Cooling Question

[Elwood]

I have a 640 Prescott that I suspect may be running a little hot. Just surfing the web, I get about a 50C reading from CPU Sensor in 2 different programs so I assume it is pretty close. I have the stock heatsink and thermal pad on the processor and I have had it there for a few days now. I looks like I have seen some improvement and as others have said that I should wait a week and see how is does.

My question is, what is everyone else running and how are they keeping temps low? Or, are my temps even an issue at all? I am just a little nervous b/c this is my 1st build and I want to protect my investment (as anyone would). I hear that Artic Silver 5 should be used in place of the "maxi pad" that Intel gives you to use.

MoBo Temp runs about 36C and my 120mm fans are running about 1350 RPMs. I have not had any issues running games or DVD Editing.

Now, if I need an aftermarket heatsink and cooling fan, then that’s what I will do. I believe it is a small price to pay for the money I have invested already.

My specs are listed below.

Thanks

[pop pop]

I have a 640, they do run hot. SInce you are running with a stock HSF, that temperature is not really terrible, but could be better. What I've read is that a 600 series with a stock HSF in a normal room (72F) will run about 44C at idle. So you're a bit warm. If you were at or very near 60, I'd be concerned. For now, I would monitor it closely, give it a week or so and see if it continues to improve--or at least get no worse.

I used a Zalman 7700 HSF. That's a huge beast of a cooler weighing almost 2 lbs/1kg with a 120mm fan. My temps were initially around 47 after the build, but gradually cooled and now I rarely bust 40C at idle or just surfing the net. I've been as low as 34C when the room is below 70F. The highest I've been is about 56 or 57C during a burn in and when I push the system during gaming.

If it was me (and it was), I would not use a stock Intel HSF on a 600 series CPU. You can do so and be just fine, but I like a little extra help keeping the CPU cool. I have used stock Intel HSF, but only on lesser CPUs.

[Elwood]

Thanks for the reply pop pop. I have read many of your posts and apreciate your knowledge. I saw where Zalman was your first choice and Thermaltake was your second.

My temps were initially around 47 after the build, but gradually cooled and now I rarely bust 40C at idle or just surfing the net.

Was this 47 at idle after build?

So, good thermal paste (Artice Silver) on a stock Intel HS is not a great solution?

[saphalline]

Well, since your first try at getting the stock HSF mounted went a little awry, it sounds like it did mess things up a bit. Don't worry, live and learn.

The first place I would start is by buying some AS 5. Even if you do end up spending another $50 on a Zalman, AS 5 is handy to have around. And you certainly won't use it all up at once. Get some AS 5 and re-do the HSF installation on the CPU. This will require some cleaning supplies: 91%+ Isopropyl alcohol and lint-free cleaning cloths (or as lint-free as you can get). An old credit card (or other plastic card) will also come in handy for scraping off that thermal pad. If you need more detailed instructions, let us know.

Thermal pads in general aren't bad, they're just not the absolute best. Intel does put a certain guarantee on those stock cooling solutions, so don't think they're "crappy" by any means. However, they also tend to let the processor get a little warm in exchange for what most people really want: silence and easy-to-install. If Intel were to use a thermal grease, building PC's would be a lot more difficult and messy.

[Elwood]

Well, it was four pins and I assume that they were all equally spaced apart (obviously not). Intel said put the plug in wire closest to the connecti8on on the MoBo; well, it was wrapped around the fan and it would reach as it was. So, what the heck :D And I heard reports of people with the same MoBo having to bend the board to get the heatsink to mount.....go figure.

Yeah, I can't see getting around the AS-5; it could be a good start. But as I said in the past, the processor makes me really nervous. I do not want to cause damage. But hey, if I can assemble a PC from scratch and get it to boot the very first time, then I might be up to the task. I will just need some detailed instructions on how to perform this step by step. I know there have been some posts in the past on Artic Silver's website so I will look there. I just want to know little details like; do you leave the processor in the socket or do you take it out and place it in something?

I will get the Artic Silver on order; is this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835100007) what I need?

[pop pop]

That's the stuff. A tube will last because you only use a small dollop, ideally. Because of the shipping cost, I just picked up a tube or two at the local computer superstore. CompUSA sells it for just under $10 and you can see Newegg sells it cheaper, but the shipping makes it about the same.

