CPU overheating on first build

[Dan Brown]

Hello All-

I just built my new system tonight. Specs in sig.

My issue is that the MB is shutting down the system due to a hot temperature of the CPU. My BIOS has an autoshutdown @ 85C. I know ALL my fans (CPU, 2/3 case, and PSU are in fact spinning). If I click fast enough, I can get into the bios and watch the temp monitor climb about one degree celsius a second until it hits that 85 limit (I've shut it down before it hit it, but it clearly on its way there.)


I'm kind of at a loss at what to do. Like I said, I can literally see all the fans spinning. I don't feel all that great about my van being seated well to the MB, but the goo on the back of the fan/cpu wafer flattens out. Like I said, I'm really unsure what to do at this point. I don't even want to turn it on (it's been 3x now) because I'm worried about damage.

Any ideas anyone?

[Dan Brown]

I can't get the CPU fan speed above 1700 rpm or so..... even when I try to set "low speed" to something higher than 1700 in the bios (its default is 300).

BIOS settings are 100% CPU fan speed after 65*C

I'm still overheating.... I tried hooking the CPU fan up to the SYS FAN 3 pin, that didn't work.

ANYONE?

[Nick N]

There is only one thing that will cause a CPU to go up in temp to the point where it shuts down (assuming you have the tower door off the side and its not 110 degrees in the house)

and that is the CPU HSF is not installed correctly

once that thermal pad has heated up, melted and been used, your not suppose to remove the HS and put it back on again. the TIM pad (goo) is a one shot deal, although I have put them back on carefully, it was just a temp install

I usually clean the TIM pad off any new heat sink and use thermal compound properly applied

That heat sink is not sitting on that CPU right.

I dont know if you have it on crooked or if its just not locked down, but its not right.

If you were to carefully remove the heat sink, flip it over and look at the base you should see where the CPU is not making good contact. You should then remove the TIM pad and clean the base with alcohol so it shines, then use thermal compound instead of the TIM and install it again. If you do not have any thermal compound you will have to try reseating the HSF as it is and see if you can get it on correctly, but if the pad is melted, it will need to be redone soon.

You did remove any plastic protective cover that may have been on the bottom of the heat sink I assume

[Dan Brown]

Nick-


You seem to have all the info for me the past few days. I set it up once, didn't like the way the HSF sat, and redid it, all before the first powerup. I have since done it one more time to make sure. I will quit and wait to get some thermal compound.

But would that explain why the HSF wouldn't go above 1700 rpm? Shouldn't it kick into high gear (~4500rpm) once the temp gets that high? That something I don't understand.....

[Nick N]

Nick-


You seem to have all the info for me the past few days. I set it up once, didn't like the way the HSF sat, and redid it, all before the first powerup. I have since done it one more time to make sure. I will quit and wait to get some thermal compound.

But would that explain why the HSF wouldn't go above 1700 rpm? Shouldn't it kick into high gear (~4500rpm) once the temp gets that high? That something I don't understand.....

is this a factory boxed HSF?

How many pins is the fan? 4 I assume.. is the motherboard also a 4 pin?

[Nick N]

I just looked it up, you have a 4 pin CPU fan header and the HSF must be 4 pin if its the one that came with the processor in the box so it

[Dan Brown]

Factory boxed HSF

It is 4-pin, the CPU fan is the only 4 pin on the MB, the rest (Sys Fan, Aux1-Aux4) are three pin. When I plugged the HSF into a 3-pin which went to a Molex, it still was observed to be spinning slow.

I'm obviously very troubled by this. I'm concerned I messed something up, and I'm worried about the 5-6 times the CPU has gotten close to 80*C. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but if the HSF isn't getting up to the proper speed, could that be the culprit?

I'm going to try to pick up some thermal compound tomorrow, but as a whole I'm not very pleased with the Intel HSF as a whole. I'm wondering if a Zalman would fix the issue, or this MB isn't holding the HSF correctly. It seems to take entirely too much pressure to lock the HSF down onto the board. But that STILL doesn't explain the low fan speed, that's what really gets me going. And of course, all our PSU talk the last night over the video card, I'm wondering now if this PSU is garbage...


