your heatsink so it will not have any air pockets.. I did the latter.
Even though you say the h60 is sub-par, I should at least see some idles in the 30's, or even 20's... at stock.. argh..
Thanks for your reply.
My system is not overclocked at the moment. . I did however try to overclock it to just 4.2, and idle was like 65c.. So I changed it back to default..
Even with the stock fan though, the idle temp should not be around 50c.. Although after installing the water cooling unit, I did notice a 2-3 c difference in windows, but 43c idle in windows is garbage!!!
I have a friend who has a similar build with the H60 and he says he's idling in the 20's and hes at 4.6!!
As far as the thermal paste, I have been reading that it's just a pea size.. So I did just that.. Some say to spread the pea size then add the heat sink, and others say to just smash it with your heatsink so it will not have any air pockets.. I did the latter.
Even though you say the h60 is sub-par, I should at least see some idles in the 30's, or even 20's... at stock.. argh..
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steadywaters
November 11, 2011 7:04:07 PM
This thread in September shows a similar problem that you have:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/297801-28-2600k-idle-...
It may just be a faulty thermal sensor that has been driving you in circles.
Download either or both CPUID or CoreTemp:
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html
http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
See if the BIOS temps and software temps differ.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/297801-28-2600k-idle-...
It may just be a faulty thermal sensor that has been driving you in circles.
Download either or both CPUID or CoreTemp:
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html
http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
See if the BIOS temps and software temps differ.
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el3ment
November 11, 2011 7:42:34 PM
el3ment
November 11, 2011 10:53:52 PM
Okay,
here is what core temp is saying.. Seems to be lower in the 40's and maybe a high 30 here and there.. I mean, it's acceptable, but damnit I have water cooling..
![]()
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
here is what core temp is saying.. Seems to be lower in the 40's and maybe a high 30 here and there.. I mean, it's acceptable, but damnit I have water cooling..

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
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You're not idling, that says you're at 3.7ghz (which is a turbo speed, 3 cores at load) @ 1.23v (again a turbo voltage). Do you have some background processes on? Idle should be at 1.6ghz @ ~.95v unless you disabled speedstep. And bios will always be hotter than windows because in bios the cpu is at load state, it can't idle til it gets into windows.
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el3ment
November 12, 2011 12:48:47 AM
el3ment
November 12, 2011 4:43:17 PM
el3ment
November 12, 2011 8:00:58 PM
Okay, here are some specs in the Asrock utility. I have it slightly overclocked to 4.0GHz.. I haven't considered my voltage on my RAM or anything yet.. Not sure what else to look at.
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el3ment
November 12, 2011 11:27:37 PM
I have the Antec 1200. I've double checked the fans and they seem to be in the right direction.. Here are some pics..
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And a close up:
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What program should I use to see a true load? When I say load, I mean when I'm gaming.. (Specifically battlefield 3 on ultra settings).. I saw that the temps were getting into the med 70c's which is really hot.. All the case fans are on low though...

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And a close up:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
What program should I use to see a true load? When I say load, I mean when I'm gaming.. (Specifically battlefield 3 on ultra settings).. I saw that the temps were getting into the med 70c's which is really hot.. All the case fans are on low though...
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el3ment
November 13, 2011 1:56:04 AM
Wow!
During the stress test it was in the 90's and was still climbing!! I stopped it because I didn't want it to get to hot.. This is rediculas...
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During the stress test it was in the 90's and was still climbing!! I stopped it because I didn't want it to get to hot.. This is rediculas...

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
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el3ment
November 13, 2011 10:58:50 PM
Well, Here's today's attempts..
Here is a look at the current thermal paste on both the CPU and Pump.
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Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I texted this to a buddy of mine and he said it was a little to much.. So I took it off and re applied the Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound... Now I'm seeing even higher tempatures, so something is faulty.
![]()
I did a live chat with an Intel support tech and he pretty much gave me the same trouble shooting steps that I have been doing, except to try the CPU in another motherboard.. Which I do not have a second Socket 1155 hanging around... So this is either the CPU or the motherboard..
Here is a look at the current thermal paste on both the CPU and Pump.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I texted this to a buddy of mine and he said it was a little to much.. So I took it off and re applied the Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound... Now I'm seeing even higher tempatures, so something is faulty.

I did a live chat with an Intel support tech and he pretty much gave me the same trouble shooting steps that I have been doing, except to try the CPU in another motherboard.. Which I do not have a second Socket 1155 hanging around... So this is either the CPU or the motherboard..
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Best solution
el3ment
November 14, 2011 12:14:02 AM
el3ment
November 14, 2011 3:20:13 PM
Okay, everything is back to stock.. Stock speeds, and stock fan.. Didn't have much time to look at the temps in windows this morning, but I quickly glanced in BiOS and the temps were exactly the same.. Says it's 55c - 60c in bios.. I think this is still too high for the stock fan..
I went ahead and RMA'd the stupid watercooling..
I went ahead and RMA'd the stupid watercooling..
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el3ment
November 18, 2011 2:40:12 PM
Hey,
Well, i got the RMA back installed it with the stock thermal paste this time, and it work ALOT better than the other H60. It must have been a faulty pump or something. I have it now overclocked to 4.2GHz (No Turboboost) and my CPU idles in the low 30's now, during gaming I will see it in the mid to high 50's, and sometimes low 60's Which is acceptable and better than the stock fan.. Still not Ideal, but at this point I'll just take it a run with it.. I still would like to see better temps though.. As I bought the h60 anticipating to OC close to 5GHz. Apparently this is not feasible with my set up..
I'll run prime95 with it overclocked and see what temps I get..
K1114, I tried downclocking my ram to 1.5v, but didn't notice a difference. So I set it back to 1.65v.
Well, i got the RMA back installed it with the stock thermal paste this time, and it work ALOT better than the other H60. It must have been a faulty pump or something. I have it now overclocked to 4.2GHz (No Turboboost) and my CPU idles in the low 30's now, during gaming I will see it in the mid to high 50's, and sometimes low 60's Which is acceptable and better than the stock fan.. Still not Ideal, but at this point I'll just take it a run with it.. I still would like to see better temps though.. As I bought the h60 anticipating to OC close to 5GHz. Apparently this is not feasible with my set up..
I'll run prime95 with it overclocked and see what temps I get..
K1114, I tried downclocking my ram to 1.5v, but didn't notice a difference. So I set it back to 1.65v.
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el3ment
November 18, 2011 2:44:02 PM
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