Please help me identify Speedfan temps

[Mats]

I finally got my new computer running.

AMD Opteron 146
Zalman CNPS7000A AlCu
DFI LanParty nF3 Ultra D
2 x 1 GB Twinmos 400 MHz

I get these temps in Speedfan 4.27.

Code: Select all

Label      Chip        Sensor        Sample        BUS            Adress

1          IT8712F     Temp1         36° C         ISA            $290
2          IT8712F     Temp2         31° C         ISA            $290
3          IT8712F     Temp3         30° C         ISA            $290
4          F75383      Local         30° C         nForce2 SMBus  $4C
5          F75383      Remote         0° C         nForce2 SMBus  $4C
6          ACPI        Temp1         40° C         ISA            $0

#1: Could be the power regulators, but I'm not sure. Ramps up very fast at load and get hottest. Jumps sometimes 17° C down and then back up, assumes the higher temp is the right one.
#2: Gives a stable temp graph. It must be the nF3, temp went up when I stopped the nF3 fan.
#3: Gives a stable temp graph.
#4: The graph looks more like a sound graph of a fan, lots of minor variations. Went up when I started the nF3 fan????
#1 - 4 all goes up with Prime95 and responds to CPU fan speed.

#5: Always at 0° C, ignore it.
#6: Always at 40° C, ignore it.

Questions:

1 - Do you know a way to find out what the different temps are? I've used Prime95, but I just can't figure it out.

2 - What's the ACPI chip?

3 - If I have a dupicate temp, will it always show the identical temp? Ok, that question sounds a bit strange, but what if #3 and #4 are the same? Is there a possibility that it can differ 1° C? I think SpeedFan can find the same temp sensor through both ISA and SMBus.

4 - 3 fan speed controllers show up (I've got 4 headers on mobo), but only the first makes the fan respond to changes, why?
___________________________________________________________

To all newbies struggling with Speedfan, remember to change PWM Mode x from ON/OFF to Software controlled in Configure>Advanced(chip) when the fan speed controller is set to 100% but the fan won't respond to changes.

[kesv]

1 - Do you know a way to find out what the different temps are? I've used Prime95, but I just can't figure it out.

There isn't a fast rule which temperature is which. Usually the maker of the monitoring chip has issued a recommendation, but the motherboard makers don't always follow that. Generally the hottest temperature should be the CPU, unless we are talking about a hot chipset like the nForce 4 which can in some situations run 'cpu like' temperatures.

So if we assume the hottest temperature is the CPU then the next hottest is likely the northbridge. If a third temperature is provided you could mark it 'case' or 'motherboard'. Unless the MBs manual says something about it, we are usually left guessing where the third temperature sensor is. Some motherboards actually just have a plug for the third temperature sensor. You'll have to install it yourself. You'll need to try to find more information specific to your board about this.

2 - What's the ACPI chip?

ACPI stands for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface and is an interface of your BIOS. This is what is used to make laptops enter sleepstates, etc. Usually ACPI offers atleast the CPU temperature information and my guess is that Speedfan is checking what ACPI has to say about your temperatures. This should really be the same as one of the other sensor readings.

3 - If I have a dupicate temp, will it always show the identical temp? Ok, that question sounds a bit strange, but what if #3 and #4 are the same? Is there a possibility that it can differ 1° C? I think SpeedFan can find the same temp sensor through both ISA and SMBus.

It's quite common for the monitoring chips to be readable by using both the ISA and the SMBus. Works on my MB anyway. This means that you should be seeing the same information from the two buses. And yes those readings derieved from the different buses can differ slightly. The monitoring chip doesn't actually provide exact temperature readings. Instead the software has to consider the type of temperature sensor, if it can work out what it is, and then it has to check if your motherboard is known to need adjustments to get correct temperatures.

I don't really know speedfan, but I'd expect it to have a large database of motherboards and/or monitoring chipsets that it checks to see if it has appropriate data on how to read the sensor readings on that specific board.

[justblair]

Have you registered yet with the speedfan webby?

One of the services you get in exchange is access to a database that users update with the settings for their own mobos.

You can download another users config and get the labels they have applied to theirs. This can be usefull or sometimes not ideal. If your board is a pop one though you can try a few users configs and go for the labels that show a consensus.

I can vouch also that your e-mail addy is not passed on to spammers. Or at least none sophisticated enough to get through my isp's spam guard.

[Mats]

I've found out most of the temps now

#1=CPU
#2=nF3
#3=ITE8712F
#4...still don't know
#5=still at 0° C
#6=it actually varies, but it only gives one temp every time I start the computer and then never changes until I restart. Strange.

#1 is set as "Diode" while "2 and "3 are set as "Thermistor". Setting #1 as "Thermistor" gives a more stable signal, but also a completely wrong temp (which can be adjusted of course).

Question:Can someone explain the differences between "Diode" and "Thermistor" settings, does it matter which I use?

Thanks!

[qviri]

If I might offer some advice, a good way to find out which temperature is the CPU one is to stop the CPU fan. Just remember to plug it back in later if you physically unplug it; my XP-M got to 75*C once before I looked at Speedfan's icon in the tray. Sure identified the CPU temperature, though!

Also, my northbridge runs hotter than my CPU, even though it's a VIA KT400. At idle, it's at about 42*C, while the CPU is at 36~38*C. Then again, the CPU is undervolted and underclocked with a Scythe on top of it, while all the northbridge has is that dinky stock heatsink.