At this point, I'm probably rambling, so I'm going to quit for the night. I will be here in the morning to stress out some more

[Nick N]

I can't get the CPU fan speed above 1700 rpm or so..... even when I try to set "low speed" to something higher than 1700 in the bios (its default is 300).

BIOS settings are 100% CPU fan speed after 65*C

I'm still overheating.... I tried hooking the CPU fan up to the SYS FAN 3 pin, that didn't work.

ANYONE?

Dont hook the CPU fan up to anything other than the CPU fan port. I need to know if this is a 3 pin or 4 pin fan. If it is 4 pin the BIOS must be set to PMW control of the fan and not by temp

[Nick N]

Factory boxed HSF

It is 4-pin, the CPU fan is the only 4 pin on the MB, the rest (Sys Fan, Aux1-Aux4) are three pin. When I plugged the HSF into a 3-pin which went to a Molex, it still was observed to be spinning slow.

I'm obviously very troubled by this. I'm concerned I messed something up, and I'm worried about the 5-6 times the CPU has gotten close to 80*C. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but if the HSF isn't getting up to the proper speed, could that be the culprit?

I'm going to try to pick up some thermal compound tomorrow, but as a whole I'm not very pleased with the Intel HSF as a whole. I'm wondering if a Zalman would fix the issue, or this MB isn't holding the HSF correctly. It seems to take entirely too much pressure to lock the HSF down onto the board. But that STILL doesn't explain the low fan speed, that's what really gets me going. And of course, all our PSU talk the last night over the video card, I'm wondering now if this PSU is garbage...


At this point, I'm probably rambling, so I'm going to quit for the night. I will be here in the morning to stress out some more

no problem, if you decide to replace with a zalman, this is the unit you need for 4pin operation:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... Tpk=9700NT


its very possible the TIM pad is simply not right and is keeping the HS from seating correctly. It is also possible you have a defective HSF, however, I would get the unit cleaned up and installed again and verify the BIOS is set to use PWM fan control

Check the Vcore (CPU CORE VOLTAGE) and see if it displays that number. It should be 1.35 or less, probably 1.25-1.32v

[Nick N]

at this point I would not suspect a PSU because all you are doing is booting into the BIOS. That does not require 3D power or any load. You can also look at the system voltages in the BIOS for 12v, 3.3v and 5v. If they are within .10v - .05v of their rating, its not the PSU causing the overheat or system malfunction.


I suspect it is from a bad initial HSF install and the Tim pad is now shot. If after you clean the HS and the CPU and apply thermal compound its still not right, and the HS looks like it is on the CPU square and solid, I would start thinking in terms of something being defective.

I dont use the factory heat sinks, never have. They will work however if you are not overclocking.

It does boot so that means the CPU is in the socket and locked down. I am sure you are dealing with an alignment problem.

Check the CPU vcore voltage I mentioned and also verify you read the manual about how to set up the BIOS for PWM fan use.


From now on, don't let the system go above 60c. If it makes it that far while you are sitting in the BIOS its ducked-up. In the BIOS with no load you should never see more than 45, although if the BIOS is out of calibration it can read high, but never 60c+

[Ivan]

Intels should run relatively cold with the factory heatsink. AMDs are a different story though...

Jusg get yourself an old credit card and a tube of heatsink stuff.

If you cant get the cooler off (black intel goo perhaps?) use a hairdryer or let it run for a few seconds in your case... the goo gets more fluid when warm

Scrape the old pad off with the card and wipe it so clean that you can use it as a mirror
Then put a small blob of heatsink stuff on the processor top (thats the spreader plate) and CHECK THE LATCH SPACE on the heatsink before mounting it again

[Dan Brown]

RUNNING VERY COOL NOW  ;D


Bottom Line: The TIM was too thick, not allowing the fan to seat well. I put some Antec Silver Thermal Compound 5 on there, because that was all I could get in this hick town. In a few months I will start OC'ing probably, and will graduate to the good compound.

I will work on everything else later, gotta go fly now!

Thanks to all that replied... seems strange that the TIM would be so thick that I couldn't get the fan mounted flat..... hrrrm

[Nick N]

Rule #1 on any build when it comes to the CPU