its all gone very very wrong

[jmg]

Hi all,

I hope someone can help me.

I recently bought a new pc. Its an tbird 1.333, on a ecs k7ama motherboard. I was running ok, although very hot (over 60C) for about a week. At this point I decided to add a system fan (I thought it would have come with the case initally) and a soundblaster 5.1

Since I added them the temp has risen and now the system crashes after a little bit of use. It wont boot again until I leave it for a while, even if I try to turn it on nothing happens!

I thought the fan might have been shorting so I disconnected it. I havent tried removing the soundcard though.

any advice?

I am changing the motherboard to a FIC AD11. The heatsick is a askara (!) one, its very big though and looks the part if nothing else.

JMG

[Bovon]

Welcome to SysOpt

Tell us a little about the puter...did you build it or buy it already put together?
60 degrees c is a bit high, but not so high as to cause a crash or shutdown I wouldn't think.

Adding a case fan was a good move. One in the front as an intake, and one in the rear as an exaust is what the mininum generally is...not including the psu fan which exausts also.

The Soundblaster Live cards have given a lot of users of the VIA chipset boards with the 686B southbridge some grief, but not from an over heating point of view that I am aware of.

The heatsink could have a small thermal pad on the bottom...these are known to help increase temps on cpu's, and most everybody removes the pad and applies Artic Silver thermal grease in very small quanties. Some people also lap a heatsink for a better fit on a cpu, and report some heat reduction from that.

[shinobi]

Sounds to me that the problem is in your heatsink/fan. Are you sure that they are both approved by AMD for 1.33 athlons? I also concur with what the above poster said about the thermal compound.

[jmg]

Thanks for the reply!

the system is:

1.333 Athlon 266 fsb
Radeon 32MB
Sblaster 5.1
300w psu
CDRW
DVD
2 x 20GB UDMA 100
1 case fan at the front blowing air in
askara heatsink

it running up to 80C when it is on for a while. Then it crashed.

The psu feel really hot when it does.

What heatsink would you recommend?


JMG

[Bovon]

Thanks for the reply! You're welcome
the system is:

1.333 Athlon 266 fsb
Radeon 32MB
Sblaster 5.1
300w psu
CDRW
DVD
2 x 20GB UDMA 100
1 case fan at the front blowing air in
askara heatsink I'm not familiar with that one, and you may need a rear fan blowing hot air out.

it running up to 80C when it is on for a while. Then it crashed. I can imagine!! thats way too hot...

The psu feel really hot when it does. Do you mean the power supply (psu) or the processor heat sink (cpu)?

What heatsink would you recommend? I like the Swiftech MC 462, but you have not answered the questions I asked the first time. Did you install the heat sink?..did the heat sink come with a thermal pad attached?.. If so, did you remove it and use thermal grease instead?..Are you VERY sure the heat sink is setting down flat on top of the cpu?...they can be latched down off level, and that will raise the cpu temps considerably.

Take the case cover off and get a house fan to blow into the case to see if that will help lower the temps a little..that way, we will have some clues where your problem may be, and can help more.

[TechDude]

I would suggest getting another case fan and putting it in the back. The one in the front is sucking cld air in, but once its in the chasis the air will get hot. And since you have no fan to blow it out, the hot air will stay there and cause your system to overheat.

Also if you can afford it, get a better hsf. Im using Volcano 5 for my 1.47 Athlon and its great. Also, but a tube of Artic Silver (Either I or II, doesnt matter). And instead of using the thermal tape/pads the hsf and other fans come with, use that.

Try those 2 suggestions, Athlon cpus require more cooling than a P4 counterpart (1 fan on front/back and a good hsf is the requirment).

If it still turns off, try adding another fan to the back if itll fit.

[jmg]

Hi,

Sorry for answering,

I did fit the heatsink myself, but I didnt use thermal grease.

I have decided to order a swiftek mc-462, and some artic silver.

Thanks for your help,

jmg

[Bovon]

jmg Before we go any further. You must answer the questions posed by those that are trying to help.

Now...please answer this one. is there a thermal pad, or any type of thermal grease between the heat sink and the processor core right now.

If there is no thermal protection there right now...DO NOT...I repeat...DO NOT turn the computer on again without it. You are very close to destroying your processor and maybe the motherboard.



[This message has been edited by Bovon (edited 09-08-2001).]

[cooter007]

I am convinced the “Arctic Silver II” is the trick!!! I have a AMD 1.33 w/ the Retail Heatsink and Fan(the one the came the retail box). My temp was 50C after running QuakeTA and a little higher after running Half-Life for two hours. I added a small case fan(50mm) and it stays around 46C now. 42c at idle!

[Dedalus2k]

It's the MoBo. I've got the same board running a 1.4 T-Bird with three high speed case fans and a Thermaltake Volcano 6+ and it still hovers around 60°C. Run Seti or any graphics intense program and forget about it!!! Through the roof. Been doing research on it and I've come across it all over the place.
I'm gonna dump the **** board and get an ASUS which I shoulda done in the first place.