"Possible" Cooling Issue

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Guys...

P5AD2E Premium; Intel P4 640; XP Pro; 2GB RAM; PCIe 6800GT etc...

My new build had one issue that I considered minor at the time and I haven't had the time to correct it. That issue was the Front panel temp LEDs don't work. The case is an Aspire X Navigator and the sensors for those LEDs are just a couple of wires that, according to the instructions, you tape to the CPU and HDD or just let one hang in the case for case temp. I put one on the CPU and one on the Raptor. No matter--no reading.

Now here's the real issue. I have eight fans--5 case, 1 in the PSU, the stock fan/cooler on the 6800GT, and a Zalman 7700Cu w/120mm HSF on the CPU treated with Arctic Silver. All fans are running fine. I've loaded up MBM5, CPUCool, and SisSandra Lite 2005. All three show the CPU never higher than 43, usually a couple of degrees below 40. All three show a second sensor (the case/mobo? Not sure) in similar ranges. Here's the rub -- all three show a third sensor that is out of whack. Sandra calls it Power/Aux. MBM and CPUCool do not name it except to call it by a sensor number. Right at the first system startup of the day, this thing is metered at greater than 120 Celsius. MBM immediately sounds alarms. Again, this is right at startup (not on at all all day) and only idling--IMMEDIATELY sky high and stays there.

If it is the power supply, I checked that fan and it's running fine--the air coming out is a bit warm but not real hot. The air out of all the other fans is actually about skin temp.

What is with this third sensor indication? Any ideas? I know real heat issues are serious but this looks bogus.

EDIT: I should add that the Zalman 120mmfan is spinning at 1875 rpm and Sandra posts a warning for that too. The specs for that fan are 1000 to 2000 rpm +/- 10 percent--so 1875 rpm is nominal despite what Sanra thinks. It's a BIG slowish fan that moves allot of air.

[Whyzman]

I'm downloading the manual to have a look-see, but something just came to mind...

Recently we had a situation where the sensing wire on someone's fan was in the wrong pin position on the CPU fan and of course that upset the whole apple cart...

So, that might be something worth checking out...the three wire pin-outs are pretty standard as far as I know, but someone might have been a little under the weather, distracted, or purely mischievous on the assembly line that day and rearranged things for your "enjoyment" :rolleyes: on a fan or two...

[Whyzman]

It appears you do have three header connectors for fan reporting; Of course the CPU, then a Chassis , and also a Power Fan sensor...I'd check wire placement in the connectors for all 3 of dem tings...

Also, there's that QFan ASUS thingy you might want to have a look at in the BIOS...might be something dingy in there...

The stuff is on 4-35 or thereabouts in the manual...

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Thanks for looking. You jogged my memory there. I'll have to go into the case and check a few things again. One thing though, the Zalman connector is three pins and the CPU fan header is three. I figured at the time there was no real issue because it was sort of keyed, the fan works, and the speed is being reported. the QFan2 setting is OFF by default and I wanted the fan running at max speed all the time at least through burn in. Still, I wonder if there is a three pin to four pin adapter, and if it's really necessary?

For the case fans, all I did was connect them directly to the PSU connectors, not the mobo. So, effectively they're not sensed/monitored and that's also what the BIOS is showing. I guess I wanted to be cautious and have every one of them going full blast as soon as I hit the power switch the very first time. And I honestly don't remember the case fans (preassembled with the case) having mobo header type connectors, only the PSU four pin things.

For now, I'm convinced the temps and fan speeds are all OK. I KNOW the CPU, mobo, and case temps are.

I'll iron these wrinkles out eventually. Such is the builder's experience :D

[Whyzman]

Still, I wonder if there is a three pin to four pin adapter, and if it's really necessary?
It was through Rick's suggestion that I picked up some 4 pin molex adapters (couple bucks each I think) that had the sensor wires for the motherboard headers. His suggestion just sounded good when I looked at those tiny header pins, realizing that 12V was pouring through that motherboard access point continually....molex, powering the fans sans the headers...somehow seemed like a "good thing!" :D

I think this is them...been a long time since I ordered and I picked up 10 when I did: This is what they look like, http://www.crazypc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=120199&Product_Code=5407 , but I got them cheaper at www.kdcomputers.com (http://www.kdcomputers.com) but I cannot find them there any longer...

All my builds I substitute with the adapters since that time.



Does your power supply have a fan sensor lead?

[Whyzman]

Yet another: http://www.pcextreme.com/catalog/sku/cab-09.html

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Thanks. Me thinks that's what I need.