CPU overtemp, Voltage overtemp error on post

[flywilson]

I'm in the middle of building my first computer, and at first post after turning it on, I receive a CPU overtemp and voltage overtemp error. When I check the temp in the bios it says the CPU temp is 96 degrees and the motherboard temp is also 96 degrees. I don't believe the temp could be that high within 30 seconds of turning it on, but could be wrong.

I have the following setup:
Phenom ii X4 970 BE
Asus M5A88-M mobo
Hyper 212+ cooler

Is there anything I should check to correct this error, or is it possible that its a mobo problem or power supply problem? I have removed and reinstalled the heatsink and still receive the error. I should also note that the mobo was open box from NewEgg, so I'm wondering if this is why it may have been returned the first time. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Raiddinn]

It sounds like you don't have the processor cooler on right.

Do you have thermal paste applied correctly?

- Edit - Don't turn it on if you don't know what I am talking about. Investigate this before you turn the computer back on.

 

[scout_03]

do what Raiddinn answer you first

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

The only thing I could think of is that this may be a bios issue that may have been corrected with a bios update.

 

[flywilson]

It sounds like you don't have the processor cooler on right.

Do you have thermal paste applied correctly?

- Edit - Don't turn it on if you don't know what I am talking about. Investigate this before you turn the computer back on.

I believe it is on correctly, and yes I did apply thermal paste. I watched several videos on how to install the cooler before I did it, so I'm fairly confident that it is correct.

 

[Raiddinn]

Try taking the cooler off, taking all the paste off with alcohol, letting everything dry, make sure there is no lint or anything on it from a QTip or whatever, then put the paste back on and reattach the heat sink.

I don't know what method of spreading the paste that the videos used, but I am going to suggest you use the one drop in the middle method this time. Don't spread it or anything, just let the heat sink do the spreading for you.

The drop will need to be more than a pea sized drop. About the size of a lentil.

The only way I know of to get temps this high in the BIOS is a bad cpu cooler or one that is incorrectly applied.

 

[flywilson]

Try taking the cooler off, taking all the paste off with alcohol, letting everything dry, make sure there is no lint or anything on it from a QTip or whatever, then put the paste back on and reattach the heat sink.

I don't know what method of spreading the paste that the videos used, but I am going to suggest you use the one drop in the middle method this time. Don't spread it or anything, just let the heat sink do the spreading for you.

The drop will need to be more than a pea sized drop. About the size of a lentil.

The only way I know of to get temps this high in the BIOS is a bad cpu cooler or one that is incorrectly applied.

If the CPU was actually overheating at 96C, wouldn't it be radiating heat? The heatsink was not even warm to the touch nor was there any radiant heat from the CPU. I would think it would take longer than 30 seconds to achieve these temps? Also, could the heatsink in any way cause the over voltage error as well (are the 2 problems related), or is there a chance the mobo has a bad sensor(s)?

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

Like I said in an earlier post, I would try to update to the latest bios and see if that fixes the problem. It may just be a bios issue.

 

[Raiddinn]

It may just be that the CPU reaches critical temperatures and scales way back or even shuts off the PC during the BIOS update.

If it did cause the PC to shut off during the BIOS update, you can kiss the motherboard goodbye. It would never work again. Not only that, but it might also void your warranty if you knowingly tried to update the BIOS with the heat sink not functioning correctly.

I would definitely NOT try D1RTYJU1C3's advice myself, nor would I suggest you try it.

If the heat sink was doing its job, it wouldn't be ice cold. That tells me that the paste isn't working like it is supposed to.

I cannot stress the point any more that if the paste is not working you shouldn't turn the computer on until you have reason to believe it will work.

The CPU temperatures follow a viscious upward cycle. Every +10c the processor is, it makes the next +10c easier to achieve.