You could remove the CPU from the socket for the cleaning. Just remember it's ESD (electrostatic discharge) sensitive so make sure you're grounded (I use a grounding strap), always handle it carefully by the edges only, and any work surface should be non-conductive. The Intel HSF, you cna pretty much manhandle, if you choose to stay with it.

Was this 47 at idle after build?

Yes. But keep in mind that ambient room temperature plays a part here too. I finished that build in the early summer in a room with no air conditioning. The room temp alone was a tad over 80 degrees.

Well, it was four pins and I assume that they were all equally spaced apart (obviously not). Intel said put the plug in wire closest to the connecti8on on the MoBo; well, it was wrapped around the fan and it would reach as it was.

I must have missed something here. Are you talking about the CPU fan connector(s)? Those are usually clearly labeled on the mobo itself and if not, the manual always has a diagram that shows which one is which. Unfortunately, the CPU fan header is not always the closest to the CPU itself. You have to check and be darned sure. As for the wires wrapped around the fan, that's what Intel does and it's got its good points and bad. The wires can alway be freed from the clips that hold them in place, that's what I did with my Linux box build. Word to the wise--if you do what I did, make sure the wires stay clear of the fan blades. I thought they were--looked that way--until I powered up the first time and heard a noise like when I was a kid and we put baseball cards in the spokes of our bicycle wheels. :( No damage done, but I jumped pretty darned quick. :rolleyes:

BTW--My Linux box is dead silent. I'm just mazed because my beastie box sounds a bit like a wind tunnel and the only sound on this one is the beep when it posts. Yes, all fans are spinning and the temps are good. ;)

[Elwood]

I was speaking of the mounting pins that hold the heatsink on the board, not the wires. The heatsink was paticualr in how it wanted to be mounted. Can I place the CPU back in the black cover that came with it in the box during cleaning? I plan to use a wodden table, so that should be pretty much non-conductive. I have the ground strap and will use it when I handle the processor.

When I first put the processor in there, man I was sweating and a little "jittery" b/c I was a little nervous and did not know the tolerances of everything. But, being over precautious is a good thing; everything went off without incident. But Saph is right, I had to rotate the heatsink to get it mounted and that may have caused the thermal pad not to sit properly.

I will see if I can find some AS-5 here locally and try that route. Surly that will give some relief and then perhaps I will a cooler on order.

[jlreich]

Personally I would leave the CPU in the socket. That way you don't have to worry about bending or breaking any pins. All you going to do clean it off real quick. Scrape off the goo, then use the alcohol to finish up the job. The less handling of the CPU the better IMHO.

[saphalline]

Personally I would leave the CPU in the socket. ... The less handling of the CPU the better IMHO.When it comes to LGA 775, I agree. The socket itself is only rated for about 15 CPU installs before a new mobo is necessary. This is because LGA 775 is backwards - the CPU has "cups" and the socket has the pins.

Leave the CPU in the socket if you can. If you can't clean it and reapply AS 5 while the CPU is in the socket, then take it out. And don't worry too much about how fragile everything is. You should see the abuse that various hardware has been through in my hands, without any serious damage. The bad part is when you drop a new CPU onto a ceramic-tiled floor from a height of 4 feet! :eek: Fortunately, that accident only bent a couple pins - easy fix. Then again, I have literally hours of pin-correcting time under my belt. ;)

Other clumsy moments: dropping a DVD drive onto the floor 3 times in a row, driving over a bundle of power cables, accidently slugging the wall with a mouse that was being twirled around like a bolas, yanking a keyboard off a table because I didn't realize it was still plugged into the system, tipping over a box full of spare expansion cards (from old vid cards to network cards), accidently unplugging a system while it was on and running a game, and the always fun "spilling cereal into your keyboard". :rolleyes:

[jlreich]

Other clumsy moments: dropping a DVD drive onto the floor 3 times in a row, driving over a bundle of power cables, accidently slugging the wall with a mouse that was being twirled around like a bolas, yanking a keyboard off a table because I didn't realize it was still plugged into the system, tipping over a box full of spare expansion cards (from old vid cards to network cards), accidently unplugging a system while it was on and running a game, and the always fun "spilling cereal into your keyboard". :rolleyes:
LOL. I know it has nothing to do with this, but as I am reading this to my wife and we are laughing about it she walks into the bathroom and dumps her coffee all over the floor. :D LOL.

