Asus A8N Temp monitor with Zal 7700AlCu

Redmist · Post by **Redmist** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 5:12 am

I've got a Athlon 64 3500+ (Newcastle) which when I overclock, the temps get very high under load according to the nTune monitor (around 80C) The strange thing is that it's perfectly stable even when run overnight with a 3DMark loop and the Zalman 7700 AlCu barely feels warm. I also have a Zalman NB heatsink which feels very warm, almost hot to touch.

The idle temperature seems to be around 45C. I've heard the temp monitor on the MSI boards are a bit flaky but what about these Asus boards? (non-deluxe)

Am I potentially damaging my CPU?

ilh · Post by **ilh** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 7:09 am

I wonder if your thermal paste is correctly applied. I don't have a Newcastle, but my idle/load CPU spread is about 24/40C with a 7000 at minimum fanmate speed, and that's overclocked a bit to 240x10. Of course, it is hard to know if my temps are accurate, but presumably the 16C load rise isn't too far off. You have a 35C rise.

Redmist · Post by **Redmist** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 8:16 am

Yes, you might be right - it could be a thermal paste issue. I've basically spread a layer of Arctic Silver 5 over the CPU but maybe I need to apply a little more. I'm running at 2550Mhz which is probably a bit over the top too. I did have an issue with my last XP 2800+ where the thermal paste dried up, but in that case, the CPU heatsink was getting very hot too. Maybe these 7700s are deceptive as far as how much hotter the base of the heatsink is compared to the fins.

ilh · Post by **ilh** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:40 am

You might have too much AS5; more is not necessarily better. Also, you might want to read AS5's instructions which explicitly say not to spread it thinly yourself, but instead to put a grain of rice-sized dollup in the middle of the heatspreader and let the heatsink spread it with even pressure.

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 2:11 pm

Try to Calibrate Your CPU Temp Reporting. Then you know if that temp is the truth or not. Asus boards are known to be way of in their reported temps.

RonG · Post by **RonG** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 3:36 pm

I might try using the calibration method if I could understand what
'B. Adjust the FSB to the next level'
means, and how to do it.

I think it might mean adjust the front side bus, and I could do that in the BIOS, but that would mean rebooting.
Still, I am NOT sure that that is what is meant. Is it?
(When I was in school I was taught to introduce any acronyms in my writing.)

ilh · Post by **ilh** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 4:16 pm

RonG wrote:I think it might mean adjust the front side bus, and I could do that in the BIOS, but that would mean rebooting.
Still, I am NOT sure that that is what is meant. Is it?
(When I was in school I was taught to introduce any acronyms in my writing.)

What's BIOS?

Yes, the technique involves changing CPU (central processing unit) speed via the FSB (front side bus) or perhaps multiplier. I may try this. There is a program called clockgen that can do this inside Windows for some chipsets.

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:42 pm

I used RMClock to change the multiplier from within Windows. It should work with every mobo that supports Cool'n'Quiet. (And yes FSB means front side bus.)

Shuriken · Post by **Shuriken** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 7:29 am

I dont know about the temp readings. But the voltage readings on my AN8-SLI thru nTune are way off. CPU 7.925 V , Mem 3.1 V

Qwertyiopisme · Post by **Qwertyiopisme** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 8:17 am

Shuriken wrote:I dont know about the temp readings. But the voltage readings on my AN8-SLI thru nTune are way off. CPU 7.925 V , Mem 3.1 V

Either that or you have got very good cooling to be able to keep the CPU from melting everything around it.

Redmist · Post by **Redmist** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 1:15 am

Well, it looks like it did damage the CPU. Today my system is unstable under load unless I run at stock CPU speed and with very loose memory timings.

And yes, the 7700 is deceptive as to how hot the fins are compared to the base. If nothing else, I've proved that a Newcastle CPU lasts 2 days at 80C