Imagine this
Time from 50c to 60c - 10 sec
Time from 60c to 70c - 8 sec
Time from 70c to 80c - 6 sec
Time from 80c to 90c - 4 sec
Time from 90c to 100c - 2 sec
Time from 100c to 110c - 1 sec
Time from 110c to 120c - 0.5 sec

This, btw, is the same sort of problem that caused the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station to blow the 3 ton roof on it hundreds of feet into the air. The exact same sort of viscious upward temperature spike.

- Edit - In case it isn't clear, Chernobyl melted down because the heat sink wasn't working correctly. There are things called control rods that when all the way in will shut down the nuclear reaction. You take it out a little bit and the reaction occurs very slowly, you take it out farther and the reaction speed and amount increases. They took it all the way out. In a matter of seconds the power station melted down once they were all the way out. The increased temps caused an increased reaction speed which caused increased temps and further increased reaction speed, and so on.

Maybe you have a bit longer time than I showed above, but the trend will work the same way. The higher ambient temperatures will combine with the same level of load to cause the CPU to increase in temperature faster.

- Edit - It doesn't sound like it. You said you had 96c in 30 sec which fits my time table to a T.

 

[flywilson]

Just to test your theory, I removed the Hyper 212, cleaned off the thermal paste, and installed the stock heat sink to insure that the paste was applied correctly. I still receive the same error and temperature of 96C at post which to me would imply that the problem is somewhere else.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

It may just be that the CPU reaches critical temperatures and scales way back or even shuts off the PC during the BIOS update.

If it did cause the PC to shut off during the BIOS update, you can kiss the motherboard goodbye. It would never work again. Not only that, but it might also void your warranty if you knowingly tried to update the BIOS with the heat sink not functioning correctly.

I would definitely NOT try D1RTYJU1C3's advice myself, nor would I suggest you try it.

If the heat sink was doing its job, it wouldn't be ice cold. That tells me that the paste isn't working like it is supposed to.

I cannot stress the point any more that if the paste is not working you shouldn't turn the computer on until you have reason to believe it will work.

The CPU temperatures follow a viscious upward cycle. Every +10c the processor is, it makes the next +10c easier to achieve.

Imagine this
Time from 50c to 60c - 10 sec
Time from 60c to 70c - 8 sec
Time from 70c to 80c - 6 sec
Time from 80c to 90c - 4 sec
Time from 90c to 100c - 2 sec
Time from 100c to 110c - 1 sec
Time from 110c to 120c - 0.5 sec

This, btw, is the same sort of problem that caused the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station to blow the 3 ton roof on it hundreds of feet into the air. The exact same sort of viscious upward temperature spike.

Maybe you have a bit longer time than I showed above, but the trend will work the same way. The higher ambient temperatures will combine with the same level of load to cause the CPU to increase in temperature faster.

Does it matter either way he is looking at RMAing the MOBO anyway. Also if it was really hitting 96c then the heatsink would be hot to the touch like he said and its not. The only other thing that it could be would faulty temp sensors on the chip itself.

 

[flywilson]

Does it matter either way he is looking at RMAing the MOBO anyway. Also if it was really hitting 96c then the heatsink would be hot to the touch like he said and its not. The only other thing that it could be would faulty temp sensors on the chip itself.

To further this thought...what are the chances of the temp being exactly the same (96C) both times?

 

[Raiddinn]

It does matter. If the BIOS update fails and he turns the motherboard into a paper weight he may not be able to RMA it at all.

It would be better to RMA the motherboard before possibly voiding its warranty.

If the processor is at 96c that doesn't mean the heat sink will be hot. If the paste isn't working the heat can't flow to it.

It could be faulty sensors that is the problem, but I wouldn't void my warranty testing it this early in the process.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

I have bricked a board by updating the bios through the OS and it didnt void the warranty (yes I know but I had to try it for myself) and even without paste enough of the heat would be transfered to the heatsink to make it warm, all the paste does is fill the imperfections that would fill with air otherwise and yes helps with heat transfer.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

As long as the bios comes from the manufacturer then the board is still warrantied.