[saphalline]

Hahahaa! Did you help her clean it up or were you too busy laughing your @ss off? :p

[jlreich]

I was laughing and no I didn't help her clean it up. :p But I shouldn't laugh too much since I just spilled a glass of milk all over the computer desk just a couple of days ago. I don't usually put open containers on the desk for that reason, but the one time I do...... :eek: It didn't get on any puter parts though. :)

[Elwood]

for what it's worth, I am getting lower idles now usually around 43C and I see some games get up to near 60C. I have been powering it up and off about once a day b/c I really haven't been here. We just had a baby so I have been out for some time.

Other than the good news about my daughter, the PC cooling seems to be getting better after a week (like everyone has said).

[Elwood]

Now, I am getting 10 degrees higher. This is what Everest says when my PC is idle:

Sensor Properties:
Sensor Type Winbond W83647HF (ISA 290h)
GPU Sensor Type Driver (NV-DRV)
Motherboard Name Asus P5LD2 / P5WD2 Series

Temperatures:
Motherboard 35 °C (95 °F)
CPU 55 °C (131 °F)
Aux 117 °C (243 °F)
GPU 45 °C (113 °F)
WDC WD2500KS-00MJB0 40 °C (104 °F)

Cooling Fans:
CPU 1350 RPM
Chassis 1615 RPM
Power Supply 767 RPM

Voltage Values:
CPU Core 1.10 V
Aux 3.66 V
+3.3 V 3.30 V
+5 V 5.51 V
+12 V 12.65 V
+5 V Standby 4.99 V
Debug Info F 7D D1 6E
Debug Info T 35 55 117
Debug Info V A3 E5 CD CE D0 C8 C9 (03)

Now, what settings should I have in my BIOS regarding fan/temp controls. I have an ASUS feature that uses Q CPU fan controls and similar controls elsewhere.

Today, I saw that my GTA game was running a little slow. This should not happen at all with this setup.

So, I see that the ZALMAN CNPS7700 is made for multi-platform machines. Can I get a modle just for LGA775 or is this the best of the best? Considering that I have a ThermalTake Tsunami Dream case, would it be best if I went with a ThermalTake?

I just think that I paid too much for this processor not to unleash it's full power. :D

[saphalline]

Yep, I'm afraid the CPU heatsink install went bad. There shouldn't be a 20C difference between your mobo temp and idle CPU temp. On the plus side, the CPU fan is doing its job - 1350 rpm's is right on the nose for stock Intel coolers. You can fix this quite easily (as far as CPU maintenance tasks go :p) by re-doing the CPU heatsink install with AS 5.

However, if you want to buy a Zalman as long as you're re-doing the whole thing, go ahead. This (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118114) is the least expensive version I would recommend. Killer cooling performance, too. And no, there isn't an LGA 775-only version. That wouldn't make much sense for Zalman because then they'd have to make a version for every single socket, and that would get to be too much. Don't worry, the manual that comes with the Zalman cooler will show you exactly which parts you need for an LGA 775 installation, and which parts you can stuff in the box for safe keeping.

[Elwood]

Pop-Pop, which one do you have? I know you mentioned 7700, but I see 2. The only difference that I can tell is the copper heatsink and about 15? The reviews look good on the more expensive one, but is it worth the extra $?


ZALMAN CNPS7700-ALCU 120mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118114) $38.99

ZALMAN CNPS7700-CU 120mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan with Copper Heatsink (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118115) $54.99

I just do not want to have to be concerned about this CPU temp any longer and I want to alleviate any potential problems. Will I be able to overclock if I get the more expensive one? Also, can I improve anything by settings in the bios?

Thanks

[Elwood]

I started looking at these and apparently they are not compatible with my MoBo according to Zalman's website. The higher end got good reviews and this one (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118223) is comparable in price (since its on sale today) and it says it is compatible with my MoBo. I may need to check my side 80mm fan for clearance, but I think this might be what I need. Any thoughts?

[Elwood]

I looked at it and it would have been a close fit so I went with this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835106061) since it had good reviews and was on special.

I feel like I made a good decision b/c I measured eveything else was cutting it too close to go with either Zalman product.