 

[Raiddinn]

There is nothing inherently wrong with updating a bios through windows. You committed no personal error trying to do this.

You would have arguably committed a personal error if you tried to do the update with BIOS temperatures at 96c. That is completely different.

The thermal paste's value isn't only from filling in cracks. The thermal paste has value in that it allows heat to flow through it to the heat sink.

If there was no paste, heat would go into the air around the processor and then around the heat sink and up. The heat sink would never get warm this way.

If it was on there but was for some reason not conducting heat, the heat would not only not go into the heat sink it also wouldn't go into the air either. It would stay in the processor and potentially cause a thermal event.

I attempted to look up online to see if other people were having similar problems and I did not find any people with a similar problem. If it were a common problem a BIOS update would fix, I would think that enough people would have had the problem such that I could find one easily.

- Edit - I also looked at the manufacturer FAQs for that particular board and the problem wasn't mentioned, nor did a search for the processor and the same heat related stuff turn up anything either.

If it is indeed a problem caused by or perceived by a previous owner (Newegg open box) then that would make sense. All the more reason to try to RMA it now.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... How is he going to update the BIOS if the computer shuts off in 30 secs? ... Sounds like you would need to call the MFG'r about this problem... also is your CPU fan turning on when you power the computer? and your CPU is properly installed/aligned?

 

[flywilson]

Hello... How is he going to update the BIOS if the computer shuts off in 30 secs? ... Sounds like you would need to call the MFG'r about this problem... also is your CPU fan turning on when you power the computer? and your CPU is properly installed/aligned?

The computer does not shut off, it just gives me an error message that the CPU is over temp and over voltage. Yes, the fan is running along with all other case fans.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

There is nothing inherently wrong with updating a bios through windows. You committed no personal error trying to do this.

You would have arguably committed a personal error if you tried to do the update with BIOS temperatures at 96c. That is completely different.

The thermal paste's value isn't only from filling in cracks. The thermal paste has value in that it allows heat to flow through it to the heat sink.

If there was no paste, heat would go into the air around the processor and then around the heat sink and up. The heat sink would never get warm this way.

If it was on there but was for some reason not conducting heat, the heat would not only not go into the heat sink it also wouldn't go into the air either. It would stay in the processor and potentially cause a thermal event.

I attempted to look up online to see if other people were having similar problems and I did not find any people with a similar problem. If it were a common problem a BIOS update would fix, I would think that enough people would have had the problem such that I could find one easily.

Ok before we get into an argument I just realized something it has the core unlocker function on that board and I know, correct me if I am wrong but sometimes the temps dont read right if it is enabled correct. Make sure that it isnt enabled.

- Edit - I also looked at the manufacturer FAQs for that particular board and the problem wasn't mentioned, nor did a search for the processor and the same heat related stuff turn up anything either.

If it is indeed a problem caused by or perceived by a previous owner (Newegg open box) then that would make sense. All the more reason to try to RMA it now.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

What happened to my post

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

What i was trying to say is, before we get into an argument, that board has a core unlocker in the bios from what I have read, correct me if Im wrong but the temps dont read right sometime if it is enabled. Correct? Make sure it is disabled in the bios.

 

[Raiddinn]

I haven't heard of the core unlocker thing before, but that doesn't mean it isn't true.

Either way, I wouldn't turn it on for the purpose of testing this out.

If it were me, I would just RMA it right away and I always try to suggest people avoid that except as a last resort.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

I haven't heard of the core unlocker thing before, but that doesn't mean it isn't true.

Either way, I wouldn't turn it on for the purpose of testing this out.

If it were me, I would just RMA it right away and I always try to suggest people avoid that except as a last resort.

What I am trying to say is make sure it is disabled.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

off

 

[flywilson]

The core unlocker was already disabled via a switch on the mobo. I think I am just going to RMA this because the problem seems to be a little over my head. Any recommendations for a replacement in the $90 price range?